The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Mike Morley

I have been reading a very interesting book by Andrew Lorimer, "Life and Times in the Upper Tweed Valley". It mostly concerns Lorimer's life in that area but, at one time, he became headmaster of the school in Whitekirk, East Lothian. One task that fell to the head teacher was to be the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths.

A short passge has intrigued me. "One tragic accident occurred when some German Prisoners of War, who had been working in the area, walked into a coastal minefield when taking a short cut on the way back from work. Several were killed instantly and others died on their way to hospital. It was difficult to obtain the proper facts until the official documents came from the military authorities."

I just wondered if there was any more information about this and where the unfortunate POWs would have been buried.

A quick, blind search on Scotland's People for men whose death is registered in Whitekirk reveals two possibles with German sounding names: Fritze Wollbrink, aged 33 in 1945 and Hermann Schulz, aged 34 in 1945.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 1:53 pm Post subject:

The Death Register page lists Wollbrink and Schulz plus FRANZ OSWALD who all died on 27/ April 1945 on the foreshore at Tyninghame Links.
Their deaths were registered by a RAMC officer from No.16 PW Camp.

Canmore has a record for Gosford Estate, Army Encampment, Camp 16, German Working Camp (near Aberlady)

All three men plus ALWIN ERNST STARGLICH are listed by CWGC as having died on 27 April and they are all buried in Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery in Staffordshire.
_________________
Ken

Mike Morley · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2021 2:00 pm Post subject:

Thanks Ken, that goes a good way to putting facts in support of the narrative.