Plea to find photos of 11 'forgotten' Welsh WWII heroes in Dutch cemetery

Volunteers at Venray war cemetery in the Netherlands are seeking photos of 11 missing Welsh WWII soldiers buried there, saying they should not be forgotten.

Welsh soldiers buried at a war cemetery in the Netherlands should not be forgotten, volunteers working at the site say. Campaigners in the historic town of Venray in the south-east of the country are appealing for images to be placed on the graves of more than 600 British soldiers killed in World War Two.

Hundreds have already been found via social media, but the search for the remaining soldiers is becoming increasingly difficult. Volunteer Theo Vervoort, who is part of the Venray War Cemetery Adoption Graves Foundation, said they were searching for information about 11 Welsh soldiers whose images have not yet been found.

"A stone with a photo tells you far more. It's a monument for the man," he said.

"We're looking for the photos because we should not forget them.

"They gave their lives for our freedom, and we owe that to them."

One of the identified soldiers is Maynard Powell, a member of the Welsh Guards who was killed in Venray in November 1944.

An old photograph of Maynard Powell wearing boxing gloves. He has short dark hair and is not wearing a shirt. — Image caption, Maynard Powell died aged 26 fighting in the Netherlands

Maynard Powell died aged 26 fighting in the Netherlands.

His daughter, Margaret Colbeck, 82, from Princetown, Blaenau Gwent, was only 10 months old at the time.

"It means everything, it brings so much comfort, to think that these graves are being cared for, bringing people back to life," she said.

"They call the soldiers 'their boys'.

"I've always known that my father was buried there, but of course, there are still very many people who don't know."

Margaret went to meet her father's grave adopters, Bart and Bernie.

Margaret is standing in between Bart (left) and Bernie (right) in the cemetery. Bart is wearing a blue shirt, jeans, and a khaki green zip-up jacket. Margaret is wearing a brown skirt and green jacket. Bernie is wearing a baseball hat, blue jeans, a grey t-shirt and red, navy and blue check print jacket. There are flowers on Maynard Powell's grave. — Image caption, Margaret went to meet her father's grave adopters, Bart (left) and Bernie (right)

She said she was contacted by a volunteer from the Netherlands on Facebook.

"It was a shock. He wanted to know all the background, the family history, photographs," she said.

"I had a wonderful surprise this Christmas, where my grandchildren, Mia and Joseph, surprised me by saying they were going to take me to Venray to see my father's grave."

Mia and Joseph said they learned a lot about their great-grandfather.

Mia, who has brown wavy hair and is wearing a white top with blue flowers, with her brother Joseph, who has short brown hair, glasses, and is wearing a pink t-shirt with white stripes. They are both smiling. — Image caption, Mia and Joseph said they learned a lot about their great-grandfather

Mia Colbeck-Jones, 21, said the trip to see the grave was incredible.

"It was one thing to hear about my great-grandfather and be able to pay our respects to him, but it was a whole other special thing to see our nan seeing the grave."

Her brother, Joseph, 26, added:

"I think it's really important to us, as great grandchildren of Maynard, that those stories can then be passed on through future generations."

Julie and her mother, Margaret, have visited the grave of James Bumster in Venray.

Julie (left) has medium-length blonde hair, glasses on her head, and she is wearing a brown printed top. Her mother, Margaret (right) has short white hair and is wearing a black t-shirt. They are both smiling. — Image caption, Julie and her mother, Margaret, have visited the grave of James Bumster in Venray

It took decades for Margaret Jones, 85, from Swansea, to discover that her father, James Bumster, was buried in Venray after he was killed when she was four.

"We didn't know. I had never heard the name Venray," she said.

"My husband and I went first of all, that was quite emotional.

"On his grave, it's written, 'he gave his life so his daughter can live'."

She said it meant the world that Theo Vervoort had adopted his grave.

Check your family history

Margaret's daughter, Julie Jones, 62, said the family were perplexed that the volunteers had taken such an interest in their family's history.

"Families like ours are connected by these heroes, as the people of Venray see them, who gave their lives so they could be liberated," she said.

"There will be families out there, no doubt, that have no idea that there will be an uncle, or a nephew, or a cousin that is resting in Venray.

"If I had a message to give, it would be, that these people did give their lives, so check your family history."

Theo Vervoort said it's important to find the images of the soldiers.

Theo Vervoort standing in the cemetery in Venray. He is wearing a light orange t-shirt and navy blue jeans. He is wearing glasses. He is smiling and has his hand on his hip. — Image caption, Theo Vervoort said it's important to find the images of the soldiers

Theo Vervoort said he visited the cemetery every week, adding:

"I'm busy cleaning, throwing away flowers.

"My dad told me a lot about the war, and it fascinated me.

"My thoughts were, 'I have to do something for these guys, who came to a foreign country, didn't know our area, and they gave their lives for us, for our liberation'."

He said it saddened him that some soldiers had not been identified.

"It means that the families don't know where their boys are," he said.

"Behind every grave is a very sad story at home. The youngest are 17, 18 and also young fathers.

"We started in 2020, we have now found 440 photos, and it's getting more and more difficult.

"We have a lot of friends in the UK who help us, and they are very good people who are looking in archives, looking in newspapers, visiting relatives.