Most of the bodies of the German soldiers who died in captivity, or were shot down, in the UK during the two wars were eventually transferred to here from all over the country. There are even the graves of a few German internees who also died in captivity.
Link: German Military Cemetery at Cannock Chase
You may care to link this post to my Taphophile Tragics meme when it enters its new week tomorrow. The Linky goes up at 11am Monday GMT.
ReplyDeleteI had never really given it much thought before I read this but this does surprise me. I recall seeing German graves at the military cemetery at Netley many years back which I had visited when I was based not far away. I just assumed that they were mostly scattered across the country.
ReplyDeleteThis is rather a sad and yet calm, beautiful shot. There would be worse places to rest your soul.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Mark. So glad you linked up with Taphophile Tragics.
ReplyDeleteI wonder who the group of young Germans is who visit to tend the cemetery? And do they do likewise in other European cemeteries? I can understand the special circumstances of this particular group of deceased. There must be so many more who were simply never found but in pieces. Is this at all close to your home? A focus upon just one person who has eternal rest in this place would satisfy my curiosity.
Your photograph has wonderful light and shade in it. I can never work out in my poor old head if a shot is in the morning or in the evening. I have some idea down here, but the northern hemisphere light is so very much softer. It confuses me.
Once again, thank you for your contribution. I do hope you may be able to contribute again in the future.
Hi Julie. Yes, this cemetery is just twenty miles from where I live; and Cannock Chase itself is known as a local beauty spot. I'm not sure which organisation puts together the German youngsters' visit, but I would be surprised if it's sponsored (at least partly) by the Anglo-German Friendship group.
DeleteAs for the light... yup, I think English light can be odd, because this is an afternoon shot. The sun is quite low in the sky; we don't have the kind of sudden Sun dropping moments you have in Australia. The poor old sun here creeps down quite slowly!
Didn't realise there was a German Cemetery in the UK.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to see so many stones. The poor families of those left behind in Germany to have a loved one die so far from home.
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