Market Garden
The Dike-Farm (Dijkhoeve)
On 17 September 1944 (Market Garden) the Americans and British landed in the Netherlands and they bombarded the area southeast of Nijmegen form the North. After Market Garden Leuth is completely in the front line. The Germans had placed guns at the Dijkhoeve and the barn was filled with ammunition. Because the situation was very dangerous, the farmer and his family were ordered to evacuate. A few days later the farm was hit and everything was on fire. There were only ruins left.
On October 20 the German Ortskommandant orders the mandatory evacuation of Leuth. This meant for the inhabitants that they had to cross the River Rhine by foot-ferry with all they could carry. Farmers were allowed to take a horse and wagon and they had to cross the River near Emmerich. Nobody , except the priest was allowed to stay in Leuth. But the priest also left, saying, “ Where the sheep go, their shepherd goes”.
On 17 September 1944 (Market Garden) the Americans and British landed in the Netherlands and they bombarded the area southeast of Nijmegen form the North. After Market Garden Leuth is completely in the front line. The Germans had placed guns at the Dijkhoeve and the barn was filled with ammunition. Because the situation was very dangerous, the farmer and his family were ordered to evacuate. A few days later the farm was hit and everything was on fire. There were only ruins left.
On October 20 the German Ortskommandant orders the mandatory evacuation of Leuth. This meant for the inhabitants that they had to cross the River Rhine by foot-ferry with all they could carry. Farmers were allowed to take a horse and wagon and they had to cross the River near Emmerich. Nobody , except the priest was allowed to stay in Leuth. But the priest also left, saying, “ Where the sheep go, their shepherd goes”.
Ernest
Private Ernest Harrison was killed in the winter of 1944-45. There was snow and a bright moon. According to the diary of the Canadians a patrol was sent out in the night of 27 January 1945 to map out the enemy lines. There were nine soldiers in the field who had to set up Head Quarters. After establishing HQ three soldiers and the Seargeant continued. After a short time the Sergeant indicates that he and Ernest were to go further into enemy territory and that the others had to wait up to maximum of one hour before their return. Shortly after that a gun battle starts with the two soldiers in the line of fire. They decide to withdraw as soon as possible and because the other two did not return they go back to HQ and report what has happened. This can be read in the statment of Pte. T.J. Dunn, as shown to the left. From this a report is prepared for Canada in which it is mentioned that there are two persons missing in action: Pte. Ernest David Harrison and Sgt. MacDonald.
Operation Veritable
In the diary of the Canadians a map of the surroundings was found, which was made between 28 January and 2 February 1945.
The two red arrows at Eindjeshof are machineguns. The circles on the map give a picture of the following locations:
1. Red circle top left: The command post of the Canadians.
2. Pink circle: this is called “Alfred”
3. Green circle: the site where the Canadian patrol has been shot
4. Salmon colored circle: the farm with the possible burial place of Ernest Harrison.
On 7 February 1945 Operation Veritable starts and Leuth is liberated by the Canadians. The pressure on the Germans is huge and they decide to bomb the Kapittel and Erlecomse dikes. As a result the whole area around Leuth is flooded. This meant that if there had been markers placed on the grave of Ernest, they were probably washed away by the water, especially because the water might have rotated in the corner were the farm was located, in between the road and the dike.
The Canadians that had moved forward into that area, have to be rescued by amphibious 'Buffalos'. See photo below.
The two red arrows at Eindjeshof are machineguns. The circles on the map give a picture of the following locations:
1. Red circle top left: The command post of the Canadians.
2. Pink circle: this is called “Alfred”
3. Green circle: the site where the Canadian patrol has been shot
4. Salmon colored circle: the farm with the possible burial place of Ernest Harrison.
On 7 February 1945 Operation Veritable starts and Leuth is liberated by the Canadians. The pressure on the Germans is huge and they decide to bomb the Kapittel and Erlecomse dikes. As a result the whole area around Leuth is flooded. This meant that if there had been markers placed on the grave of Ernest, they were probably washed away by the water, especially because the water might have rotated in the corner were the farm was located, in between the road and the dike.
The Canadians that had moved forward into that area, have to be rescued by amphibious 'Buffalos'. See photo below.
Operation Veritable
Operation Veritable was a Second World War pincer movement conducted by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group to clear and occupy the land between the Rhine and Maas rivers. It took place between 8 February and 11 March 1945. It was a part of General Dwight Eisenhower's "broad front" strategy to occupy the west bank of the Rhine before attempting any crossing. Veritable was originally called Valediction and had been planned for execution in early January, 1945.
