On the Old General Cemetery (Oude Begraafplaats) in Eelde, there are eight Commonwealth war graves. These belong to the crew of a British Avro Lancaster bomber from the Royal Air Force, which was shot down on 20 October 1943 during a bombing mission over Germany.
The aircraft crashed near Eelde, and all eight airmen on board died. They were later buried side by side in the cemetery. Their graves are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which ensures that all soldiers from the Commonwealth who died in the two world wars are remembered properly.
The graves are marked with the typical white CWGC headstones, each bearing the airman’s name, rank, unit, date of death, and age — often with a personal inscription from the family. The site is peaceful and well-kept, and local residents and organizations take part in remembering the fallen, especially on Remembrance Day.
