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St Mark's Episcopal Church, Portobello

 
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Adam Brown
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
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Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:33 am    Post subject: St Mark's Episcopal Church, Portobello Reply with quote

St Mark's Episcopal Church Congregation War Memorial
Location: St Mark's Episcopal Church, 278 Portobello High Street

This war memorial is located on the west wall of the chapel. If it looks very plain it is because it replaces a memorial chapel removed after a fire in 1967.





Hamish Sandison listed among the Second World War dead has another memorial within the church and is buried in the graveyard outside.

According to the church's own pamphlet "a Lady Chapel was created in 1919 . It comprised an altar with a white marble slab on two black pillars. Over it was a tabernacle for the Reserved Sacrament, surmounted by a niche in which stood a crucifix. Behind it was a simple reredos of oak. The Chapel was surrounded by an oak screen with eleven arches containing semi-circular panels carved by members of the congragation".

After I had left I found out there is also a memorial altar and book of remembrance from St Andrew's Church, Niddrie within St Mark's. I will have to return to photograph them.

Adam
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Hamish Sandison memorial is here.

SANDISON, HAMISH IAN
Rank: Flight Sergeant (Nav./Bomber)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Age: 21
Date of Death: 13/02/1946
Service No: 1571678
Additional information: Son of William John and Annie Margaret Sandison, of Edinburgh.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 26.
Cemetery: PORTOBELLO (ST. MARK) EPISCOPALIAN CHURCHYARD

Adam
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The name that stood out for me was Richard Henry KRAUSE;

Surname KRAUSE
Firstname R
Service Number 202477
Date Death 14/04/1917
Decoration
Place of birth Portobello
Other 5/6th Bn.
SNWM roll THE CAMERONIANS (SCOTTISH RIFLES)
Rank Pte
Theatre of death France.

Name: KRAUSE, RICHARD
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Unit Text: 5th/6th Bn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 14/04/1917
Service No: 202477
Additional information: Son of Mrs. Christina Krause, of 10A, Mentone Avenue, Portobello, Midlothian.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Bay 6.
Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL

As I suspected both parents were German - August Freidrich and Christina m.s. Schneider.
Richard appeared to have 5 siblings, all brothers; ALFRED, HUBERT, GUSTAV, REINHOLD & FREDERICK.
Alfred had been born in Germany but Hubert's birth entry (Portobello) indicated that the parents were from Deutsche Kroshen (sic), County of Posen, Germany.
Having done a bit of 'googling' I 'think' Kroshen should be Krotoschin.
This area is now in Poland but was a province of Prussia and part of the German empire. The area has been at the centre of some tumulteous historical events with ethnic cleansing and emigration predominant features. It would seem, like many others, the Krause family fled to the west, escaping religious and cultural intolerance, to seek a better life.

Two Krause's are still listed residing in Edinburgh today.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Name: HAGGBERG, RALPH OTTO GUSTAF
Initials: R O G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 137 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 12/02/1942
Service No: 120677
Additional information: Born Sweden.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 69.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Pilot Officer Ralph Otto Gustaf Häggberg, RAF No. 120677

14 March 1922 – 12 February 1942

Ralph Häggberg was born on 14 March 1922 in Stockholm.

His father worked for Gestetners and Häggberg was sent to school in England in 1935.

When the Second World War started he was in Sweden on school leave but decided to return to England in October 1939.

He joined the RAF in December 1940 and was posted to 263 Squadron (Westland Whirlwinds) on 15 September 1941 as a Sergeant Pilot.

The 137 Squadron was officially reformed on 12 September on Charmy Down and was to be equipped with Westland Whirlwinds. Squadron Leader John Sample reported to duty as C.O. on 20 September.
Two days later three pilots (Flight Lieutenant Joseph S. Hughes, Flying Officer C. A. G. Clark and Sergeant Douglas St.J. Jowitt) from 263 Squadron was transferred to the new unit to provided experience.

On 1 October ten more pilots from 263 Squadron (Pilot Officer Michael Bryan, Pilot Officer J. C. Lawton, Pilot Officer George William Martin, Sergeant Häggberg, Sergeant J. F. Luing, Sergeant J. Maddocks, Sergeant Michael Peskett, Sergeant H. L. O’Neill, Sergeant Basil Lionel Robertson and Sergeant John Anthony William Sandy) reported for duty. At the same time four more pilots (Flying Officer A. Torrance, Pilot Officer J. L. DeHoux, Flight Sergeant C. E. Mercer and Sergeant J. R. Rebbetoy) arrived from No. 56 OTU.

On 24 October 137 Squadron flew its first operation, a ‘Mandolin’. The target, several trains carrying fuel containers in railway sidings at Landernau, near Brest, were not found, but Squadron Leader John Sample (Whirlwind P7053) attacked several wagons and Flying Officer Clark (Whirlwind P7050) destroyed a locomotive.

On 28 October the C.O. Squadron Leader John Sample was killed in a training sortie. Squadron Leader Humphrey St. John Coghlan DFC from 263 Squadron replaced him on 2 November.

Häggberg flew his first operational sortie on 15 November together with Pilot Officer Bryan, Sergeant Luing, Sergeant Maddocks and Sergeant Sandy.

