John Sehmer

In memoriam

Major SEHMER, JOHN Service Number 73958 Died 23/01/1945 Aged 41 (Although both the CWGC and Special Forces Role of Honour give his age as 41, this is incompatible with BMD records.) Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C.attd. Special Operations Executive M B E (award announced in London Gazette, 4th January 1945) Son of Ernest and Nellie Sehmer; husband of Mary Elizabeth Sehmer, of Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. While on an OSS/SOE mission in Czechoslovakia, captured by the SS on Boxing Day 1944; less than a month later, after horrific torture and abuse, Major Sehmer and four members of his unit were shot or beheaded at Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. Bodies cremated. From Special Forces Roll of Honour: SURNAME Sehmer FORENAME John UNIT SOE Force 133 RANK Major NUMBER 73958 DATE OF DEATH 23rd January 1945 AGE 41 GRAVESITE Brookwood Memorial,Surrey Panel 26 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION parent unit Royal Tank Regiment,R.A.C. born 19.4.1913 Staffordshire resided Leeds, Yorkshire son of Ernest and Nellie (nee Bayley) Sehmer husband of Mary Elizabeth Sehmer, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex (1 son Jamie) attended school, Kloster Ettal, Germany educated Collyers School, Horsham educated The Oratory School, Caversham engineer in civilian life commissioned T.A. January 1938 45 Bn Royal Tank Regiment,R.A.C. 1939 Intelligence Training Centre,Middle East 2.8.1941 - 9.5.1942 SOE 26.1.1943 fluent in German Roughshod Mission, Yugoslavia 1943-44 (award M.B.E.) Op.Windproof - POW 26.12.1944 Slovakia - executed Mauthausen, Austria

Locația mormântului