In the book “De gemeente Ubbergen in de frontlinie” the following is written:
THE BATTLE WITH THE WATER
The Canadian division, that received at the beginning of February 1945 the command to clear the area along the Rijn (Rhine river) East of Nijmegen, did not have an easy task.
When they took the village Leuth, the Germans once again took the water as their ally and the dikes were inflated at night, so that then also the whole polder “De Duffelt” , that extended from Leuth – Kekerdom – Millingen until the hilly area of Rijkswoud en Kleef (Kleve), was inundated. This could however not prevent the march of the Allied forces. Their amphibious vessels were used to rescue the stranded Canadians from their stressful position within a wild undulating inland sea.
In April 1945 the inhabitants of the area were allowed to return to their houses. The village Leuth was completely ruined. Trees, ammunition, weapons, debris, everything was in the streets.
In the book “De gemeente Ubbergen in de frontlinie” the following is written:
THE BATTLE WITH THE WATER
The Canadian division, that received at the beginning of February 1945 the command to clear the area along the Rijn (Rhine river) East of Nijmegen, did not have an easy task.
When they took the village Leuth, the Germans once again took the water as their ally and the dikes were inflated at night, so that then also the whole polder “De Duffelt” , that extended from Leuth – Kekerdom – Millingen until the hilly area of Rijkswoud en Kleef (Kleve), was inundated. This could however not prevent the march of the Allied forces. Their amphibious vessels were used to rescue the stranded Canadians from their stressful position within a wild undulating inland sea.
In April 1945 the inhabitants of the area were allowed to return to their houses. The village Leuth was completely ruined. Trees, ammunition, weapons, debris, everything was in the streets.
H.M. Urquhart
Nobody knows about Ernest’s whereabouts until approximately 21 February 1945. This was quoted in a letter of Colonel H.M. Urquhart sent to Ernest’s mother on 17 April 1945: A German prisoner of War indicated the place where Ernest was buried, but the area was flooded and therefore the indication could not be verfied.
Karl Missbach
On 16 October 1947 the War Services Records receives a letter from a German minister, Karl Missbach from Grossolbersdorf, Germany (see 'Letters'). The letter is translated in English and forwarded to the mother of Ernest. In the letter is written that Ernest was killed by the Germans during a nightly expedition in the snow and buried by them. An exact description is given of where the grave of Ernest is located.
In the neighbourhood of Nymwegen, Holland, lies a little German village of Kranenburg, not far from which there is a place called Leuth. From this place Leuth a road runs to another road, which runs along the dyke which has been built as protection against the overflowing of the Rine. Now at this spot, where the two roads come together lay the ruins of a farm and in the garden of piece of land your son is buried.
The letter was was forwarded to The Under Secretary of State, The War Office in London, who then forwarded it to Graves Registration and Enquiries. The Director sent it to Graves Registration Services in Holland so that a search could be made for Private Harrison's remains.
On January 8 1948 the Director of Graves Registration and Enquiries sent a reply stating:
"The area mentioned has been searched and enquires made, but no trace of the above-named could be located.
From local information, there was a grave of a Canadian who was concentrated by the Canadians just over a year ago.
It is thought that this casualty may have been concentrated to the Canadian Cemetery at Groesbeek, as an "UNKNOWN.""
This information is communicated to Ernest's mother, Mrs. Dorothy Harrison. The Director wrote in his reply: "It is regretted that it is necessary to forward such an unsatisfactory reply but should any information ever reach the Department in the future it will be transmitted to the next of kin immediately.
In the neighbourhood of Nymwegen, Holland, lies a little German village of Kranenburg, not far from which there is a place called Leuth. From this place Leuth a road runs to another road, which runs along the dyke which has been built as protection against the overflowing of the Rine. Now at this spot, where the two roads come together lay the ruins of a farm and in the garden of piece of land your son is buried.
The letter was was forwarded to The Under Secretary of State, The War Office in London, who then forwarded it to Graves Registration and Enquiries. The Director sent it to Graves Registration Services in Holland so that a search could be made for Private Harrison's remains.
On January 8 1948 the Director of Graves Registration and Enquiries sent a reply stating:
"The area mentioned has been searched and enquires made, but no trace of the above-named could be located.
From local information, there was a grave of a Canadian who was concentrated by the Canadians just over a year ago.
It is thought that this casualty may have been concentrated to the Canadian Cemetery at Groesbeek, as an "UNKNOWN.""
This information is communicated to Ernest's mother, Mrs. Dorothy Harrison. The Director wrote in his reply: "It is regretted that it is necessary to forward such an unsatisfactory reply but should any information ever reach the Department in the future it will be transmitted to the next of kin immediately.