Special service to remember the fallen

A service was held at Cannock Chase to remember German soldiers, sailors and airmen who died in the United Kingdom in the two world wars.

The German Cemetery, near Broadhurst Green, is a memorial to some 5,000 German war dead.

It was created in 1962 and an annual service is held which is attended by members of the German War Graves Commission.

Christian Weber, Bremen area president of the German War Graves Commission and Rolf Reimers, director of the Bremen area War Graves Commission, joined local dignitaries for yesterday's service at which wreaths were laid. Also taking part were a group of young people from Bremen and Staffordshire who are spending a fortnight helping to maintain the memorials. The cemetery is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Staffordshire County Council gave the land on which the cemetery stands to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. German servicemen from both wars, sailors buried at seaports round the coast of Britain, airmen shot down inland and soldiers, most of them prisoners of war buried in churchyards throughout the county, were transferred from their burial places to the Chase Military Cemetery between 1964 and 1966. German servicemen buried in British Military Cemeteries and in war grave plots in civilian cemeteries churchyards were not moved.

Each year thousands of people visit the cemetery.