Dutch woman keen to track down relatives of Hillsborough soldier killed during WW2

Ilse Thuy-van de Velde, 43, has adopted the graves of three Second World War servicemen who are buried in Kloosterzande cemetery in the Netherlands. One of them is the grave of Hillsborough-born Richard McCandless McKnight.

She explained: “The reason why I have adopted three war graves is because I think we have to recognise and appreciate what these men did for us to liberate our country.

“For me it is personal. My grandfather did hard labour building the Atlantikwall in Breskens and Groede on the Dutch coast.

“Other family members joined the local resistance groups in the eastern part of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen.

“From an early age my parents instilled in me deep feelings of respect for all those who had lost their lives fighting for other people’s freedom.

“These feelings of respect have to be passed on to future generations so that these soldiers, these freedom fighters will never be forgotten.”

The three men whose graves Ilse adopted 18 months ago under an adoption programme by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lie buried at a cemetery in Kloosterzande, part of the district of Hulst.

They are Leading Aircraftman Frank Blood, Sapper Robert Kirk and Rifleman Richard McCandless McKnight.

It is the latter rifleman who was born in Hillsborough whom Ilse has been able to trace very few details about.

She said: “Frank Blood and Robert Kirk – I have been in contact with friends and relatives. It is only Richard, I know nothing about him.”

She said she was able to get a copy of Richard’s birth certificate after she called the NI authority who held the document.

“I told them my story and they sent me his birth certificate. They were moved that I – a foreign lady – cared about a man killed in 1944,” she continued.

It lists his date of birth as August 5, 1923 and his place of birth as ‘Hillsboro’.

Thanks to some research by local military history enthusiast Andy Glenfield, Ilse now knows a bit more about Richard McCandless McKnight, who held the rank of Rifleman with 7th Battalion of ‘The Cameronians’ regiment from Scotland. But she’s keen to find out more from family members.

Although most recruitment for Scottish regiments would naturally be in Scotland, the Cameronians arrived in Northern Ireland in 1941 so it is understood this could have been when he was recruited.

In October 1944 the regiment landed at the Belgian port of Ostend.

From Ostend the battalion was involved in ‘Operation Infatuate’ and it was during these battles that Rifleman McKnight lost his life.

Ilse said she is hoping to get in touch with living relatives of Richard McCandless McKnight or anyone who knew the family.

Explaining why she adopted the three war graves, she added: “Adopting a grave means that you remember the deceased on May 4 and November 11, both remembrance days.

“The district of Hulst ignores those dates which means there are no commemoration services held.

“I am going to have a talk with the mayor about that because I think it a shame.

“We owe it to these people that they are remembered. They paid the ultimate price. They deserve our respect.

“I also visit the graves on the birth and death days of the brave men and also on December 24.”

Anyone who thinks they can help Ilse find out more information about Richard McCandless McKnight should email [email protected]