3 Replies Latest reply on Oct 19, 2018 9:39 AM by Rebecca Collier

    My missing familymember

    Dylan Casteleyn Newbie
    Dylan Casteleyn Oct 11, 2018 2:04 PM

      I'm Dylan Casteleyn from Belgium, and am already several years looking for a family member/ Forced laborer (Albert Vandewalle born in Gits, Belgium on 19.02.1917) who went missing during the second world war. He was held captive in the prison of Wolfenbüttel in Germany by the Nazi-regime to this prison was freed by the Americans in April 1945. A source speaks he was treaded after his liberation in the Hospital of Drütte of 27 April 1945 to 1 May 1945. He died probably during the repatriation by American troops to Belgium via/in France. And later he was buried on the American cemetery over there (PLOT D - ROW 4 - GRAVE 97).

      The cemetery in Champigneul no longer exists. I am so looking for what has been happening with  grave  D/4/97 that in Champigneul was located. In Belgium the archive is impossible to enter because of no overview.

       

       

      At the moment i contacted a lot of services (National Archives, ... ) and i payed a historian to do searchwork

      Without succes...

       

      So il msearching for tips about:

      Burials in Champigneul..

      Repatriation...

      Transfers to the Belgians..

       

      Excuse me for my bad English.

        • Re: My missing familymember
          Rebecca Collier Ranger
          Rebecca Collier Expert Oct 18, 2018 3:29 PM (in response to Dylan Casteleyn)

          Dear Mr. Casteleyn,

           

          Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

           

          We searched the American Battle Monuments Cemetery Locator and the International Tracing Service (ITS) database concerning WWII prisoner of war camp reports compiled by the International Red Cross but were unable to locate information pertaining to Albert Vandewalle. We also searched the series General Correspondence Relating to Organizations, 1939 - 1954 in the Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General (Record Group 92) and located Weekly Burial Report No. 135 ending 6 May 1945. Part of the report, there was an entry for Champigneul indicating that Unknown X-106 was buried on 27 April 1945. No other identification was available. 

           

          It is possible that additional information may be located in other sections of this series. The staff of the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) will be pleased to make the finding aids to these records available to you or your representative in their research room at the National Archives in College Park, MD.  RDT2 is located at 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, near the University of Maryland--College Park campus.

           

          --Textual Research Room (Room 2000) hours are 8:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.

          --RDT2 consultation room hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. No appointment is necessary.

          --Records are retrieved Monday through Friday for use in the Textual Research Room at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. They do not pull records in advance.

          --Prior to your visit, please consult NARA’s web site at https://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/college-park/, https://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/self-service-copying.html, and https://www.archives.gov/research/start/getting-started.pdf.

           

          Also, the Grave Registration Service of the Army may have compiled an Individual Deceased Personnel Files (IDPFs) for Vandewalle since his remains were removed from a temporary grave at Champigneul in France. For access to these IDPFs, please contact the U.S. Army  Human Resources Command, Casualty & Memorial Affairs Operations Division, Attn: AHRC-PDC, 1600 Spearhead Division Avenue, Department 450, Fort Knox, KY 40122-5405.

           

          We hope this information is helpful. Best of luck with your research!

          2 of 2 people found this helpful
            • Re: My missing familymember
              Dylan Casteleyn Newbie
              Dylan Casteleyn Oct 19, 2018 6:37 AM (in response to Rebecca Collier)

              Hello !

               

              Thanks a lot !

              I can tell you that Albert was buried on 20 our 21 may 1945. Can you check for me later weekly burial report ?

               

              Sometimes the name was wrong in some American documents. VandeValle instead of Vandewalle.

               

               

              Dylan

                • Re: My missing familymember
                  Rebecca Collier Ranger
                  Rebecca Collier Expert Oct 19, 2018 9:39 AM (in response to Dylan Casteleyn)

                  Dear Mr. Casteleyn,

                  Thank you for posting your follow-up request on History Hub!

                  We searched the series General Correspondence Relating to Organizations, 1939 - 1954 in the Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General (Record Group 92) again and located the last weekly burial report for the European Theater. It was dated 17 May 1945 and did not list any non-Americans, civilians, or unknowns buried at Champigneul in France. No additional weekly burial reports for the European Theater were located.

                   

                  As stated in our earlier response, it is possible that additional information may be located in other sections of this series but that search will have to be conducted by you or your representative at the National Archives in College Park, MD.

                  2 of 2 people found this helpful