The Netherlands / Cemetery
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In Wolvega's general cemetery, Allied honorary graves remind residents of the seven fallen crew members of the Lancaster JB 545 that crashed in the fields on the Sas (below Sonnega) on 16 December 1943. The bomber was on its way to Berlin and was shot out of the sky by German fighters here.
Near the crash site, the "Monument to Allied Airmen" was unveiled by the sister of one of the crew members in 2004 as a tribute to the fallen crew. A boulder with a plaque and a panel with background information on what happened keep the memory alive.
Of seven soldiers killed, five were British, one Canadian and one Australian. They were buried side by side. Identical white natural stone tombstones with an embossed emblem and cross have been placed at each grave. The cross is not only a symbol of the Christian faith, but also a reminder of the sacrifice made by war victims for a life of freedom.