We try to put a picture on every fallen soldier in Zeeland

Hello,
I'm a volunteer at the liberation museum Zeeland in Nieuwdorp, the Netherlands. We are in the middle of a project where we hope to give all names and numbers in our database a face. Since we opened our museum in 2010 we have had a lot of visitors that sometimes give us some original items that were used during the battle.
We also have a lot of info about civilians, militairs, aircrafts and so on placed in our databases Since last year we trie to combine all the info we have in a database on our website. http://www.bevrijdingsmuseumzeeland.nl/index.php/nl/databanken/zeeland/militairen-per-gemeente We want to place as much info as possible in our database so everyone can browse through these information. It would be nice if we can put some pictures or other personal info on the persons in the database also. I want to ask you if you have pictures or stories of the heroes that died for our freedom and you don't mind I put it on our site please send them to me so I can update our database. I thought the Royal Marines landed at Walcheren in November 1944 and were also involved in North-Beveland in 1945. At this moment the database is only available in Dutch but we trie to translate it as soon as possible in Englisch also.

Hello Hans

I am the Archivist for the CVA website photo gallery. If you check your database list of Commando Fallen, against our Gallery where we have a search facility that will assist you, you may find we have one or two photos you would be interested in. All I would need from you is a list of which of our photos you would be seeking permission to reproduce on your site. If you contact me by email which is shown below and also on the Contacts Page we can hopefully help you with at least a few.

Regards

Pete Rogers

Thanks Pete!
I will check things as you requested an be in touch with you soon.
Hans

Gunner William (Bill) Harvey killed in action liberating Flushing serving with No4 Army Commando on 1 November 1944.

Bill

No 4 Army Commando landed on 1 November 1944 liberating Flushing and then fought onward joining up with the Marine Commandos.

Bill

Roll of honour flushing
No 4 Commando

Lieut. N. W. Barrass RA.

L/Sgt. A. J. Walker s.Lancs.

L/Cpl. O. c. hooper Buffs.

Pte. H. Donkin S.Lancs.

Gnr. W. Harvey RA.

Gnr. E. A. Hill RA.

Pte. J. Stoddart R. Berks.

Pte. P. Laux Devons.

Roll of Honour
No 4 commando
1st Bataillon de fusiliers marins commandos

Cpl. J. Momceau.

Cpl. Y. Ruppe.

L/cpl. J. Montean.

L/cpl. J. Neven.

L/cpl. N. Gourong

This is the roll of honour of No4 Commando British and French for Flushing.

Bill

Thanks Bill,
I have the names and ranks of most of the men which died during the landing and the fights afterwards. Is it oke I place the picture in our database?
I also received a lot of additional info on the men by mr Bakker. I am still looking for a man named leyland who drowned when his weasel capsized at Westkapelle. This i found in the book the 85 days of rw thompson.

You may use my Dad's photo Hans.

Bill

Good afternoon, Hans.

L/Cpl Owen Hooper was killed in the street fighting in Flushing. He was a member of 1 Troop 4 Cdo. He sadly met his end while trying, under fire, to break down the door of a house by striking it with the butt of his rifle. The door had been boobytrapped and he died instantly. I am aware of these facts because my late uncle, Sgt Donald Martin, was with him (He was temporarily blinded by the blast.) It was my late uncle intention to hit the door, but L/Cpl Hooper stopped him since my uncle's weapon was a Thompson sub-machine gun and possibly less sturdy. In 1984 I took my uncle to visit his friend's grave in Bergen Op Zoom military cemetery. We placed a wreath provided by Dutch friends on it.

Best wishes,

John Martin

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 07/01/2013 19:14:11

I put Jack Bakker in touch with Hans when we made first made email contact. I have also referred Hans to the below photos we have in our gallery:

Gunner Bill Harvey, No.4 Commando

Private Henry Donkin, No.4 Commando

Company Sergeant Major Harold Plank 47RM Commando

Private William Brown, RAMC attached to 48RM Commando

Additional information and names of the Fallen Commandos, both Army and Royal Marines, can be found here:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/15/1324.page

Hello Hans
You deserve all the help you can get with your initiative. I am sure no one in the CVA will mind me referring you to another site too (in case you have not heard of it) i.e. that of the Special Forces Roll of Honour.

The link I attach below may help with Royal Marine Commandos:

http://www.specialforcesroh.com/gallery.php?catid=22&gal=gallery

The Army Commandos on the site are here:

http://www.specialforcesroh.com/gallery.php?catid=16&gal=gallery

It is good that we all try to help each other.

Obviously there is a need to check out the images against your roll of honour etc for particular/specific relevance to you, but I just wondered if you were aware of the site.

Regards and good luck
Mike Beckett