Relation with Lake (class): Former Casualty Cemetery (FLC)  
Total nr. of casualties buried here (TC): 1 end WW2, today: 0. 
Lake casualties, initially, end WW2 (LC-I): 0
Unknown today: 0
of which unknown from Lake (LC-U): 0
of which unknown from North Sea (NS-U): 0
Initial burial site in WW2: yes, Cemetery West side of Lake (LCW)
Post war burial site for collection and reburial from other sites: no
Cemetery with Lake casualties today: no


         
BUNSCHOTEN-SPAKENBURG GENERAL CEMETERY 'MEMENTO MORI'

The fishermen of Bunschoten-Spakenburg recovered during the 5 years of WW2 at least 20 dead airmen from Lake IJsselmeer (Old Zuyder Sea). The airmen were buried in nearby city of Amersfoort (see our file on Amersfoort/Oud Leusden). In the last month of the war, the frontline moved up to here. On 7 April 1945, a RAF/TAF (Tactical Air Force) Spitfire on armed reconnaissance/ground support was hit by Flak near heavily defended Hilversum (Luftwaffe HQ in Holland). It crashed 10km to the North-east in a field near Bunschoten. Transport over the road was not longer possible and pilot 1st Maitre Francis Delery (Spitfire TB359 of 340 Sqn) was buried in Bunschoten. 

    

Dutch name cemetery: Alg. Begraafplaats 'Memento Mori'. 
Full name: General Cemetery 'Memento Mori'.
Address (usable for car navigation):
Stadsspui 1, Bunschoten.

For reaction or comments; send us an email,
see address and info at CONTACT.
Please use as subject title: 'Bunschoten'.








In 1941, Frenchmen Francis Delery (already pilot), could escape to England and join the Free French Forces. He achieved the rank French Navy pilot Warrant Officer and became a very experienced pilot. In April 1945 he received from the Dutch people in Bunschoten a honorable grave position in the midst of a row with killed Dutch resistance fighters. A heavy grey stone cross with inscripture marks every grave. To everyone's surprise, the French government followed in 1949 the American example exhuming all its casualties in the Netherlands for centralization on a central war cemetery. This was the new build French central war cemetery in the Netherlands in Kapelle (near Goes). Family could also decide for reinterment in France itself and Francis Delery came to rest in Plounez, Bretagne.

Bunschoten kept his initial grave position and cross intact. Thanks to this, Francis Delery is commemorated every year (photo below).



























Map below. Frontline begin April 1945. We marked the crash location of 1st maitre Francis Delery with a X. Position is approx. 52°15.287' N - 05°19.774' E. 












































 .










































































.










































































On this strict Protestant cemetery, Roman Catholic crosses are not wanted. For the war graves an exception was made, al beit in this blunt shaped form.  On the stone of Francis Delery his name is engraves as 'Francis Delerij'. The  ij  is a Dutch variant for the Ypsilon. At the time, it was thought he was Canadian. This explains the engraved Canadian Maple Leaf instead of a French Fleur de Lys or other French national symbol. Text on the cross: 'Francis Delery. Born 3 January 1915. Fallen for our Freedom, 7 April 1945'. 

The white plastic sign reads 'The mortal remains of Francis Delery were transferred 5 July 1949 to France'.  


























































 .




















































































Souces/read more 

- Our file on Amersfoort Oud-Leusden War Graves:  http://www.zzairwar.nl/dossiers/987.html

- Our file on the French Centralization Cemetery in the Netherlands:  http://www.zzairwar.nl/dossiers/862.html

- Site  www.cieldegloire.com/004_delery_f.php 
 



© ZZairwar (Zuyder Zee Air War)