Only recently Emmen has expanded, and the
communities of Schoonebeek, Nieuw Schoonebeek and Weiteveen fall under its jurisdiction. In Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery another 24 RAF casualties were buried who died in the Emmen area, together with one Dutch soldier,
On two other cemeteries in Emmen one Dutch soldier and members of the resistance are buried.
Circa 150 Jews from Emmen were deported and murdered in nazi extermination camps. Circa 30 Jews from Emmen survived the war.
Roelof Meijering. Soldaat. 1-I-34 R.I.; 08/04/1909-10/05/1940
Soldier, 1st Compagny, 1st Batallion, 34rd Regiment Infantery. Died in the defense of Dordrecht (South Holland). Buried Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery. See War over Holland.
Type: HP52 Hampden Mk B I Serial number: AE151, ZN-? Operation: Intruder Lost: 21/12/1941
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Anthony Carter, RAFVR 68170, 106 Sqdn., age unknown, 21/12/1941, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
F/S Reginald S. Hartgroves, PoW
Sgt R. Yearsley, PoW
Sgt D.Martin, injured, PoW
Airborne 12.10 hrs from Coningsby. Cause of loss not established. Crashed at Schoonebeek (Drenthe), 14 km S of Emmen.
'My father, Reginald Stanley Hartgroves (now deceased), piloted Handley Page Hampdens (the flying suitcases), out of RAF Coningsby, Lincs, with 106 Squadron, during the early part of WW 2. He was shot down and made a crash landing in Schoonebeek, Holland and was taken prisoner-of-war for the duration.' - Nick Hartgroves, RAF Commands Forum, 2001
F/S R.S. Hartgroves was interned in Camps 7A/383/L7, PoW No.90128. Also recorded with the PoW No.130 (?). Sgt D. Martin was confined in Hospital due injuries. No PoW No. Sgt R. Yearsley in Camps 383/L7, PoW No.136. (Possibly PoW No.90136).
Type: Lancaster Mk I Serial number: W4984, AR-J Operation: Dortmund Lost: 24/05/1943
Flight Sergeant [Pilot] Beresford M.T. Davis, RAAF 405966, [460 Sqdn.], age 20, 24/05/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Eric Rowlands, RAFVR 1040539, 460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn, age unknown, 24/05/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Flight Sergeant Kenneth D. Dyce, RAAF 412411, [460 Sqdn.], age 21, 24/05/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
F/S Goldthorpe RAAF - PoW
Flight Sergeant Jack S. Biffen, RAAF 411839, [460 Sqdn.], age 21, 24/05/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Flight Sergeant Charles S. Wright, RAAF 421066, [460 Sqdn.], age 25, 24/05/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Frederick W. Ralph, RCAF R/152317, 460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn, age unknown, 24/05/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Lost on its first Key Operation. When lost this aircraft had a total of 23 hours. W4984 was one of two 460 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation, in which 24 aircraft from the Squadron participated. Airborne from Binbrook (no time recorded). Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed near Oud Schoonebeek (Drenthe), 14 km SSE of Emmen, Holland.
F/S K.D. (or C.?) Goldthorpe was interned in Camps L6/357, PoW No.1479.
Pieter Smit, age 31, 26/07/1943, Brandenburg-Havel, Stadtkreis Brandenburg, Germany. Buried Gemeentelijke Begraafplaats De Wolfsbergen / Communal Cemetery De Wolfsbergen, Emmen. Vak III, rij D, nummer 5.
Pieter Smit was born on 13/10/1911 in Borger. He was a driver. Possible inmate of a concentration camp for reasons (yet) unknown.
In the night of 22nd/23rd August 1943 Leverkussen (Germany) was targeted. At least three other Lancasters (from 61, 103 and 106 Squadrons) and two Halifaxes (from 102 and 434 Squadrons) were lost this night. See RAF - History for more about 207 Squadron.
Type: Lancaster Mk I Serial number: ED550, EM-K Operation: Leverkussen (or Berlin?) Lost: 23/08/1943
Pilot Officer (Pilot) George W. Osmer, RAFVR 149557, 207 Sqdn., age 22, 23/08/1943, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Pilot Officer (Nav.) Cyril P. Backlog, RAFVR 141331, 207 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/08/1943, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) William M.E. Reid, RAFVr 1367967, 207 Sqdn., age 33, 23/08/1943, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Donald Fells, RAFVR 1390228, 207 Sqdn., age 20, 23/08/1943, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Thomas E.C. McKeith, RAFVR 1552385, 207 Sqdn., age 19, 23/08/1943, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) John W. Standish, RAFVR 1458478, 207 Sqdn., age 19, 23/08/1943, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Seventh crew was: WALKER, Sgt Julian George Seymour 23 August 1943 age 23 ED550, Prisoner of War.
