Commonwealth War Graves in Tromsø, Norway [Archive]

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Ichhabe

07-01-2006, 01:58 AM

At the main cemetary in Tromsø, 36 members of the British armed forces and merchant navy have found their final rest behind a sheltering spruce hedge.
The cemetary is being looked well after and tendered by some of the citizens here.

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/5259/dsc000592ce.th.jpg (http://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000592ce.jpg)

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9365/dsc000600tm.th.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000600tm.jpg)

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3506/dsc001071cj.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc001071cj.jpg)

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3043/dsc000615ia.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000615ia.jpg)

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5804/dsc000623tx.th.jpg (http://img196.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000623tx.jpg)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1763/dsc000634ae.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000634ae.jpg)

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/7849/dsc001065au.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc001065au.jpg)

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6742/dsc001050rl.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc001050rl.jpg)

The cemetary with the monument

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/6097/dsc000695ge.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000695ge.jpg)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4918/dsc000700vs.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000700vs.jpg)

http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/RollofHonour/Battlehonour_crewlists/Petsamo_Kirkenes_1941.html

http://img282.imageshack.us/img282/6614/dsc000711se.th.jpg (http://img282.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000711se.jpg)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7654/dsc000728re.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000728re.jpg)

Chulmleigh was attacked by German Ju88's aircraft on Nov. 5-1942, stranded on ice off South Cape, Spitsbergen (Svalbard) - 9 survivors. Torpedoed by U 625 on Nov. 16-1942 (while stranded), total loss. (R. W. Jordan). See also a message in my Guestbook from the son of one of the crew members.
http://www.warsailors.com/freefleet/survivors5.html

May 15

Hi,

Re SS Chulmleigh.

My father D F Clark was third officer and one of the few survivors (I believe it was 7 out of 49). The reason why the dates of death of those in Tromso cemetery were spread over such a long time is related to them being stranded on Spitzbergen for so long before being found (5 Nov 1942-Jan 1943). Horrific story - read the details in Keith Jessop's excellent book "Goldfinder". They starved or died from cold over a period of almost three months in arctic winter.

Dad lived to a good age - 76.

Good site this - thanks for all your efforts to produce such a complete record.

Regards

David

http://www.warsailors.com/gb4.html#chulmleigh

http://img275.imageshack.us/img275/6900/dsc000738wl.th.jpg (http://img275.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000738wl.jpg)

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http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/8861/dsc000754rn.th.jpg (http://img443.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000754rn.jpg)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/933/dsc000766rm.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000766rm.jpg)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/390/dsc000774xu.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000774xu.jpg)

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/5539/dsc000782jy.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000782jy.jpg)

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/7938/dsc000795an.th.jpg (http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000795an.jpg)

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http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/9421/dsc000821wx.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000821wx.jpg)

This tombstone caught my attention when I saw that the man was from New Zealand. I learned that he was killed during an air raid on the Tirpitz when it was hidden in Kåfjord outside of Alta, and that is almost as far as you can get from the place he was born.
http://home.no.net/kjellsor/alta1.html

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2714/dsc000832wl.th.jpg (http://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000832wl.jpg)

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http://img275.imageshack.us/img275/4760/dsc000994bx.th.jpg (http://img275.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc000994bx.jpg)

Lt. Whittam was on board the X-craft X-7 that succeeded in attaching mines to the Tirpitz when it was in Kåfjord outside of Alta by penetrating the heavily guarded perimeter around the battleship.
It was maybe one of the most daring operations during WW2

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/chalcraft/sm/tirpitz.html

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2863/dsc001006ss.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc001006ss.jpg)

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http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6357/dsc001085ts.th.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc001085ts.jpg)

A few meters away from the graves, this monuments stand as a reminder for them that never got home from the world war.

Resurrection

07-01-2006, 05:21 AM

Interesting photos Ichhabe, thanks for sharing!

Ichhabe

07-02-2006, 11:33 AM

While searching for a background history, I came over this site if there are some of you interested in such a project: http://www.britishwargraves.org.uk/default.asp
I will in the near future comb the Tromsø area for memorials related to the world wars, and possibly go down to Narvik aswell to visit the Allied cemetaries there.

mas-36

07-04-2006, 01:24 PM

Very nice post Ichabe! I was wondering, are there any cemetaries in or around Narvik with French graves? Norway campaign is certainly understudied, IMO.

welshmann

07-04-2006, 01:53 PM

great post m8,thx to ur people for looking after them so far from home.

DeltaWhisky58

07-04-2006, 02:18 PM

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (http://www.cwgc.org/) who maintain all British & Commonwealth war cemeteries, have a fully searchable database which gives considerable detail of most if not all service casualties, where they are buried or where they are commemorated in the case of men/women with no known grave.

