Christchurch Man Visits War Grave Of Rommel

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29728, 23 January 1962, Page 18

Christchurch Man Visits War Grave Of Rommel

Struck by West Germany’s high standard of living and impressed by the quality, stocks and low prices of goods, Mr W. C. Debenham returned for a visit to ChriistcMurch last week after spending four months there. Before his retirement, Mr Debenham ran an engineering factory in Christchurch. He has been staying with his German-bom wife in her home city, Ulm, on the Danube. “The sitandiard of living there is terrific,” said Mr Debenham. In addition to the fresh start that German factories made after World War 11, the energy being put into industry and the relations between unions and management, the high efficiency of the younger generation coming up into management has contributed to the success. “They are carefully sorted out for the jobs. Ask a question and you get a complete answer on everything,” said Mr Debenham. Soldiery is conspicuous around Ulm, a military centre for German, American and French forces of N.AT.O. “The German soldiers are trained up to the minuite and they have the best equipment in the world,” Mr Debenham reported. “The roads are lined all day with United States and German lorries on manoeuvres.” While in Ulm, Mr Debenham learned that the grave of Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel was in the village of Herrflingen, about five miles away. During the war he had fol-

lowed the career of the general and went to Henrlingen to photograph the grave in a quiet, shaded comer of the churchyard.

Rommel himself asked to be buried there and requested the same cross that marks the graves of all German soldiers. It was now widely accepted in Germany that Rommel committed suicide at the order of Hitler or chose it as an alternative to certain death at others’ hands, said Mr Debenham.

Rommel’s body was cremated and his ashes buried, with a funeral service attended by many military leader's. Two days later the news of his death was released to the German public. Villagers look after the girave.

The pictures taken by Mr Debenham especially interested Brigadier J. T. Burrows, to whom he showed them on returning to Christchurch. Though Brigadier Burrows has been a student of Rommel's life and campaigns he said: “I have not seen a picture of his grave before.

“It is most interesting. It has a normal soldier’s cross, shaped like the Iron Cross. “We all had very full respect for friend Rommel,” added Brigadier Burrows, who was a battalion and brigade commander in the Middle East campaign of World War 11. As an aside of life in Germany, Mr Debenham said: “There is no larrikinism there. There is so much to amuse young people.” On Thursday, Mr Debenham will go to Australia.