Crashed on a house near Nieuw Dordrecht.
Three civilians got killed. They lie buried opposite the crew of ED550:
Annigje de Vries Jalving, age 41, 23/08/1943. Wife of J. de Vries
Jan de Vries, age 41, 23/08/1943. Husband of A. De Vries-Jalving
Willem de Vries, age 8, 23/08/1943. Son of J. de Vries and A. De Vries-Jalving.
In October 1943, the aircraft of 101 Squadron were equipped with 'Airborne Cigar' (ABC) equipment, which was used to jam German radio frequencies. To carry out this function each squadron aircraft needed an extra, German speaking, crew member, whose task was to scan the German frequencies and jam those in use. However, the signals emitted by this equipment also made the aircraft easy to home onto and No 101 suffered heavy losses as a result.
Type: Lancaster Mk III Serial number: LM370, SR-K2 Operation: Berlin Lost: 18/11/1943
Flying Officer (Pilot) Charles P. McManus, RAFVR 133410 (Ireland), 101 Sqdn., age 25, 18/11/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Flying Officer (Nav.) Guy D. Spyers, RAFVR 140877, 101 Sqdn., age 35, 18/11/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Flying Officer (Air Bomber) Barry K. Petyt, RAFVR 137375, 101 Sqdn., age 20, 18/11/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Kenneth Jones, RAFVR 1684563, 101 Sqdn., age 20, 18/11/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Anthony E. Rosen, RAFVR 1144632, 101 Sqdn., age 21, 18/11/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Charles H. Downs, RAFVR 1101786, 101 Sqdn., age 25, 18/11/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr.) George H. Gittins, DFM, RAFVR 1210420, 101 Sqdn., age 21, 18/11/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Warrant Officer Class II (Air Gnr.)[ABC-operator] George P. Herman, RCAF R/128322, 101 Sqdn., age unknown, 18/11/1943, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Airborne 17.21 hrs 18/11/1943 from Ludford Magna. Came down at Oud Schoonebeek (Drenthe), 14 km SSE of Emmen, Netherlands. When lost this aircraft was on its second operation and had a total of 18 hours. F/S Gittins had previously completed a tour of operations with No.150 Sqdn, his DFM being Gazetted 12Jan43. back up
10/12/1943 - Sweep over NW Germany. 487 (RNZAF) Sqdn, 2 KIA
Second Tactical Air Force.
Type: Mosquito Mk. VI Serial number: HX966, EG-D Operation: Sweep over NW Germany (Rutenbruch [Rütenbrock?]-Nordhorn) Lost: 10/12/1943
Flying Officer (Pilot) Michael L.B. Frankson, RAFVR 137283, 487 (R.N.Z.A.F.) Sqdn, age 21, 10/12/1943, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Pilot Officer (Nav./Bomber) David E. Cake, RAFVR 156014, 487 (R.N.Z.A.F.) Sqdn, age 21, 10/12/1943, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
487 Squadron lost two Mosquitos this operation, HX966
and HX975.
Mosquito HX975, EG-O crashed near Den Ham (near Almelo, Overijssel province) in the Netherlands. The two crewmembers of the other Mosquito, F/S T. Mair and W/O K.L.O. Blow are buried at Den Ham General Cemetery.
02/01/1944 - Berlin, 405 Sqdn. RCAF, Lancaster, 7 KIA (S)
Type: Lancaster Mk III Serial number: JB280, LQ-K Operation: Berlin Lost: 02/01/1944
Flying Officer (Pilot) Thomas H.Donnelly, DFM, RCAF J/17137, 405 Sqdn., age 23, 02/01/1944, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Leslie G.R. Miller, RAFVR 1603616, 405 Sqdn., age unknown, 02/01/1944, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Flying Officer (Nav.) Alexander J. Salaba RCAF J/14787, 405 Sqdn., age unknown, 02/01/1944, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Flight Sergeant (Air Bomber) William L.J. Clark, RCAF R/157740, 405 Sqdn., age 22, 02/01/1944, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Brian S.J. West, RAFVR 1337836, 405 Sqdn., age unknown, 02/01/1944, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Ronald E. Watts, RAFVR 1818766, 405 Sqdn., age 33, 02/01/1944, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Ronald Zimmer RCAF R/186556, 405 Sqdn., age 33, 02/01/1944, Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery
Airborne 00.23 hrs 02/01/1944 from Gransden Lodge. Outbound, shot down by a night-fighter flown by Lt Friedrich Potthast, 1V./NJG1, crashing 02.10 hrs at Nieuw Schoonebeek (Drenthe) in the commune of Schoonebeek, where all were buried 5Jan44. F/O Donnelly gained his DFM with 57 Sqdn, Gazetted 4aug42.
