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

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.

Giselle McAndrew has sent me the following photographs which may be of the funeral of  Tpr Walter Herbert Suckling, Royal Tank Regiment, who died on 19th February 1944, aged 35. The second picture shows Tpr Suckling's grave. 

Chantal Tinader, daughter of Leon Tinader, a French POW, has sent me these three photographs of a French POW's funeral which seem to have been taken at Stalag 18A.

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.

Val Shergold, daughter of Sgmn Roy Shergold has sent me this photograph of the grave of Gnr T.W. Rolph, RA. This may have been taken near to Work Camp 10487/GW. Gnr Rolph's grave is now in Klagenfurt War Cemetery.

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.

Kent Fetter, son of Pte Donald Fetter, 168th Rg. (USA) has sent me this following photos of the funeral of Lt Deacon Dowling, 143 Inf. Rg. (USA) who was shot by a German guard at Oflag 18A/Z in October, 1943.

Robyn Ranginui, granddaughter of Peter Puohotaua, 2NZEF, has sent the following photo of an unknown grave. The name on the grave, Sekulome, is not Maori. A curious feature is that the location is almost identical to that of Lt. Dowling shown above.

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.

Julie Prentice has sent the following photos of an unknown burial. It looks like Padre Ledgerwood leading the service. They were brought back by her grandfather, Gnr Jack Heckels, RA.