and I haven't been able to do much with it yet, because...soooo tired, but wanted to share 😀
On the way back from Night Lights at Ouwehand zoo, a friend an I went and looked for any sign of the temporary cemetery at Molenhoek, and actually found 2 monuments. I went there on a whim because a fellow researcher (With waaaaaayyyyy more experience in researching soldiers) had mentioned where one temporary cemetery had been, and gave me a more or less place to look. From the information I received, I didn't expect an actual memorial since he hadn't mentioned one, but figured I "map" the site, for use in Story behind the Stars, as a reference point. While checking googlymaps to see if I could glean anything from the satellite photo's, I stumbled upon an actual marked monument. This one was shared between the 82nd Air Borne and 1st Canadian Army.
It was the perfect day for cemetery hunting.... heavy fog :-)
So, the "unknown" one, was actually really easy to find. The information I was given of where the cemetery used to be, was "behind the brewery De Raaf, in Molenhoek" And taking that information I scoured maps and figured, if I drive down the street running right behind the estate, I will either find something, or I won't. At the very least, I can take a picture of the plot behind the estate as indication where it probably was.
Soooo..... It's in Molenhoek 🫠 behind the estate and sits on the corner of Hoogenhofseweg and Molenstraat. You access it by taking the Molenstraat from the Rijksweg in Molenhoek. The spot was so, so special. While we were there, 3 other people stopped at the memorial, not just because it was there, but because they were looking for it....
The inscription reads:
Here rested the remains of 637 gallant soldiers and airmen of the United States and British Armed Forces in the fall and winter of 1944 They gave their lives to free The Netherlands of Nazi tyranny
On the way to the second monument, we passed a marker for the Liberation Route, and (If I interpreted the information right) it looked to be the ninth marker on the route, so that's something I'll have to dig into a little more.....
Darn.... more research! 🤣
The second monument also lay within the fields, a little bit further down the road from the Liberation Route Marker.
I couldn't figure out what I was feeling. On the one hand there was the "happy" because I had tangible evidence where the cemeteries had been, and on the other there was the crushing sense of sadness because of the lives lost in liberation of the country of my birth.
The second part of the day was spent at the Liberation Museum in Groesbeek. The building is shaped like the canopy of an open parachute. As we were told by someone at the museum, this shape was chosen, because the museum was built on the drop zone of Operation Market Garden. It was an eye opener, for sure. If you are ever in the area, even if you are not a history fan, go visit. It is well worth the time. It's not really big, but it gives the Readers Digest version of the war starting at the end of World War I, with an open ending as to current affairs.
Going thru the gift shop, I found a book on the temporary cemeteries in the area, and that's where the "haven't been able to do anything with it yet" part comes in 😏 There is SO much information in this book, that I know I will use it for several soldiers in my Stories behind the Stars research list.
This is all I wanted to share for right now, so
Don't forget to hug a loved one, tightly!
Love and hugs,
Pauli
February 9, 2026
