The Hague (Westduin) General Cemetery 

Historical Information (Source: CWGC)

The Hague (Westduin) General Cemetery contains a plot of 87 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, the majority airmen. The Commonwealth War Graves plot is to the left of the entrance.

 

Served with

  • Australian (5)
  • Canadian (6)
  • New Zealand (1)
  • United Kingdom (58)

Served in

  • Air Force (62)
  • Army (4)
  • Navy (4)

Flight Sergeant David Poole SPEECHLEY - 410177

Royal Australian Air Force

Died 26 July 1943 Age 20

Australian

Son of George David and Gwen Kate Speechley, of Brighton, Victoria, Australia.

Inscription: THE SUPREME SACRIFICE

 

NAA Item Number 5522206 Speechley
PDF – 7,5 MB

Warrant Officer Jack HARRISON-OWEN - 400392

Royal Australian Air Force

Died 26 July 1943 Age 26

Australian

Son of John Edward and Ida E. Kerr Harrison-Owen; husband of Bettine Harrison-Owen, of South Yarra, Victoria, Australia.

Wellington X HZ580 – 466 Sqdn

Took off 2246 25 July 1943 from RAF Leconfield. Crashed in the sea off the Dutch coast cause unknown.

Crew

Flight Sergeant David Poole SPEECHLEY (410177) RAAF

Warrant Officer Jack HARRISON-OWEN (400392) RAAF          

Flight Sergeant Charles Robert COWAN (410459) RAAF - Noordwijk General Cemetery Plot 6. Joint grave 3.

Flight Sergeant Wilfred HARPER (415379) RAAF - Runnymede Memorial Panel 192.

Flight Sergeant Raoul Ellery THORPE (416794) RAAF - Runnymede Memorial Panel 194.


Sergeant Charles Robert PODMORE - 402538

Royal Australian Air Force

Died 28 August 1942 Age 28

Australian

Son of Charles Morley and Alice Podmore, of Manilla, New South Wales, Australia.

Inscription: NOBLY HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE

 

NAA Item Number 5534389 Podmore
PDF – 10,1 MB

Wellington III X3802 – 12 Sqdn

Took off from RAF Binbrook. Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed 0205 28 Aug 1942 Poeldijk and Loosduinen (Zuid Holland) on the SW outskirts of Den Haag.

Crew

Sergeant Charles Robert PODMORE (402538) RAAF

Sergeant Albert MILLS (1377603) Observer RAF

Sergeant Douglas Spencer McNEIL (1312485) Pilot RAF 

Sergeant Frederick George Edward PIERSON (1318724) Observer RAF          

Prisoners of War for Wellington III X3802

Sgt E GERSHATER (R/59445)  Stalag 344 Lamsdorf


Sergeant Ronald James Brownee ROST - 402170

Royal Australian Air Force

Died 16 July 1941 Age 20

Australian

Son of Mrs. Ada Harriett Rost, of Manly, New South Wales, Australia.

Blenheim IV Z7496 – 18 Sqdn

Sergeant R J B Rost (RAAF), Sergeant J Hughes, Sergeant S Winter: killed; aircraft shot down and crashed near Delft, Holland, Blenheim Z7496, 18 Squadron, 16 July 1941.

Crew

Sergeant Ronald James Brownee ROST (402170) RAAF

Sergeant John HUGHES (987753) Observer RAF

Sergeant Stanley William WINTER (653507) Wireless Operator RAF

Prisoners of War for Blenheim IV Z7496

Plt Off Robert Taylor Charles Oliver WHITE


Sergeant Bartlett Parker SHADDICK - 406682

Royal Australian Air Force

Died 25 October 1942 Age 21

Australian

Awards: Distinguished Flying Medal

Son of Stephen Parker Shaddick and Mary Catherine Shaddick, of East Pingelly, Western Australia.

Inscription: HIS DUTY FEARLESSLY AND NOBLY DONE. EVER REMEMBERED. R.I.P.

Outdoor group portrait of graduated pilots.

Identified from left to right, back row: 406670 Alfred Neil Yeaman (killed on 4 June 1942 on operations in the United Kingdom); 406631(later A51675) Harry Taylor; 406663 Henry Martin Rutherford; 403496 Bruce Oliver Brown; 406698 George Andrew Pratt; 406606 Ronald Yates; 406625 Hugh Godfrey Phillips (accidentally killed on 4 August 1942 in South Australia); 406699 Herbert Kitchener Pugsley; and 406682 Bartlett Parker Shaddick, (later DFM and killed on 25 October 1942 on operations over The Netherlands).

 

Outdoor group portrait of aircrew trainees in Australia.

Identified from left to right, back row: W Soluss; 407990 Colin Robert Scott (killed on 21 February 1942 during operations over the North Atlantic Sea);

406682 Bartlett Parker Shaddick (WA) (later DFM and killed on 25 October 1942 during operations over the Netherlands);

Unidentified (from WA); 407991 Jack Shanks; Unidentified (from WA); 407977 Hickson William Skinner (killed on 18 August on operations off the coast of the United Kingdom).

Wellington III X3455 – 142 Sqdn

Took off 1925 24 Oct 1942 from RAF Grimsby. Crashed in the North Sea W of the island of Schouwen.

Crew

Sergeant Bartlett Parker SHADDICK (406682) RAAF

Sergeant Frank Bernard HOUGH (1074122) Observer RAF - Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery Ref : 6. H. 10.

Flight Sergeant Gerald Thomas REYBURN (R/126898) Air Gunner - Rockanje (Zeeweg) General Cemetery Plot 3. Joint grave 33.

Sergeant Eric WATCHAM (656472) Navigator RAF - Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery Plot 69. Row D. Joint grave 18.

Sergeant Edwin Cuthbert WOOLLARD (1376622) Wireless Operator - Monster General Cemetery Row B. Grave 24.