Death in Stalag 18A

Padre John Ledgerwood at the grave of Richmond Gerrard in Wolfsberg Cemetery

The following list is of those POWs who I am almost certain were attached to Stalag 18A when they died. It is as complete as I can make it at the moment. Those POWs who died on 18.12.44 were all killed in the mistaken USAF air raid.

Klagenfurt War Cemetery

If a POW died whilst in a Work Camp, he was usually buried in the local cemetery. After the war, all of these men were reinterred in Klagenfurt War Cemetery. On a beautiful day in early June, 2011, my wife Carole and I visited the cemetery. It is surrounded on three sides by low-rise housing and can be quite tricky to find. Like all Commonwealth War Graves cemeteries, it is immaculately kept and a credit to the gardener, who we met briefly. A melancholy place but also beautiful and peaceful. Whilst we were there I took a photo of every gravestone which I believed was connected to Stalag 18A. I will eventually connect these photos to the names listed above but, until I can do that, if you would like a copy of any gravestone, please email me.

The photograph below was supplied by Dale Jackson, nephew to Tom McOrmond.

Pte T.V. McOrmond, Tasmania

It is possible that the two photographs below are of the preparation of Klagenfurt War Cemetery. Francis Coatsworth and Roy Manktelow are buried in adjacent graves in the cemetery, 2C5 and 2C6.

Photos supplied by Jennifer Curtis, daughter of Harry Adams of the Royal Marines, one-time POW 6569, via Ian Jardine.

 Wolfsberg Cemetery

The following photographs were taken in June 2011. The cemetery is little changed from the time when POWs from Stalag 18A were buried here.

Michael Moore has sent me this sequence of photographs of an unknown funeral, or possibly a Remembrance Day ceremony. The camp is very likely 10029/GW at Weidmannsdorf.

ANZAC Day, 25 April 1944

Giselle McAndrew  and Barry Morley have sent me the following set of photographs from the ANZAC Day service from Stalag 18A/Z in 1944. Several of the graves are of POWs who died in late 1943.

Dowling Deacon	Edward Prosser	William Peter
Nkosi Sekulome	Green Field	James Nash
Hugh Adams		Walter Suckling

French POW

Chantal Tinader, daughter of Leon Tinader, a French POW, has sent me these three photographs of a French POW's funeral which were taken at Stalag 18A and Wolfsberg Cemetery.

US Airman

Ian Fraser, son of L/Cpl R.E. Fraser, RASC, has sent me the following sequence of photographs of the funeral of an unknown US airman who was shot down near to Work Camp 199/GW.

9 US Airmen

Christine King, daughter of Sgmn John Bell, has sent this photo marking the grave of nine American aircrew, shot down somewhere near Work Camp 561/L. The date on the marker is 5 November 1943.

Gnr T.W. Rolph

Val Shergold, daughter of Sgmn Roy Shergold, and David Payne, son of Gnr Albert Payne have sent me these photographs of the grave of Gnr T.W. Rolph, RA. They may have been taken near to Work Camp 10487/GW. Gnr Rolph's grave is now in Klagenfurt War Cemetery.

Dvr James Burnham

Vanessa Hicking, daughter of Sgt Ron Tudor, Royal Signals, has sent me these two photographs which could both relate to the funeral of James Burnham, Dvr, RASC. The photograph of the POWs carrying the coffin is entitled 'The funeral of Jimmy Burnham, Rotenturm, December 1942'. The photograph of the open coffin could also be of James Burnham.This particular Rotenturm appears to be near Oberwart, so James Burnham may have been part of Work Party 522/L.

Pte William Vellenoweth

Errol Vellenoweth has sent the following photo of the grave of his father, Pte William Vellenoweth, 25 Bn. 2NZEF, who died in April 1944. The photo and an accompanying letter were sent to Mrs Vellenoweth by Padre John Ledgerwood.  William Vellenoweth's grave is now in Klagenfurt War Cemetery.

Pte Rufus Parent

Rufus Parent of Windsor, Ontario, Canada was in the Essex Scottish Regiment. Taken prisoner on 19 August 1942 at Dieppe, he died on 25 October 1943 at Stalag 18A, aged 31. The photograph shows his original burial. His grave is now in Klagenfurt War Cemetery.

Pte William Keeling

William Keeling of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders died on 2 February 1944, aged 27. The photograph shows his original burial. His grave is now in Klagenfurt War Cemetery.

Spr Cyril Hearn

Cyril Hearn, a Sapper in the Royal Enginneers, died on 13 April 1942, aged 22. The photograph shows his original burial in Wolfsberg cemetery. His grave is now in Klagenfurt War Cemetery. Thanks to Ian Dobson for the photo

Pte Samuel Wolfenden

Samuel Wolfenden, a Private in the NZMC died on 24 August 1941.  The photograph shows his original burial in Wolfsberg cemetery with Padre John Ledgerwood in attendance.. His grave is now in Klagenfurt War Cemetery. Thanks to Ian Dobson for the photo

L/Bdr Peter Pierson

Peter Pierson, a Lance Bombardier in the Royal Artillery, died on 19 October 1942, aged 23. The photograph shows his original burial in Wolfsberg cemetery. His grave is now in Klagenfurt War Cemetery. Thanks to Ian Dobson for the photo

Julie Turnbull, granddaughter of Jack Heckells and Tim Mudge, son of Jack Mudge, have sent the following photos of an unknown burial. It looks like Padre Ledgerwood leading the service. It is possible that this is one of several funerals following the mistaken air-raid on camp 10029/GW