Exhumation of a field cementary

[LeonardoL]

Hello guys

Here is a video of one of the locations we exhumed this year.

Many thanks to Dan Mackay, Alan Tissington and Jean-Loup Gassend for helping us.

Background

Some of these soldiers were stationed here in Croatia, but most of them were the forces retreating from the southern front (Greece, Albania...)
Their goal was to make pontoon bridges over the drava river to escape to Hungary (our location circled red)


The germans eventualy made it to Hungary however they were pushed back/destroyed.

They were under constant soviet and yugoslav airplane and cannon fire so this burial was probably done by night, thats why they are so shallow and burried sloppy like we see here.

Old people in the village remember the soldiers, the school in the village was their field hospital; also the school is the place where most of these soldiers died.
Also people remember these soldiers going door to door with maps asking locals where the best way to pull out would be, however they were encircled and there wasnt any way (thats why they built the bridges).

And intesesting and sad fact is that one of the "german" officers in command of building the pontoons was in contact with the soviets and every time they built a substantial length of the pontoon he would call the airstrikes on the soldiers.

Heres the video, ill post some pics too later

YouTube

[Rik.S]

Another great video. Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work.

Regards, Rik

[BlackCat1982]

Yes I saw this on Youtube earlier, but I think most of the victims had died as a result of wounds received and later in a Feld Lazarett rather than directly in combat. One was a double leg amputee. Hope they can be identified and laid to rest properly.

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

Excellent work as ever, you and your team are doing invaluable work as I am sure you know. There will be many relatives out there who will now be able to pay their respects to a fallen family member. Leon.

[Johnny]

Keep up the good work my friend.