Wolfswinkel war cemetery:
During the war the municipality of Son was going to be the center stage of a large military operation, Market Garden.
Just north-west of Son, thousands of paratroopers and glidermen touched solid ground on their designated drop- and
landingzones, trying to end the war with Germany before Christmas.
Sadly, many soldiers wouldn’t return to their family’s before Christmas. The war would ask for the biggest sacrifice, their life.
During the war the municipality of Son was going to be the center stage of a large military operation, Market Garden.
Just north-
Sadly, many soldiers wouldn’t return to their family’s before Christmas. The war would ask for the biggest sacrifice, their life.
When Market Garden started, and the 101st Airborne Division troops
went into battle, the army soon needed a spot to bury their casual-
called Wolfswinkel.
This area lies in between the Dommel river and the main road from
Son to Sint-Oedenrode. From September 17, 1944, till 1948, this
area was used as an official American war cemetery.
The citizens of Son and surrounding villages witnessed how American
and English soldiers fought for the freedom of their nation. Soldiers
that came from across the world, who relieved the citizens from
oppression.
Seeing the sacrifice of those young men, probably made the people
realise that their freedom wasn’t free. It was paid for in blood.
This is the reason why citizens of Son became caretakers of the war
cemetery. People adopted a grave and took care of it, just one way
of saying ‘thank you’.
But, there were more ways to says thank you. Personal records of the
soldiers were kept in a small wooden hut in the middle of the
cemetery. The army had a seperate detail within the army, called Grave
Registration. They made sure that every soldier was buried correctly,
that the personal effects of the soldier were filed and that the family
received the information of their fallen son, father, uncle or cousin.
went into battle, the army soon needed a spot to bury their casual-
called Wolfswinkel.
This area lies in between the Dommel river and the main road from
Son to Sint-
The citizens of Son and surrounding villages witnessed how American
and English soldiers fought for the freedom of their nation. Soldiers
that came from across the world, who relieved the citizens from
oppression.
Seeing the sacrifice of those young men, probably made the people
realise that their freedom wasn’t free. It was paid for in blood.
This is the reason why citizens of Son became caretakers of the war
cemetery. People adopted a grave and took care of it, just one way
of saying ‘thank you’.
But, there were more ways to says thank you. Personal records of the
soldiers were kept in a small wooden hut in the middle of the
cemetery. The army had a seperate detail within the army, called Grave
Registration. They made sure that every soldier was buried correctly,
that the personal effects of the soldier were filed and that the family
received the information of their fallen son, father, uncle or cousin.
Map: Wolfswinkel war cemetery is marked with the orange circle.
The caretakers could sometimes get a hold of the address of the fallen soldier’s family, and wrote letters to inform them of the situation at
the cemetery. It is a prime example of international relations. The caretakers would tell the family which kind of flowers they put at the
graves or what the weather was like. In return, most familymembers would tell the caretakers stories about the man that was lying in the
grave. Now, the caretaker could put a face to the white cross.
Not only American soldiers were buried at the war cemetery in Wolfswinkel. Also English, Canadian and German soldiers got a spot on the field.
the cemetery. It is a prime example of international relations. The caretakers would tell the family which kind of flowers they put at the
graves or what the weather was like. In return, most familymembers would tell the caretakers stories about the man that was lying in the
grave. Now, the caretaker could put a face to the white cross.
Not only American soldiers were buried at the war cemetery in Wolfswinkel. Also English, Canadian and German soldiers got a spot on the field.
The Wolfswinkel cemetery was a temporary war cemetery. In 1948, the US government closed Wolfswinkel. The bodies of the soldiers
were reburied at the US war cemetery in Margraten, near Maastricht. The white wooden crosses, were replaced by white marble crosses.
The family also had the choice of bringing the remains of their familymember back home, to be reburied at a place of choice or at
Arlington war cemetery in Washington D.C.
Although the cemetery is gone now, a marker has been placed to let the people of today know about the field, that once was filled with
those valiant young men, who sacrificed all upon the alter of freedom.
were reburied at the US war cemetery in Margraten, near Maastricht. The white wooden crosses, were replaced by white marble crosses.
The family also had the choice of bringing the remains of their familymember back home, to be reburied at a place of choice or at
Arlington war cemetery in Washington D.C.
Although the cemetery is gone now, a marker has been placed to let the people of today know about the field, that once was filled with
those valiant young men, who sacrificed all upon the alter of freedom.
Photo: War cemetery Wolfswinkel. American soldiers were buried at the top 3 rows, the bottom-right field was meant for English
Soldiers and the left-bottom field was for German soldiers. Notice the difference in grave markers. The cemetery had
411 American, 47 English graves, 1 Canadian and an unknown number of German graves. (US Archives)