For example Sub Lieut. D R McKay RNVR (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2186939) & Mitchell Graham (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2186934)

Billy McGee

03-07-2008, 04:37 PM

Hello Ichhabe,

Very interesting photographs. Do you happen to have one of the following grave please as I could not see one in your posting

JACKSON, Fireman and Trimmer, GEORGE, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 12th November 1942. Age 26. Son of George and Jane Jackson, of Methil, Fife.

Cargo ship Chulmleigh, 5,445grt (W.J. Tatem Ltd) had been sailing from Philidephia to Archangel with a cargo of government stores. On the 5th November 1942, the unescorted Chulmleigh was bombed and damaged by a German Ju-88 aircraft of II./KG 30 (based at Banak, North Cape) and beached at South Cape, Spitzbergen. At 15.58 hours on the 6th November, U-625 torpedoed the stranded Chulmleigh and shelled her using her deck gun. Later the wreck was again bombed by a lone German Ju-88. The Captain, D.N. Williams, surviving crew and DEMS gunners landed on an isolated part of Spitzbergen and were not rescued until 4th January 1943 by troops from the local garrison at Barentsburg. By then many of the survivors had died from frostbite. The remaining survivors eventually boarded the British cruisers HMS Bermuda and HMS Cumberland and landed at Thurso on 16th May 1943.

The Chulmleigh was just one of many ships sailing independently & unescorted as part of Operation FB to get supplies to Russia. The ships officers were given a £100 bonus and the crew £50 in advance as the operation was given a high risk which showed later as less than 50% of Operation FB got through (One British Merchant Seaman stated the FB stood for "Foolish Bastard" for volunteering).

The Merchant Seamen lost in the sinking named below who have no known grave but the sea and are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London on Panel 28.

DAVIES, Chief Steward, JOHN ISLWYN, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 10th November 1942. Age 30. Husband of Mildred M. Davies, of Trefine, Pembrokeshire.

FENN, Chief Officer, ERNEST JAMES, O B E, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 45. Husband of Margaret Fenn, of Southwick, Sunderland, Co. Durham. Awarded Lloyd's Medal.

FRANKLIN, Cook, CLIVE RUSSELL, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 22. Son of Cecil Victor and Mary Irene Franklin, of Highgate, Middlesex.

GORDON, Sailor, DENNIS, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 18. Son of John A. and Emma Gordon, of Aberdeen.

GRAHAM, Sailor, ALEXANDER, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 19. Son of Alexander and Helen Graham, of Aberdeen.

HERD, Fireman and Trimmer, ALEXANDER PEARSON, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 28.

JEANS, Apprentice, JOHN DOUGLAS FRANK, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 19. Son of Maj. Frank Jeans and Violet Ethel Jeans, of Pennington, Hampshire.

JOHNSTON, Able Seaman, WILLIAM LAURENCE, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 44. Son of David and Janet Johnston.

LARKIN, Third Radio Officer, ERNEST GEORGE WILLIAM, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 19. Son of Ernest G. and Ellen Pretoria Larkin, of Hanwell, Middlesex.

LOWE, Fireman and Trimmer, BRYAN F., S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 20. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Lowe, of Harrow, Middlesex.

MIDDLEMISS, Second Engineer Officer, RICHARD ALEXANDER, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 6th November 1942. Age 37. Husband of Elizabeth May Middlemiss, of Edinburgh.

MacLENNAN, Boatswain, FINLAY, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 33. Son of Duncan and Margaret MacLennan; husband of Emma MacLennan, of Nairn.

McDONALD, Galley Boy, HERBERT, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 18.

McVICAR, Second Radio Officer, HARRY JAMES, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 22.

NICOLSON, Able Seaman, JAMES FRANCIS, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 32. Son of Jane Frances Nicolson, of Mossbank, Zetland

PAINTER, Steward, STANLEY, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 20. Son of Stanley and Ellen Painter; husband of Ellen Bridget Painter, of Islington, London.

SCOLLAY, Able Seaman, MAGNUS WILLIAM, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 27. Son of William and Johan Scollay; husband of Barbara Ann Scollay, of Burra Voe, Zetland.

SMITH, Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 19. Son of John and Catherine Smith, of Methil, Fife.

SNEDDON, Cabin Boy, ALEXANDER NICHOLSON, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 17.

STARKEY, Second Officer, JAMES, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 34. Son of Frank Burdett Starkey and Theresa Gertrude Starkey.

SUTTIE, Donkeyman, JOHN, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 11th November 1942. Age 34.

