10 replies to this topic

[corisande]

I was searching for something else and came across this (you can see what I was actually looking for from the colouring on the cutting). I was interested in it as I was in Latvia this summer.

I tried to find the cemetery on CWGC site but failed - their search engine is never easy for me. Can anyone tell me whether it still exists?

[Stephen Nulty]

Here it is...

http://www.cwgc.org/...ry=54246&mode=1

CWGC Annual report extract.......

Attached Files

•  Latvia.jpg   48.51K   0 downloads

[corisande]

Thanks Stephen

Don't know how you manage to plumb their search engine

[Stephen Nulty]

Fluke

[michaeldr]

From the CWGC - The British plot contains 36 Commonwealth burials, 4 of which are unidentified. Most died as prisoners in 1917 on what is now Latvian territory. All the graves were brought in from other burial grounds after the Armistice; 17 came from MITAU RUSSIAN CEMETERY, 4 from MONIAK FARM CEMETERY (near the prison camp at Latschen), 3 from LIBAU NORTH CEMETERY, 3 from KLIWENHOF CHURCHYARD, and 9 from other places.

Interesting that the newspaper article gives one more name than the CWGC – who became an unknown/unidentified?
If the newspaper's Einsman = Kinsman, then the one who became unknown/unidentified will be (the newspaper's) Sergeant-Major Gibb

What is the story here?

[michaeldr]

It looks as if CSM Gibb survived – see http://britishwargra.../Alexander Gibb
Quote: Alexander Gibb CSM No 6826, 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Scheveningen, Holland
7th February 1818 (should probably read 1918)

[corisande]

What a fascinating story. It looks as if originally someone thought CSM Gibb had died, and presumably he held his hand up to say he was alive. That therefore left an unidentified body

Those POW camps along the Baltic were grim places. I have done a lot of research into Danzig POW camp, where Casements Irish Brigade were sent after the collapse of the Easter Rising.

[michaeldr]

Looking at the list of the interred here, I see a couple of RND men:

IRELAND
Initials: C S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: Hawke Bn. R.N. Div.
Date of Death: 26/03/1917
Service No: London 213465
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. B. 1.
Cemetery: NIKOLAI CEMETERY

and

ROOTHAM
Initials: P A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: Collingwood Bn. R.N. Div.
Date of Death: 21/03/1917
Service No: L5/2914
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. A. 1.
Cemetery: NIKOLAI CEMETERY

As far as I know the Collingwood Battalion ceased to exist following the 3rd Battle of Krithia on Gallipoli in June 1915. It is most unlikely that this is when Rootham became a PoW, as he would then have been held by the Turks and not the Germans. I wonder to which battalion he was transferred after 3rd Krithia?
The Benbow Battalion also disappeared at this time (June 1915) and the men from these two battalions were (per Jerrold's div. history) absorbed by the Hood, Howe and Anson Battalions.


edit to add: Just seen your reply - yes indeed a fascinating story and my thanks for bringing the cemetery to my attention

regards
Michael

Edited by michaeldr, 04 October 2011 - 04:48 PM.

[corisande]

I have put a new thread in POW sub forum here

http://1914-1918.inv...howtopic=169796

It will help anyone looking for specific POW information of Lativia

Ironically I drove past that CWGC cemetery 6 weeks ago without having any idea that it was there.

From a research point of view there is a very compact self contained topic for someone to research there

It would appear that the death rate was not horrendous, in as much as 2000 POWs were sent there and not all the 32 dead were POWs (but presumably most were). I am not sure what death rate was the "norm" among POWs in Germany

[michaeldr]

michaeldr, on 04 October 2011 - 04:46 PM, said:

ROOTHAM
Initials: P A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: Collingwood Bn. R.N. Div.
Date of Death: 21/03/1917
Service No: L5/2914
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. A. 1.
Cemetery: NIKOLAI CEMETERY

As far as I know the Collingwood Battalion ceased to exist following the 3rd Battle of Krithia on Gallipoli in June 1915. It is most unlikely that this is when Rootham became a PoW, as he would then have been held by the Turks and not the Germans. I wonder to which battalion he was transferred after 3rd Krithia?
The Benbow Battalion also disappeared at this time (June 1915) and the men from these two battalions were (per Jerrold's div. history) absorbed by the Hood, Howe and Anson Battalions.

The CWGC details are correct: he was a Collingwood man.
The explanation is that poor Rootham was a PoW from the RND's 1914 operation at Antwerp. His name appears in the list from The Times of December 21st, 1914, as reproduced in Fevyer & Wilson's book 'The 1914 Star to the RN & RM'

[michaeldr]

Just has a message from our pal Horatio2 correcting me
All three RND men were captured at Antwerp
The third man whom I missed in my earlier post was
YOUNG
Initials: H G R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Stoker 1st Class
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: Collingwood Bn. R.N. Div.
Date of Death: 03/05/1917
Service No: 298446
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. C. 5.
Cemetery: NIKOLAI CEMETERY

Many thanks H2