In October 1943, the aircraft of 101 Squadron were equipped with 'Airborne Cigar' (ABC) equipment, which was used to jam German radio frequencies. To carry out this function each squadron aircraft needed an extra, German speaking, crew member, whose task was to scan the German frequencies and jam those in use. However, the signals emitted by this equipment also made the aircraft easy to home onto and No 101 suffered heavy losses as a result.
Type: Lancaster Mk III Serial number: DV287, SR-N Operation: Brunswick [Braunschweig] Lost: 14/01/1944
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Joseph W. Slater, RAFVR 158716, 101 Sqdn., age unknown, 14/01/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Pilot Officer (Air Bomber) Stanley E. Watchorn, RAFVR 169505, 101 Sqdn., age 27, 14/01/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Flight Sergeant (Pilot) Maxwell C. Patterson, RAFVR 1438245, 101 Sqdn., age 28, 14/01/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Arthur W.L. Schneider, RAFVR 941898, 101 Sqdn., age 24, 14/01/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Peter Mitchell, RAFVR 1077420, 101 Sqdn., age 21, 14/01/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr. [ABC Operator]) John F. Stafford, RAFVR 1166582, 101 Sqdn., age 24, 14/01/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Leonard Easdon, RAFVR 2206647, 101 Sqdn., age 19, 14/01/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) George T. McLatchie, RAFVR 1349943, 101 Sqdn., age 23, 14/01/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
F/O Walmsley - evaded.
DV287 was one of three 101 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. Airborne from Ludford Magna for ABC duties. Outbound, shot down by a night-fighter (Oblt Martin Drewes of 1V./NJG1) and crashed at Klazienaveen (Drenthe), 10 km SE of Emmen, Netherlands. Funerals for those killed were held at Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery 18/01/1944. F/O Walmsley's successful evasion was certainly assisted by the fact that the enemy was not aware there was an nine-man crew on the crashed Lancaster.
Type: Lancaster Mk II Serial number: LL684, A2-B Operation: Frankfurt Lost: 22/03/1944
Flight Sergeant (Pilot) John B. Underwood, RAFVR 1454510, 514 Sqdn., age 21, 22/03/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
F/O W.D.McPhee RCAF, PoW
Flying Officer (Nav.) Ivor J.F. Rich, RAFVR 136818, 514 Sqdn., age 35, 22/03/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Albert W. Johnson, RAFVR 1607088, 514 Sqdn., age 20, 22/03/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sergeant (W. Op. (Air) Richard J. Day, RAFVR 1238225, 514 Sqdn., age 22, 22/03/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Sgt R.C.Sime RCAF PoW
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Howell John, RAFVR 1656081, 514 Sqdn., age unknown, 22/03/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
LL684 was one of two No.514 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. See: DS815. Airborne 18.26 hours, 22/03/1944 from Waterbeach. Crashed near Nieuw Dordrecht (Drenthe), 8 km SE of Emmen, Holland. Those killed were buried 27/03/1944
F/O W.D.McPhee was interned in Camp L1, PoW No.3831 with Sgt R.C.Sime, PoW No.3841.
Type: Lancaster Mk III Serial number: ND963, OL-H Operation: Brunswick [Braunschweig], Germany Lost: 23/05/1944
W/O (Pilot) K.A. Lane, DFC, PoW
F/S R.F. Raymond, PoW
Flight Sergeant (Nav.) John A. Jones, RAFVR 1337834, 83 Sqdn., age 23, 23/05/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
F/S D.E. Cope, PoW
WO1 J.S.A. Aspinall, RCAF, PoW
Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Ernest A. Davies, RAFVR 1322400, 83 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/05/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
Flight Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Stanley J. Hall, RAFVR 1331030, DFM, 83 Sqdn., age unknown, 23/05/1944, Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery, NL
This aircraft was lost on its first operation. Airborne 22.44 hrs 22/05/1944 from Coningsby. Exploded with some force and crashed at Nieuw Dordrecht, 8 km SE of Emmen. The bodies of those killed were discovered several days later and were buried in Emmen (Nieuw Dordrecht) General Cemetery. F/S Hall's award was not published until 21/12/1945. WO1 J.S.A. Aspinall was interned in Camp 9C. PoW No.53418. F/S D.E. Cope in Camp L7, PoW No.13 with W/O K.A. Lane, PoW No.31. (Appointed Deputy Camp Leader), and F/S R.F. Raymond, PoW No.47.