WATSON, Fireman and Trimmer, WILLIAM, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 9th November 1942. Age 29. Husband of Cecilia Watson, of Penarth, Glamorgan.

Buried Tromso Cemetery

ALEXANDER, Fireman and Trimmer, GEORGE, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 24th December 1942. Age 28. Son of Alex and Mary Alexander, of Kelty, Fife.

COLVIN, Chief Engineer Officer, RICHARD STANLEY, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 16th November 1942. Age 47.

DENNISON, Mess Room Boy, DONALD EDWARD, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 26th November 1942. Age 18.

GRAHAM, Fireman and Trimmer, MITCHELL, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 12th November 1942. Age 21. Son of George and Grace Penman Graham; husband of Annette Hanley Graham.

HILL, Fourth Engineer Officer (Offr), ANDREW CAMPBELL, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 30th November 1942. Age 23. Son of George and Johanna Hill, of Lochee, Dundee; stepson of Jean W. Hill, of Lochee.

JACKSON, Fireman and Trimmer, GEORGE, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 12th November 1942. Age 26. Son of George and Jane Jackson, of Methil, Fife.

MARRITT, Apprentice, PETER WILLIAM, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 22nd November 1942. Age 16. Son of Isaac and Charlotte Marritt, of Hornsea, Yorkshire.

MARSHALL, Greaser, WILLIAM MORRIS, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 13th December 1942. Age 31.

OWENS, Carpenter, SOLOMON, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 25th November 1942. Age 56. Son of John Owens, Master Mariner, and Mary Owens, of Abersoch, Caernarvonshire.

POUNDER, Apprentice, WILLIAM, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 28th November 1942. Age 16. Son of William and Minnie Pounder, of Hull.

REID, Greaser, ALFRED, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 23rd November 1942. Age 49. Son of John and Elizabeth Reid; husband of Martha Reid, of Grangemouth, Stirlingshire.

RUSSELL, Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN THOMAS HADMAN, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 11th November 1942.

WHITE, Assistant Cook, ALEXANDER GEORGE, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 21st November 1942. Age 21. Son of Alexander George and Evelina Beatrice White, of Camberwell, London.

WOOD, Third Engineer Officer, JAMES, S.S. Chulmleigh (London). Merchant Navy. 29th November 1942. Age 34. Husband of Gladys Wood, of Denton, Lancashire

Ichhabe

03-07-2008, 07:37 PM

Billy McGee

03-07-2008, 09:19 PM

First of all thank you for your quick reply.

According to the CWGC George Jackson is buried in Tromsø Cemetery. Any further help would be much appreciated.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2186938

Thank you

Rgds Billy

Billy McGee

03-08-2008, 06:34 AM

According to my data Jackson's grave should be next to this one.

RUSSELL, Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN THOMAS HADMAN. Grave/Plot No. Nn. A. 2.

Ichhabe

03-08-2008, 12:15 PM

According to my data Jackson's grave should be next to this one.

RUSSELL, Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN THOMAS HADMAN. Grave/Plot No. Nn. A. 2.

After a closer look I now see that I for an odd reason I can not explain have managed to NOT photograph Jackson's grave.

After I zoomed in on the photo that is posted as #4 from top I see Jacsksons grave to the left of Russell's.

If you are interested I can go up to the cemetary and take the picture of said grave. We still do not have sufficient daylight up here in the Arctic so Wednesday I can go up there in the middle of the day and take advantage of the daylight.

Billy McGee

03-09-2008, 10:13 AM

Thank you,

I would very much appreciate a photo of this grave.

Rgds Billy

Ichhabe

03-11-2008, 02:11 PM

I've now been to the cemetary and photographed Jackson's grave. The result is not as good as I hoped because the light was not as good as it seemed first. But anyway I will send the photo to you and promise that I'll go back when spring has arrived fully and the snow has melted. Also it will look nicer with green grass around and sufficient light.

Billy McGee

03-11-2008, 04:22 PM

Thank you very much Ichhabe, that photograph is fine.

Rgds Billy

Ichhabe

03-11-2008, 04:27 PM

Thank you very much Ichhabe, that photograph is fine.

Rgds Billy

Check your PM-box.

Billy McGee

04-13-2009, 11:35 AM

Hello Ichhabe,

I recently sent an email to you via the forum, but not sure if you received it or not. It was in regard to the photos you sent me of the Chulmleigh graves at Tromso. Unfortunately I have lost them and wondered if you could please send them to me again via my email Billy1963@ntlworld.com

Thanks

Rgds Billy

Ichhabe

04-13-2009, 09:23 PM

Dang! Still not used to look for messages and stuff. Going to send it to you first thing tomorrow after work.