Gala couple adopt the grave of local war hero

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​Edward and Margaret Whitefield, also fron Galashiels, make an annual trip to the Netherlands after they adopted the gravesite of Private Harry Carruthers who tragically lost his life during the conflict.

Pt. Carruthers is buried in the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Venray where an annual memorial service is held to commemorate the liberation of Venray at the end of WWII and to remember all those who lost their lives during the conflict, and Edward and Margaret, along with Margaret’s sister and her husband who live in the Netherlands, attend every year.

In total there are 691 graves in the cemetery.

Edward said: “We go every year to the service because there are 21 of The King’s Own Scottish Borderer’s soldiers buried there among the 691 graves.”

Most of the 692 soldiers buried at Venray War Cemetery died nearby during the Battle of Overloon from September to October 1944 as part of Operation Aintree. 628 of those are British.

The battle took place as the allies tried to make their way through the Southern Netherlands as they pushed towards Berlin. More than a thousand soldiers were estimated to have lost their lives.

Pt Carruthers died a couple of months later on December 3 1944 during the liberation of Blerick, just over 20 miles away from Venray. He was just 24 years old.

In 2020 the Adopting Graves CWGV Venray War Cemetery Foundation was created. It gives interested parties the opportunity to adopt a grave to help make sure the soldiers and their stories will not be forgotten and Edward and Margaret were keen to adopt the grave of a local hero.

At the memorial service Edward laid a wreath in memory of all the young Scottish soldiers who gave their lives. Local school children laid a single white rose on every grave and thistles were also placed on the graves of the KOSB soldiers.

He said: “We also gave out commemorative chocolate to the scouts and children, just as the liberating soldiers did from their ration boxes in 1945.”