Stalag 357 XIIIc 1943 Photos

[MARKH]

Hi all, just received these photos from the sister of the Aust 7th Division vet who was captured fighting on Crete, Bill McPerson. Bill is 93 and has just moved into care accommodation and his memory for things past has diminished. There is not much help in terms of writing on the back of these but they relate to Stalag 357 XIIIc and the year 1943 or about. What if anything can be made of the funeral procession?
By my eye and it is for an Australian soldier, with use of a British flag, same officer attending as in the larger assembly photo, but why the German wreath with swastika out front and the German rifle salute, was this done for every allied soldier that died in the camp, and how would the swastika have been tolerated, any ideas please,
Mark in Oz

[MARKH]

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[MARKH]

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[Gerdan]

Stalag 357 was situated in Oerbke in the Hannover area.

Gerdan

[Gerdan]

I forgot:

Stalag XIII C was situated in Hammelburg (Bavaria)

Gerdan

[ustufvorwaerts]

That is quite interesting - took exactly the same way as the funeral procession last Saturday. I´ve been there with my Bundeswehr reserve unit for shooting exercises. This is still an active Bundeswehr military base (Infantry school of the German Bundeswehr). Actually even been there during my active military service back in 1989.
There is a cemetry for POWs on the left hand side just before the shooting range - so that´s the way the funeral procession was taking.
On the 3rd pic (note the watching german soldiers) you can see a side entrance to the barracks (socalled "Süd-Tor" which is nothing more or less than South-Entrance"). Buildings are still there.
Have to take some pics from the same position as the photographer next time I´m there and post them here.

Cheers, ustufvorwaerts
...

[MARKH]

Yes, I knew Bill had been to 2 different camps, at some stage he was on a forced winter march toward the end of the war, where men died, the photos being at 2 different camps still have the same backstamps for stalag 357.

[MARKH]

Glad to here the place is still in existence, and that you were able to recognize the way the funeral travelled,