Faces to Graves

CALENDAR
30 April - 21 May 2023 photo event The Faces of Groesbeek organised by the non-profit organisation Faces to Graves

FACES TO CANADIAN WAR GRAVES
GROESBEEK FOUNDATION

Set up by three members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Dutch Branch 005 – Liberation of The Netherlands –

We need your help to build a virtual memorial.

Ask around and encourage people to send photos, copies of documents, newspaper cuttings and stories of their family members, friends, neighbours etc.

ALL DOCUMENTATION IS
MOST WELCOME.

Click here to mail if you could help us!

Currently we're looking for photos of the soldiers listed in this document.

Can you help or do you know anyone who can? AWESOME!!

Mail to info@facestograves.nl
We're looking forward to your message!

Faces To Graves Groesbeek, Holten and Bergen op Zoom combine efforts in the National Foundation Canadian War Graves Netherlands.

Donations by credit card or PayPal are welcome (for example: a donation of 25 euro will cost approx 37.50 Cdlr.).

Please note that the Dutch banks do not process checks!

FOUNDATION

Committee of Recommendation

-Gerd Prick – former Mayor of Groesbeek.

-Mark Slinkman – Mayor of Berg en Dal

-Paul Wilbers – former Mayor of Ubbergen, Chairman of the Board of the National Liberation Museum 1944-194

Committee

-Alice E. van Bekkum-van 't Verlaat, president / Research Team.

-Dick Akerboom, vice-president.

-Jochen Rengers, treasurer.

Counsellors

-Jelle Reitsma, Brigadier General (ret.) Royal Netherlands Army.

-Julie Allen, International Communications Canada.

-Colonel Tim R. Young (Retired), Royal Canadian Artillery - Military Counsellor.

Email: info@facestograves.nl

facebook.com/facestograves

Postal address:
Sprokkelveld 68B
6596 DM Milsbeek
The Netherlands

KvK: 63388812

IBAN: NL78 ABNA 0592 2443 93
Addressed to: ST FACES TO CANADIAN

Click here to read the Faces to Graves Executive Summary.

Annual report Faces to Graves 2021

SOLDIER SEARCH

Are you looking for a soldier buried in The Netherlands?

Find all details here

You can search by cemetery or by name.

Will you help us to realise the Digital Monument, please contact us if you have any information/photo for:
Bergen op Zoom: info@stichtingbbw.nl
Groesbeek: info@facestograves.nl
Holten (+other cemeteries): info@canadesebegraafplaatsholten.nl

FACES TO GRAVES: A CHALLENGE

We are searching for photos and information about the soldiers who are buried at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands.
Initiated by a lady who is not afraid to try the impossible…
This may be your first thought when you realize that there are 2590 names on the headstones and 1029 names of missing soldiers on the Memorial Wall.
And not to forget the headstones of unidentified casualties with only the words: ‘Known unto God’.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

We have to pay tribute to those young soldiers who lost their lives so far away from home fighting for our freedom.
Especially now most of their comrades are not able to do this any longer.
We would like to recognize every single one of them by a photo and the story of his life, so they will never be forgotten.

LIFE STORIES

What you don't see on our website is the research that is done by our Research Team. Behind the scenes, hard work is being done on the realization of this huge project. Not only by the volunteers of the Research Team, but also by the members of the board. Through the heart-warming reactions of relatives in Canada we get inspiration to continue. They sometimes even send us complete life stories!

But we also get life stories from High Schools (Lest We Forget), individuals and organizations. These contributions are very valuable and are greatly appreciated; every contribution means that another soldier has been removed from anonymity.

DIGITAL MONUMENT

Click on the picture

We keep their memory alive by telling their stories

Tombstone and Flags

Please help us to build this Digital Monument

Do you have a photo or information about a soldier buried in Groesbeek or whose name is mentioned on the Memorial because he is missing, please contact us:

info@facestograves.nl

1&2 MAY 2020: PLACING TULIPS Watch the video here
Photo: Kim Huvenaars	Photo: Henk Baron	Photo: Henk Baron
Photo: Henk Baron
Photo: Henk Baron		Photo: Henk Baron

AWARD
On Saturday 13 August 2019 the President of the Faces To Graves Foundation (called Faces to Graves) was honoured with the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers by the Canadian Governor General Julie Payette. The ceremony took place at HMCS St. John’s in the harbour of Vlissingen. Comment Alice van Bekkum: I feel very honoured, but I also know that I cannot do this on my own. So this award is also for the volunteers of Faces to Graves! Read more on: https://www.gg.ca/en/media/photos/2019/visit-netherlands-and-poland-day-2 https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/governor-general-commemorates-liberation-of-netherlands-in-second-world-war-1.4573491
HMCS St. John’s	the Canadian ambassador greets Alice	the moment is there
ship bell	Governor General hands out the award	The four awarded, together with Ambassador Sabine Nölke and Governor General Julie Payette
CITATION LETTER Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers Médaille du souverain pour les bénévoles Alice van Bekkum Milsbeek, Netherlands Alice van Bekkum is the co-founder, president and research coordinator of Faces to Canadian War Graves Groesbeek Foundation, an organization that collects information on fallen Canadian soldiers involved in the 1945 liberation of the Netherlands. Pursuing a mission to create a virtual memorial to Canada's fallen in the Netherlands, she has helped gather the photos and life stories of more than 2000 Canadians buried at the Groesbeek War Cemetery Alice van Bekkum est Ia cofondatrice, présidente et coordonnatrice des recherches de la Faces to Canadian War Graves Groesbeek Foundation, organisation qui recueille de l'informatíon sur les soldats canadiens morts au combat ayant participé à Ia libération des Pays-Bas en 1945. Dans le cadre de sa mission visant à créer un monument virtuel à Ia mémoire des Canadiens tombés aux Pays-Bas, etle a aidé à rassembler les photos et les récits de plus de 2000 Canadiens enterrés au cimetière militaire de Groesbeek.