2 Canadian Graves Concentration Unit (1945-1946)
10 October 1945: Lt Avery, one driver, Cpl and Cook left for Epe to set up HQ A Increment.
15 October: Unit re-opened at new location 805185 at Epe. coming under command, Army troops area, Cdn Forces in the Netherlands.
22 October: Capt Avery nd two vehicles loaned to a Sec of 1 Cdn GCU at Bergen op Zoom to help to complete the concentrations into the Cdn Cemetery.
1 November: The Detatchment of B Section is still working with 1 CGCU to clear Bergen op Zoom area.
14 November: Capt Avery reported by phone that work at Bergen op Zoom was nearly completed.
21 November: OC and Capt Avery went on a recce for Section billets near new Cemetery at Holten. Nothing was available in either Holten or Deventer. The cemetery site was visited, it is not expected to be ready for 1 December.
28 November: A Section was been alloted Norther Holland and Germany area. B section to remain in present location near Nijmegen.
30 November: B Section completed 11 concentrations from area South and East of Eindhoven, to Nijmegen Cemetery.
1 December: A Section sorting and checking their stores preparatory to moving to Deventer, in thr afternon, Final arrangements for billets were completed with Town Major Deventer and the section will move in on 3 december.
B Section the working section concentrated 11 bodies into Nijmegen cemetery.
3 December: B Section worked in the Eindhoven area. Concentrated 3 bodies to Nijmegen.
7 December: A Section are now waiting for Holten Cemetery, to be ready.
12 December: B Section concentrated 2 bodies from the American Cemetery at Molenhoek.
13 December: A section sent a vehicle to Grave for blankets 500 were drawn. Holten Cemetery ready for concentrating but road to in not quite ready.
17 December: A Section finally got started on their concentration work and completed 13 today. The road into the cemetery is very soft.
18 December: A Section concentrated 28 bodies into Holten cemetery . We are moving to our new quarters at Beek ref 747609.
19 December: DADGRE and OC visited Holten Cemetery. A section concentrated 22 bodies from Okse? Cdn Temp burial ground. 1 Civilian (Exhuner) was fired for attempting to confiscate a blanket.
20 December: One unknown was investigated at Otterloo. by the Increment and concentrated to Holten Cemetery.
21 December: A Section concentrated 18 bodies from Wilp.
3 January 1946: The comprehensive report on Nijmegen Cemetery was started, this requiring a great deal of checking of index cards to verify details, 500 blankets drawn from Ordnance, Increment completed two investigations at Nijmegen Cemetery.
5 January: Increment invest one case near Nijmegen.
14 January: Adm officer left for Apeldoorn to take over new quarters at 50 Loolaan.
24 January: It was decided to try to have Nijmegen Cemetery, completed by the end of March leaving Holten Cemetery, open for all other burials or concentrations in Northern area. It was estimated that 500 concentrations would complete Nijmegen so as to make it a presentable cemetery.
2 February: Capt McCrath spent the day on Nijmegen Cemetery, Discussed concentrations of bodies from Northern Holland and north Germany with A Section commander. Decided that Capt Avery should recce Groningen area, for billets and complete preparations to move the 250 bodies from that area.
11 February: Increment investigated 5 cases in Nijmegen Cemetery.
13 February: A Section got a start on concentration in Groningen area having done 41.
16 February: A Section returned to Deventer after having concentrating 188 bodies from Groningen area in
four days.
28 February: Nijmegen Cemetery had some Next-of-Kin vistors today who were very pleased with this Cemetery and its location and lay out.
4 March: 2 Clerks from H.Q to B Section to start Comprehensive report on Nijmegen Perm Cdn Cemetery.
20 March: Preparations by A Section for concentrations in north Holland.
21 March: A Section concentrating in area Assen and Hooghalen, 34 moved. Bodies in one plot at Nijmegen moved to fill up the rows.
28 March: A Section concentrating from Hilversum area.
A Section concentrations into Holten Cemetery cleared to CAOF area over 500 dead in 3 weeks and concentrated 100 from North holland during the month.
The comprehensive report for Nijmegen was completed and the alphabetical Nominal roll started.
1 April: The section was busy picking up scattered bodies in the area of Zutphen.
2 April: The section spent the day at the cemetery.
3 April: The section spent the day searching for 4 bodies in Almelo but they were unable to find them.
4 April: The dental officer arrived at noon and arrangements made to have 5 Unknowns exhumed at Holten for investigation by the increment.
5 April: The increment were working at Holten the section picked up bodies scattered north of Deventer.
8 April: The section worked on Unknowns between Apeldoorn and Beek. A Canadian on the missing list was removed from a minefield at Beek and identified.
9
April: The section investigated Unknowns west of Arnhem but found no
Canadians.
10 April: The section again looked for bodies in the Almelo area but again had no luck so porceeded to do some work around Ootmarsum.
11 April: The section worked in the area of Rotterdam and Den Haag.
12 April: The section reported that there are only 28 left in Holland itself to remaining to be concetrated and that Northern Holland has been cleared out.
18 April: The increment investigated some Unknowns in the area of Beek and Nijmegen.
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Philip Reinders, 2016