Roelof Bouwman, member Dutch resistance, age 38, Havelte, 21/10/1944. Gemeentelijke Begraafplaats De Wolfsbergen / Communal Cemetery De Wolfsbergen, Emmen
Bouwman was born on 01/10/1906, Emmen. He was a leather tradesman.
Willem Frieling, member Dutch resistance, age 28, Apeldoorn, 08/03/1945. Gemeentelijke Begraafplaats De Wolfsbergen / Communal Cemetery De Wolfsbergen, Emmen. Vak VII, rij C, nummer 9.
Frieling was born on 07/03/1917 in Emmen. He was a farmer. Executed with 116 other resistance members and one German soldier by the Germans at the Woeste Hoeve near Apeldoorn, as a reprisal for the assault on SS General Rauter.
See this page for more about this mass execution (in Dutch), and also this one.
Hendrik Hadders, member Dutch resistance, age 29, Apeldoorn, 08/03/1945. Gemeentelijke Begraafplaats Emmen. Vak I, rij B, nummer 15.
Hadders was born on 05/04/1915 in Zuidbarge. He was a farmer. Executed with 116 other resistance members and one German soldier by the Germans at the Woeste Hoeve near Apeldoorn.
Hendrik Lange, member Dutch resistance, age 45, Apeldoorn, 08/03/1945. Gemeentelijke Begraafplaats Emmen. Vak VII, rij E, nummer 15.
Lange was born on 24/08/1899 in Emmen. He was a carpenter. Executed with 116 other resistance members and one German soldier by the Germans at the Woeste Hoeve near Apeldoorn.
Hendrik Vorsteveld, age 25, 29/07/1945, Emmen. Gemeentelijke Begraafplaats De Wolfsbergen / Communal Cemetery De Wolfsbergen, Emmen. Vak III, rij A, nummer 23.
Born in Assen, 07/06/1920. Engineering fitter. Cause of death (yet) unknown - either died of wounds sustained in combat or of exhaustion as result of imprisonment by Germans.
W.R. Chorley, Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 2, 1941, Midland Counties Publications, ISBN 0 904597 87
W.R. Chorley, Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 4, 1943, Midland Counties Publications, 1996.
W.R. Chorley, Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 5 : 1944, Midland Counties Publications, ISBN 0 904597 91 1
Shores/Thomas 2TAF, Vol I
J Bushby 'Gunner's Moon' (January 1942-) (Ian Allen 1972)
Charpentier, Lacey-Johnson & Jeudwine 'Global Warrior' (Lacey Johnson 1999)
G Gibson 'Enemy coast ahead' (1955)
Low/ Harper '83 Squadron 1917-1969' (Self published 1992 & 2nd ed 1997)
Clayton Moore 'Lancaster crew'
W Thompson 'Lancaster to Berlin'
Chris Ward '83 Squadron' (Bomber Command Profile no. 25)
R Alexander '101 Squadron RAF: special operations' (Private 1979)
A Brookes 'Bomber Squadron at war' (Ian Allen 1983)
Feast 'Carried on the wind: wartime experiences of a special duties operator with 101 Squadron' (2005)
F Harbord 'Familiar Voices' (Able 1988)
Hesmondhalgh 'Some fun to say the least - 101 Sqn' (spiral bound)
B Noble 'Noble Endeavours' (Private 1998)
A J M Smyth 'Abrupt Sierras'
Chris Ward '101 Squadron' (Bomber Command Profile no. 33)
Aitkin 'History of 207 Sqn' (HMSO 1985)
A C R Armstrong 'Failed to complete' lost crew
B Goodwin & R Glynne-Owen '207 Sqn RAF Langar 1942-43' (Quacks 1994)
John Hamlin 'Always prepared - story of 207 Sqn' (Air Britain)
Rolfe 'Gunning for the enemy: Wallace McIntosh ' Bomber Command air gunner (Grub St 2003)
Chris Ward '207 Squadron' (Bomber Command Profile no. 70)
208 Sqn
Harry Dison 'Some of the story of 514 Sqn...' (Self published)
This page is dedicated to the men and women from Ireland, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Poland and the Netherlands who lost their lives in Emmen during the Second World War and to the deported and murdered Jewish inhabitants of the Emmen municipality.