Commonwealth War Graves Sint-Niklaas

Sint-Niklaas Cemetery contains 8 Commonwealth war graves from World War II and 1 of World War I.

Tereken Cemetery contains the graves of seven fallen members of the Lancaster I 'London's Pride and Joice' LL851 BQ-V of 550 Sqn, which came down burning on the night of 21
May 22, 1944 on a field about three kilometers southwest of the city center of Sint-Niklaas, between Weverstraat and Heimolenstraat.

The Lancaster had taken off from North Killingholme (Lincolnshire) and was targeting Duisburg. That night, 532 aircraft had taken part in the bombing raid.
The LL851 BQ-V was shot down by a German night fighter on the return flight. Remains of the Lancaster were scattered for more than a mile.

The crew consisted of five Englishmen and two Canadians aged between 19 and 24.
The British-Canadian crew members lay in six coffins and were buried with honor by the German occupiers.
The charred remains of Sidney Jarvis and David Mayo were put together in one coffin.
A farewell ceremony and burial took place on May 23, 1944.

Their names:
P/O P J Dukelow (Pilot)
Sgt D S Bruty (Flight Engineer)
P/O L R Dunham (Navigator)
Sgt L R Towsley (A/B)
Sgt D A W Mayo (Wireless Operator)
P/O H E MacDuff (Mid Upper Air Gunner)
Sgt S A Jarvis (Rear Air Gunner)

There are eight headstones on the long plot, the 8th grave is that of gunner Henry William CHIPPERFIELD of "The King's Royal Rifle Corps", who was killed in action on 9 September 1944 at the age of 28.
A memorial plaque was placed next to the 8 graves.

Source: Hangar Flying - The last flight of London's Pride and Joice
Memorial plaque next to graves in cemetery

Also here is the grave of Lance R. THOMSON (1899-1918).

This Scottish soldier was part of Black Watch, a royal Scottish regiment.
He was left badly wounded by the Germans in a field hospital in the Kokkelbeekstraat and died there at the age of 19.
The search for his Scottish family was fruitless. Lance R. Thomson was buried at Tereken, cemetery of St. Niklaas.

Every year on November 11 at 11 a.m., a piper pays tribute to his grave. Since 2021, a private initiative has held a memorial service for Thomson on the Sunday close to the date of death.

Next to the Commonwealth war graves is a Polish soldier who belonged to the Polish-American army.

"Corporal LEFT Leonard
Born 6-11-1914
Died 5-6-1946 "

Leonard LINKE was a Polish soldier who, after his demobilization, enlisted in a Polish security company incorporated into the US Army.
His job was to guard and clean up the nearby airfield.
He died when his sten gun started firing in his jeep.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar, Phil How & Marie-Christine Vinck
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck
• Nieuwsbrief " ’t Grafzerkje " - Parkbegraafplaats Tereken