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| Heverlee
War Cemetery |
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Country: Belgium
Locality: Leuven,
Vlaams-Brabant
Identified
Casualties: 981
Google Earth Link:
Cemetery
Location
Heverlee War Cemetery
is located 30 kilometres from Brussels and 3
kilometres south of Leuven. Turn left out of Leuven
railway station onto the Tiensevest (ring road R 23).
Follow the Tiensevest through the junctions
Tiensepoort and Parkpoort and along the Naamsepoort.
Turn left at the Naamsepoort onto the Naamsesteenweg
(N251), signposted Namen, Waver and Heverlee. Continue
until you cross the railway line at Heverlee and take
the first left turn into the Hertogstraat. Follow
Hertogstraat to the end and turn right at the Sport
Hall onto the Kerspelstraat. Continue down the
Kerspelstraat until you come to a crossroads at which
the cemetery is located.
Cemetery
Information
The British
Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages
of the defence of Belgium following the German
invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in
covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth
forces did not return until September 1944, but in the
intervening years, many airmen were shot down or
crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium,
or while returning from missions over Germany. The
original burial ground at Heverlee was on the opposite
side of the lane. It was used after the liberation for
burials from the 101st British General Hospital, which
was then housed in Heverlee Girl's School close by. In
July 1946, the present cemetery was started and was
used for burials brought in from a wide area round
about. The cemetery now contains 977 Commonwealth
burials of the Second World War, 37 of them
unidentified. There are also 29 First World War
burials which were brought into the cemetery from a
number of communal cemeteries* in the area, where
their security and maintenance could not be
guaranteed. In addtion to the Commonwealth burials,
the cemetery also contains the graves of one American
and 11 Polish airmen. * Wetteren Communal Cemetery,
Gouvy Churchyard, Linerle, Uccle Communal Cemetery,
Boneffe Churchyard, Luttre Communal Cemetery,
Anderlecht Communal Cemetery, Sclayn Communal
Cemetery, Tubize Communal Cemetery, Gerozstein German
Military Cemetery.
WW2
Graves
The
graves here are largely from the fighting in the area
in May 1940 and RAF crew shot down over Belgium.
There
are 3 Second World War VC winners from the RAF buried
in this cemetery (see below).
Photo
Archive
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F/O
(Pilot) Leslie Thomas Manser VC
50 Sqdn RAF
31st May 1942, aged 20.
Son of Thomas James Stedman
Manser and Rosaline Manser, of Radlett,
Hertfordshire. (7-G-1)
The citation in the London
Gazette of 20th October, 1942 gives the
following details :
Flying Officer Manser was captain and first
pilot of an aircraft which took part in the
mass raid on Cologne on the night of 30th May,
1942. Despite searchlights and intense and
accurate anti-aircraft fire he held his course
and bombed the target successfully from 7,000
feet. Thereafter, although he took evasive
action, the aircraft was badly damaged, for a
time one engine and part of one wing were on
fire, and in spite of all the efforts of pilot
and crew, the machine became difficult to
handle and lost height. Though he could still
have parachuted to safety with his crew, he
refused to do so and insisted on piloting the
aircraft towards its base as long as he could
hold it steady, to give his crew a better
chance of safety when they jumped. While the
crew were descending to safety, they saw the
aircraft, still carrying the gallant captain,
plunge to earth and burst into flames. In
pressing home his attack in the face of strong
opposition, in striving against heavy odds to
bring back his aircraft and crew, and finally,
when in extreme peril, thinking only of the
safety of his comrades, Flying Officer Manser
displayed determination and valour of the
highest order. |
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F/O
(Pilot) Donald Edward Garland VC
12th Squadron RAF
12th May 1940, aged 21.
Son of Patrick Joseph
Garland, C.M.G., and of Winifred Irene
Garland, of East Finchley, Middlesex. His
brothers, Flt. Lieut. Patrick James Garland,
Flt. Lieut. John Cuthbert Garland and Pilot
Offr. Desmond William Garland, also died on
service. (Coll. grave 6. F. 14-16)
The citation in "The
London Gazette," for 11th June, 1940,
gives the following details :
Flying Officer Garland was the pilot and
Sergeant Gray the observer of the leading
machine of a formation of five aircraft that
were ordered to destroy at all costs a bridge
over the Albert Canal which had not been
demolished by the land forces and was allowing
the Germans to advance into Belgium. In spite
of very heavy defence of the area surrounding
the bridge, the formation made a successful
dive-bombing attack from the lowest
practicable altitude, after releasing their
bombs they were attacked by a large number of
enemy fighters. Only one aircraft of the five
returned to its base. Much of the success of
the operation must be attributed to the
formation leader, Flying Officer Garland, and
to the coolness and resource of Sergeant Gray,
who navigated the leading aircraft under most
difficult conditions in such a manner that the
whole formation, although it subsequently
suffered heavy losses, was able successfully
to attack the target. |
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Sergeant
(Observer) Thomas Gray VC
12th Squadron RAF
12th May 1940, aged 26.
Son of Ernest Arthur and
Susannah Mary Gray, of Odd Down, Bath,
Somerset. (Coll. grave 6. F. 14-16)
The citation in "The
London Gazette," for 11th June, 1940,
gives the following details :
Flying Officer
Garland was the pilot and Sergeant Gray the
observer of the leading machine of a formation
of five aircraft that were ordered to destroy
at all costs a bridge over the Albert Canal
which had not been demolished by the land
forces and was allowing the Germans to advance
into Belgium. In spite of very heavy defence
of the area surrounding the bridge, the
formation made a successful dive-bombing
attack from the lowest practicable altitude,
after releasing their bombs they were attacked
by a large number of enemy fighters. Only one
aircraft of the five returned to its base.
Much of the success of the operation must be
attributed to the formation leader, Flying
Officer Garland, and to the coolness and
resource of Sergeant Gray, who navigated the
leading aircraft under most difficult
conditions in such a manner that the whole
formation, although it subsequently suffered
heavy losses, was able successfully to attack
the target. |
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The
Lord Frederick Charles Edward Cambridge
1st Bn Coldstream Guards
15th May 1940, aged 32.
Younger son of Lt.-Col.
Adolphus Charles Alexander Albert Edward
George Philip Louis Ladislaus Cambridge, G.C.B.,
G.C.V.O., C.M.G., 1st Marquess of Cambridge,
and the Marchioness of Cambridge, of Shotton
Hall, Shrewsbury. (11.D.3) |
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