Navy Memorial - Norgaardholz, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

We will be the last victims of this war
and also in vain as so much of the fallen.*

Matrose Fritz Wehrmann, 26 Jahre
Obergefreiter Martin Schilling, 22 Jahre
Marinefunker Alfred Gail, 20 Jahre

Two days after the capitulation
on 10 May 1945, punished with death penalty
by Nazi-Navy-War-Judges because of "heavy desertion"
and executed on board the accompanying ship "Buea"
in front of Norgaardholz.

But believe me, I am not a criminal, also if
they took the honour from me. The war was over
and I merely done it
to be able to protect you.*

*Taken from the farewell letter of Alfred Gail to his parents.

Wir werden die letzten Opfer dieses Krieges sein,
und auch umsonst, wie so viele Gefallene.*

Matrose Fritz Wehrmann, 26 Jahre
Obergefreiter Martin Schilling, 22 Jahre
Marinefunker Alfred Gail, 20 Jahre

Zwei Tage nach der Kapitulation
am 10. Mai 1945 von NS-Marinekriegsrichter
wegen "schwerer Fahnenflucht" zum Tode verurteilt
und an Bord des Begleitschiffes "Buea"
vor Norgaardholz erschossen.

Aber glaubt mir, ich bin kein Verbrecher, wenn man mir
auch jetzt die Ehre genommen hat. Ich habe es lediglich
getan, nachdem der Krieg ja aus war,
und um Euch dann beschützen zu können.*

*Aus dem Abschiedsbrief von Alfred Gail an seine Eltern.

Rudolf Petersen (Captain at Sea)
Rudolf Petersen (15 June 1905 in Atzerballig on Alsen, Denmark; died 2 January 1983 in Flensburg) was a German officer in the Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Petersen, in his role as Kommodore, was the head of the court of what might have been the last desertion-trial of Nazi Germany. Matrose Fritz Wehrmann, age 26 from Leipzig, Funker Alfred Gail, age 20 from Kassel, and Obergefreiter Martin Schilling, age 22 from Ostfriesland were executed on board Buéa on 10 May 1945 two days after the unconditional surrender of Germany.
The accused had received news of the German capitulation to the British forces on 4 May 1945. On 6 May 1945 they left their stations on Svendborg on Fünen to get to the mainland. They were caught by the Danish Police and handed over to the German authorities on Fünen.

This page is dedicated to the 10 million victims of World War I and 60 million victims of World War II.
We should always remember the immense grief and loss each war brought to the world.