German War Graves

A while ago our Chairman, the Rev. Robert Sanday attended a memorial service at the War Graves section of Hollybrook Cemetery, and observing there was no act of remembrance for the German war dead he contemplated that buried there were sons, brothers, and perhaps fathers, who whether or not they believed in the war they were brave men who had fought for their country.

They were young men, not so very different from British and Commonwealth servicemen who lost their lives and are now buried in Germany, and are remembered.

Robert felt there was something missing and contacted Mike Humme of the Royal British Legion, who I am happy to say has joined our Society and is a valued member of the committee.

Mike took over, and in consultation with Horst Gritsch of the Southampton Anglo German Society arranged for us to carry out an act of remembrance on Tuesday 1 November - All Saints Day - a day of significance in the German calendar.

Thus a small group of us met at Hollybrook Cemetery for the purpose of placing a poppy cross and a small bunch of white chrysamthemums  on each of the graves for the 36 German service personnel who are buried there.

Robert held a short service. during which was offered up a prayer, the opening lines of which went:
        God of peace, it is your will
        to reconcile everything in heaven and on earth........

         Gott des Friedens, es ist dein Wille
          alles in Himmel und auf Erden zu verschohnen.......

Horst read what I believe to be the German equivalent of our 'They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old.....'

          ICH HATT, EINEN KAMERADEN
          EINEN  BESSERN FINDST DU NIE
          DIE TROMMEL SCHLUG ZUM STREITE
          ER GING AN MEINER SEITE
          IN GLEICHEN SCHRITT UND TRITT

          EINE KUGEL KAM GEFLOGEN
          GILT SIE MIR ODER GILT SIE DIR
          SIE HAT IHN WEGGERISSEN
          ER LIEGT ZU MEINEN FUSSEN
          ALS WAR'S EIN STUCK VON MIR

          WILL MIR DIE HAND NOCH REICHEN
          DERWEIL ICH EBEN LAD
          "KANN DIR DIE HAND NICHT GEBBEN
          BLEIB DU IM EW'GEN LEBEN
          MEIN GUTER KAMERAD

          .........................................................................

           I ONCE HAD A COMRADE
          YOU WON'T FIND A BETTER ONE
          THE DRUM WAS ROLLING FOR BATTLE
          HE WAS MARCHING BY MY SIDE
          IN THE SAME PACE AND STRIDE

          A BULLET FLEW TOWARDS US
          MEANT FOR YOU OR FOR ME
          IT DID TEAR HIM AWAY
          HE LIES AT MY FEET
          LIKE HE WAS PART OF ME

          HE WANTS TO REACH HIS HAND TO ME
          WHILE I AM JUST RELOADING MY GUN
          "CAN'T GIVE YOU MY HAND FOR NOW
          YOU MUST REST IN ETERNAL LIFE
          MY GOOD COMRADE

John Gurney