Hoek Van Holland General Cemetery
Also known as Hook of Holland General Cemetery
Hoek van Holland, Rotterdam Municipality, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
About
-
Get directions Kerkhofweg 6
Hoek van Holland, Rotterdam Municipality, Zuid-Holland 3151TN NetherlandsCoordinates: 51.98249, 4.12516 - Cemetery ID:
Members have Contributed
Advertisement
Photos
Few Commonwealth troops were in the Netherlands during the 1940 invasion by the Germans, but a small force composed of Royal Marines and Irish and Welsh Guards landed at The Hook of Holland on May 12 and 13, to assist in safeguarding the Dutch Government. It was from this port that, on May 13, Queen Wilhelmina left for England on board a British destroyer.
Heavy air raids on the small area defended by Commonwealth forces caused many casualties, and speedily rendered the position untenable without considerable reinforcements. These could not be spared, and on May 14, the force was evacuated and returned to Dover. A portion of the Hook of Holland General Cemetery was set aside by the local authorities for the graves of soldiers killed in action and the first Commonwealth burials were of soldiers killed in the air raids of 13 May 1940.
Two airmen shot down on 12 May 1940, and originally buried near their crashed plane, were moved into the cemetery a fortnight later. Thereafter during the war, casualties washed ashore on the neighbouring beaches, and airmen brought down in the neighbourhood were buried in this cemetery. There were American, Canadian and French servicemen among them, but these have since been moved to other cemeteries. The cemetery now contains a plot of 69 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, nine of them unidentified. There are also five Polish war graves.
Few Commonwealth troops were in the Netherlands during the 1940 invasion by the Germans, but a small force composed of Royal Marines and Irish and Welsh Guards landed at The Hook of Holland on May 12 and 13, to assist in safeguarding the Dutch Government. It was from this port that, on May 13, Queen Wilhelmina left for England on board a British destroyer.
Heavy air raids on the small area defended by Commonwealth forces caused many casualties, and speedily rendered the position untenable without considerable reinforcements. These could not be spared, and on May 14, the force was evacuated and returned to Dover. A portion of the Hook of Holland General Cemetery was set aside by the local authorities for the graves of soldiers killed in action and the first Commonwealth burials were of soldiers killed in the air raids of 13 May 1940.
Two airmen shot down on 12 May 1940, and originally buried near their crashed plane, were moved into the cemetery a fortnight later. Thereafter during the war, casualties washed ashore on the neighbouring beaches, and airmen brought down in the neighbourhood were buried in this cemetery. There were American, Canadian and French servicemen among them, but these have since been moved to other cemeteries. The cemetery now contains a plot of 69 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, nine of them unidentified. There are also five Polish war graves.
Nearby cemeteries
's-Gravenzande, Westland Municipality, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
- Total memorials39
- Percent photographed46%
- Percent with GPS0%
's-Gravenzande, Westland Municipality, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
- Total memorials6
- Percent photographed50%
's-Gravenzande, Westland Municipality, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
- Total memorials4
- Percent photographed0%
Naaldwijk, Westland Municipality, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
- Total memorials17
- Percent photographed0%
- Percent with GPS0%
- Added: 19 Apr 2006
- Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2173917
Success
Uploading...
Waiting...
Failed
This photo was not uploaded because this cemetery already has 20 photos
This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this cemetery
This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this cemetery
Invalid File Type
Birth and death years unknown.
1 photo picked...
2 photos picked...
Uploading 1 Photo
Uploading 2 Photos
1 Photo Uploaded
2 Photos Uploaded
Size exceeded
Too many photos have been uploaded
"Unsupported file type"
• ##count## of 0 memorials with GPS displayed. Double click on map to view more.No cemeteries found