On 21 November Pilot Officer Lawton (Whirlwind P7035) and Sergeant Häggberg (P7036) flew an uneventful sweep out over the North Sea.

On 24 November Squadron Leader Coghlan (Whirlwind P7096), Pilot Officer Lawton (P7105?), Pilot Officer Martin (P7105?), Flight Sergeant Robertson (P7007), Sergeant Häggberg (P7050) and Sergeant McClure (P7106) unsuccessfully searched for several E-Boats, which had attacked a convoy.

Uneventful patrols were flown on 25 November by Pilot Officer Bryan (Whirlwind P7107), Flight Sergeant Robertson (P7105), Sergeant Häggberg (P7092) and Sergeant McClure (P7062).

Totally during November Häggberg flew two convoy patrols of 3.25 hours and one Yarmouth patrol of 1.35 hours.

On 1 December the squadron moved to RAF Matlaske.

Flight Lieutenant Hughes (Whirlwind P7096), Pilot Officer Martin (P7107), Sergeant Häggberg (P7037) and Sergeant Maddocks (P7092) flew an uneventful shipping reconnaissance on 9 December.

On 29 December Pilot Officer Martin (Whirlwind P7092), Flight Sergeant Robertson (P7107), Sergeant Brennan (P7035), Sergeant Häggberg (P7105) and Sergeant McClure (P7050) were put on patrol over Yarmouth at 20,000 feet, but they saw nothing.

Totally during December Häggberg flew one convoy patrol of 1.40 hours and six Yarmouth patrols of 8.30 hours and two scrambles of 2.10 hours.

On 25 January 1942 he was commissioned and promoted to Pilot Officer.

Totally during January Häggberg flew one convoy patrol of 1.35 hours and one Yarmouth patrol of 1.20 hours and four scrambles of 2.30 hours.

On 12 February Warrant Officer Robertson (Whirlwind P7107) with Flight Sergeant Mercer (P7055), Red Section, and Pilot Officer Häggberg (P7093) with Pilot Officer DeHoux (P7012), Blue Section were recalled from a training flight and briefed to escort the 16th and 21st Destroyer Flotilla. They took off at 13:10.
Unfortunately they were unaware of the Channel Dash by the German battle cruisers "Scharnhorst", "Gneisenau" and "Prinz Eugen", which took place during the day. While looking for their destroyers they saw several ships through a hole in the clouds twenty miles off the Belgian Coast and dived down to investigate. Around 20 Bf109s immediately bounced them. Flight Sergeant Mercer got a Bf109 in his sights, but his cannon would not fire, Pilot Officer DeHoux fired all of his ammunition ’without apparent result’ whilst Häggberg and Warrant Officer Basil Lionel Robertson (RAF No. 748333) failed to return.
Totally 137 Squadron lost four Whirlwinds to German Bf109s during the day (the other two were Pilot Officer Martin (7106) and Pilot Officer Sandy (P7050) who were lost after attacking "Gneisenau" and being shot down by Bf109s). Known German claims against Whirlwinds during this day is Oberleutnant Egon Mayer of 7./JG 2 (totally 102 victories), who claimed a Whirlwind north of Ostende at 13:38 (14:38 German time), Feldwebel Hans Stolz of 9./JG 2, who claimed a Whirlwind at 14:12 (15:12 German time) and Unteroffizier Willi Reuschling of 7./JG 2, who claimed one north of Ostende on 14:24 (15:24 German time).
German records also states that German fighters and five Whirlwinds clashed during an attack on "Gneisenau" at 13:55.
At 14:20 two Whirlwinds attacked "Gneisenau" from the port side and one of them was shot down by German fighters.
At 14:24 one Whirlwind was shot down over "Scharnhorst" by German fighters. Other Whirlwinds became involved in combat with other German fighters. One Whirlwind was seen leaving with heavy smoke coming from one of the engines. There was also heavy combat over "Gneisenau" at the same time.
It is possible that Mayer shot down Häggberg.
Häggbergs body was never found and he is commemorated on Panel 69 of the Air Force Memorial, Runnymede.

Totally during February Häggberg flew two convoy patrols of 2.35 hours and four Yarmouth patrols of 4.05 hours and four scrambles of 4.35 hours.
At the time of his death he had flown 37 sorties.
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mark

How on earth did you get so much information so quickly about Pilot Officer Häggberg?

Adam
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Adam,

I am not going to take any credit for Haggberg. It was simply googling his name came up with this!
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/swedish_aviators/haggberg.htm
I thought I'd copy it in case the link was ever broken or the info. was lost.

I did do the bit for the Krause family.

rgds.,
Mark
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent sleuthing anyway.

I wonder why this Swede was a member of an Epsicopal church congragation in Portobello? Isn't Sweden Lutheran?

I think I should get in touch with the church about this one to see if they can shed any more light on this.

Regards

Adam
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dhubthaigh
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some of the names thrown up on the church memorials are amazing - and frustrating!
I had a wee look at Swedens religious history but.......I'll leave it at that. It would go WAY off topic.
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mhomac



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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been given this photograph by Mr. Archie Foley, a local historian, who is happy to have the picture on our website. It shows the names more clearly.

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