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Personal info

Full name
ROTHWELL, Katherine
Date of birth
28 October 1945
Age
unknown
Place of birth
unknown
Hometown
unknown
Religion
Catholic

Military service

Service number
unknown
Rank
Civilian
Function
unknown
Unit
unknown
Awards
unknown

Death

Status
unknown
Date of death
14 November 1945
Place of death
Paris, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 32 10

Immediate family

Members
William T. Rothwell (father)

More information

Katherine was a full term born baby but after a few days she developed problems drinking her milk. On 10 November 1945 at 22.00 she was hospitalised at the 241st General Hospital in Paris, France. Despite all the good care her condition deteriorated and on 14 November 1945 at 04.30 she died due to respiratory failure and was baptised by the catholic chaplain.

She was buried on 20 November 1945 at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Solers, France.

Up until May 1948 every available source had been tried to locate the next of kin without success. In July 1948 she was disinterred in Solers, transferred to Epinal Cemetery, France and put in storage, waiting to be transferred to the US to be buried in Post Section of Long Island National as this was the normal routine for all infants interred in US WWII cemeteries overseas. However in August 1948 an administrative decision was made to bury overseas permanently because she was only 18 days old at the time of death and it was not considered wise to return remains to the US in view of no request from the next of kin.

In May 1949 Katherine was reburied at Epinal, France.

July 1949 and a new order came to transfer her to the US after all for burial in Long Island National. In November 1949 Colonel Freeman, Chief Memorial Division, had gone over this entire problem personally and had approved the following action, directing the permanent burial in a permanent cemetery overseas. Request for the remains to be buried in Neuville, Belgium was approved by Colonel Freeman and coordinates with the ABMC. On 8 May 1950 Katherine was buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery. 3,5 years after her death she had her final resting place.

Source of information: Danielle Roubroeks, Jeff Hays, www.abmc.gov, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Record

Photo source: Danielle Roubroeks