May 9, 2022. Last year, stories of two WW2 soldiers who lost their lives in this area on March 30, 1945, were told.  Both Edmond COULOMBE of Manitoba and Alphonse ROBERT of New Brunswick served with Les Fusiliers Montreal and were killed on the same day.

We learned about the Gendringen connection when we were contacted by Maarten Koudijs, a volunteer researcher in this Dutch village along the German border with eyewitness accounts of how Robert and several members of his Regiment, including Coulombe, lost their lives when a shell exploded.

Missed the stories about Edmond COULOMBE and Alphonse ROBERT?  See:

• https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/12/24/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-successful-search-for-a-photo-of-ww2-soldier-edmond-coulombe/
• https://bordencarletonresearchproject.wordpress.com/2021/04/15/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-9/
• https://bordencarletonresearchproject.wordpress.com/2021/10/12/on-the-war-memorial-trail-an-update-on-the-story-of-ww2-soldier-alphonse-robert/

 …The Gendringen Monument…

On May 6, 2022 a monument was unveiled in Gendringen, The Netherlands.  Maarten Koudijs was kind enough to share some photos, and explained that “… Nearly 500 people are commemorated on this memorial. 

·       23 Dutch Soldiers (from Genkoppen and Wisch) during the raid in May 1940

·       114 Citizens from Wisch

·       111 Citizens from Gendringen

·       30 Dutch citizens from the labor camps in Rees

·       27 forced labourers from Gendringen en Wisch

·       3 men from the resistance

·       46 Executed citizens of Rademakersbroek

·       12 Citizens working for Organization TODT (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organisation_Todt)

·       41 Canadian military personnel and Air Force crew members

·       44 English soldiers and Air Force crew members

·       167 German soldiers who fell in the former municipality of Gendringen en Wisch (now Oude IJsselstreek)

·       1 Irish aircrew member flying for the RAF

·       1 Australian aircrew member flying for the RAF

·       2 New Zealand crew members flying for RAF

·       1 American Spitfire pilot flying for RCAF….” 

Note: RAF refers to Royal Air Force.  RCAF refers to Royal Canadian Air Force.

…Einar Victor Isfeld’s Son Attended the Unveiling…

Dennis Isfeld, son of Einar Victor ISFELD of the Queen’s Own Highlanders, attended the unveiling.  In a short video (under 3 minutes in both Dutch and English), he was interviewed with an eyewitness, who was 11 years old in 1945.

… Canadians commemorated on the Gendringen Memorial…. 

Maarten identified the names of 41 Canadians, including the Regiment they were serving in at the time of death and their final resting place. “…The following Canadian soldiers were killed near the former municipality of Genkoppen. The former municipality of Genkoppen en Wisch is now OUDE IJsselstreek Achterhoek….”

Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders Of Canada:

• Harry Gregory BOZAK, died March 30, 1945, aged 20, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Francis Walter Andrew GLOSSOP, died March 30, 1945, aged 28, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Einar Victor ISFELD, died of wounds April 6, 1945, aged 30, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Anton W. KOHLRUSS, died March 31, 1945, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Frederick LISSOWAY, died March 30, 1945, aged 37, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• John Graham MACFIE, died March 30, 1945, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Vincent Albert MOORE, died March 30, 1945, aged 29, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Edward Oliver OBERG, died March 30, 1945, aged 19, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• William PROW, died March 30, 1945, aged 24, buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery
• Rocco Andrew SPEZIALI, died March 30, 1945, aged 26, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Bert J. THOMAS, died March 30, 1945, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Charles Joseph YOUNES, died March 30, 1945, aged 33, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery

Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal:

• Roland A. BARRY, died March 30, 1945, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Joseph Paul Roland CARON, died of wounds April 5, 1945, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Edmond COULOMBE, died March 30, 1945, aged 22, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Jacques FORTIN, died March 30, 19455, aged 21, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Bernard Gaston PILON, died March 30, 1945, aged 19, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Alphonse ROBERT, died March 30, 1945, aged 21, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery

South Saskatchewan Regiment:

• Peter HYDICHUK, died March 31, 1945, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• James Joseph MALONEY, died March 31, 1945, buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery
• Michael Joseph MCDERMOTT, died of wounds August 5, 1945, buried in Kilgobbin Burial Ground, Ireland
• William SERNOWSKI, died March 31, 1945, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery

8th Canadian Recce Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars):

• Laurenzo DUBE, died March 30, 1945, aged 26, buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery
• Leslie Albert DUCKETT, died March 30, 1945, aged 24, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• William LAWRYSYN, died March 30, 1945, aged 27, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Wilfred Charters STEWART, died March 29, 1945, aged 22, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery

Royal Canadian Artillery:

• Ivan Rayburn NILSSON, died April 1, 1945, aged 21, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery

 Black Watch Of Canada:

• Ernest George GRAHAM, died April 1, 1945, aged 29, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
• Robert WALKER, died of wounds April 1, 1945, aged 19, buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery

  Royal Canadian Air Force:

• Duncan Eric CAMPBELL, died June 12, 1943, aged 28, buried in Wisch (Varsseveld) General Cemetery
• Ralph Perry DAVIES, died June 12, 1943, aged 24, buried in Wisch (Varsseveld) General Cemetery
• James HEATH, died June 17, 1944, aged 35, buried in Wisch (Varsseveld) General Cemetery
• Allan Lockwood HOME, died May 13, 1943, aged 26, buried in Gendringen Roman Catholic Cemetery
• Albert James MACLACHLAN, died June 12, 1943, aged 21, buried in Wisch (Varsseveld) General Cemetery
• Hugh Columba MACNEIL, died May 13, 1943, aged 24, buried in Gendringen Roman Catholic Cemetery
• James Edward MCDONALD, died June 2, 1942, aged 26, buried in Gendringen Roman Catholic Cemetery
• Henry Augustin SHEEHAN, died May 13, 1943, aged 21, buried in Gendringen Roman Catholic Cemetery
• Frederick John SMITH, died October 31, 1942, aged 21, buried in Gendringen Roman Catholic Cemetery
• Louis-Phillipe Roma TAILLEFER, died June 12, 1943, aged 24, listed on the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, England
• Milford Glen THOMAS, died May 13, 1943, aged 26, buried in Gendringen Roman Catholic Cemetery
• Rudolph ZEIDEL, died June 12, 1943, aged 21, listed on the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, England

Thank you to Maarten Koudijs for letting us know about this commemoration events.  Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

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