GROESBEEK MEMORIAL
| British - 951 Canadian - 103 South African - 2 |
HISTORICAL INFORMATION:
Allied forces entered the Netherlands on 12 September 1944. Airborne operations later that month established a bridgehead at Nijmegen and in the following months, coastal areas and ports were cleared and secured, but it was not until the German initiated offensive in the Ardennes had been repulsed that the drive into Germany could begin. Most of those buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery were Canadians, many of whom died in the Battle of the Rhineland, when the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Infantry Divisions, and the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, took part in the drive southwards from Nijmegen to clear the territory between the Maas and the Rhine in February and March 1945. Others buried here died earlier or later in the southern part of the Netherlands and in the Rhineland. The cemetery contains 2,610 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, and nine war graves of other nationalities. Within the cemetery stands the Groesbeek Memorial, which commemorates by name more than 1,000 members of the Commonwealth land forces who died during the campaign in north-west Europe between the time of crossing the Seine at the end of August 1944 and the end of the war in Europe, and whose graves are not known.
The inscription on the memorial reads:
These walls bear the names of the soldiers of the Commonwealth who fell in the advance from the River Seine through the Low Countries and into Germany, but of whom the fortune of war denied a known and honoured grave. 30 August 1944 - 5 May 1945.
The majority of those commemorated here are those who fell at Arnhem and have no known grave. Of the names, 178 alone are from the Parachute Regiment.
LOCATION:
Groesbeek is located 10 kilometers south east of the town of Nijmegen close to the German frontier. The Groesbeek Memorial stands in Grosebeek Canadian War Cemetery which is 3 kilometers north of the village and 1.5 kilometers east of the main road to Nijmegen. On leaving the A73 motorway at the junction Overasselt-Mook-Groesbeek, follow directions to Mook. Follow direction signs towards Mook War cemetery. After passing Mook War cemetery, continue to the village of Groesbeek to a roundabout. Turn left at the roundabout onto Dorpstraat passing through Groesbeek. The road name then changes to Molenweg. A Commission direction sign indicates the right hand turning from Molenweg onto the Zeven Heuvelenweg. The Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery lies 1 kilometer after entering this road on the right hand side of the road. The memorial stands within the cemetery.
PERSONALITIES:
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L/Sgt John Daniel Baskeyfield VC 2nd (Airborne) Bn South Staffordshire Regt |
- Killed 20th September 1944, age 22.
- Son of Daniel and Minnie Baskeyfield, of Stanfields, Stoke-on-Trent.
- VC citation London Gazette 23rd November 1944:On 20th September, 1944, during the Battle of Arnhem, Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield was the N.C.O. in charge of a 6-pounder anti-tank gun at Oosterbeek. During the early stages of a heavy enemy attack, the crew commanded by this N.C.O. were responsible for the destruction of two Tiger tanks and at least one self-propelled gun, thanks to his coolness in allowing each tank to come well within 100 yards of his gun before opening fire. Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield was badly wounded and the remainder of his crew were either killed or severely wounded, he refused to be carried away from his post, and when the attack was renewed he manned his gun alone and fired round after round until his gun was put out of action. His activity was the main factor in keeping the German tanks at bay, and his example and his courage were responsible for keeping together and in action the surviving men in his vicinity. When his gun was knocked out, he crawled to another nearby which was left without a crew, and succeeded in putting out of action another self-propelled gun before being killed. Lance-Serjeant Baskeyfield's supreme gallantry is beyond praise. During the remaining days at Arnhem stories of his valour were a constant inspiration to all ranks.
John Baskeyfield VC's name on the Groesbeek Memorial.
| Colonel H.N. Barlow OBE Somerset Light Infantry, HQ 1st Airlanding Brigade |
- Killed 19th September 1944.
- He was second in command of 1st Airlanding Brigade. Departed Hartenstein Hotel for Arnhem with his batman in a jeep, and was never seen again. His batman, L/Cpl R.Singer is, curiously, buried in Oosterbeek War Cemetery.
