Register of Burials in War Graves in the Parish of Swindon (Book 2 1946-1947)

There are two burial registers of war graves in the Swindon and Whitworth Road Cemeteries in the Parish of Swindon. They contain the names of British servicemen, Italian and German Prisoners of War.

The burials of sixty six German soldiers, airmen and navel personnel are registered. Nearly all died whilst at the USA 302nd Station Hospital Camp at Lydiard Park or its successors, the re-designated 4136 USA Hospital Plant, and the 160 POW Camp which was under British military control.

The German POW's were buried in Section L of Whitworth Cemetery, Swindon, their graves originally marked with simple wooden crosses. The registers include full details of their age, rank, service number, date of burial, the name of the officiating minister and plot number. By the time the military camp had become the 160 POW Camp, the period covered by this second register, the ministers who conducted the burials were German.

Names, ages (where known) and date of death are listed below.

BOOK 2

No.106 Helmut Stolle, age 34yrs, died 9th September 1946 No.109 Dietrich Boelitz, age 23yrs, died 10th October 1946 No.113 Richard Shultze, age 39yrs, died 10th November 1946 No.114 Joseph Gehrmann, age 33yrs, died 23rd November 1946 No.115 Ernest Klein, age 42yrs, died 22nd November 1946 No.116 H. Reuber, age 42yrs, died 26th November 1946 No.117 August Lippert, age 37yrsm died 17th December 1946 No.118 Theodor Trostrum, age 36yrs, died 24th December 1946 No.120 Gustav Kroeher, age 39 years, died 20th March 1947 No.121 Ernst Gerth, age 21yrs, died 15th April 1947 No.122 Willy Sohurst, age 39 yrs, died 24th May 1947 No.123 Edmund Zitlau, age 42 yrs, died 26th May 1947 No.126 Kurt Hunstock,. age 38 yrs, died 7th August 1947 No.127 Rudolph Popp, age 36 yrs, died 8th August 1947 No.129 Emil Link, age 42 yrs, died 15th September 1947

In 1959 the British Government and the Federal Republic of Germany concluded an agreement on the future maintenance of German war graves which were not looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This applied to Whitworth Cemetery and many similar sites across the country. The agreement saw the creation of a central memorial at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery in Staffordshire, which was officially opened in 1967 following re-interments. The site, which contains the graves of 5,000 Germans and Austrians, is said to have been selected on account of its rolling landscape and pine trees which are reminiscent of parts of Germany.