In Memory ofHermann Hillebrecht![]() He passed away too early to leave any lasting signs behind in his family or in the community. These lines shall commemorate him. Hermann came out
of a family of weavers that moved to Grone, also a suburb of Göttingen.
He started his occupational career in a textile mill in Göttingen.
However, this was soon interrupted through his military service and the
following first world war.
Shortly before the outbreak of the first
world war their son Walter Hillebrecht, my
father, was born on 7th July 1914. On the occasion of their son's second
birthday Luise Hillebrecht had a photo taken of herself and Walter and
sent the picture to her husband on the western front. It was the last picture
that Hermann saw of his wife and son. Shortly after he was killed in action.
During the five months of the battle the territorial gain of the allies was just 12 kilometres (eight miles) at the deepest point of penetration. On September 15 and 16, tanks were used for the first time to end the stalemate of trench warfare. With these the British gained possession of the small village of Courcelette on the road from Albert to Bapaume. During the following days German troops tried in vain to recapture Courcelette. It was here that Hermann Hillebrecht died in action. A Canadian Expeditionary Corps as part of the British forces was heavily engaged in the fighting around Courcelette. The Canadians also suffered great losses: 30 000 soldiers for 6 kilometres of muddy soil, churned up by millions of grenades.
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