In Memory Of

CISTER, MICHAEL RALPH

Service Details
Age:
 20
Date of Birth:
 1924-03-02
Rank:
 Galley Boy
Unit:
 M.V. Eleonora Maersk (Colombo)
Regiment:
 Merchant Navy
Date of Death:
 1944-02-06
Cause of Death:
 Died of wounds, received on the 16 January 1944, Michael was on a work party at the Lend Canal clearing snow so the local people could skate on the ice. On that day, Klagenfurt was the target of a RAAF major bomb raid. A second man on the work party was also killed. He was a Camp guard, Andreas Sihler. Michael was mortally wounded. He died 21 days after the incident
Commemoration
Grave Reference:
 2. F. 6.
Cemetery:
 KLAGENFURT WAR CEMETERY
Country:
 Austria
Additional Information
Born South Africa. Of Suffolk Villa, Ashstead Road, Green Point, Cape Town. Galley Boy on a British merchant ship, the"Eleonora Maersk," that was sunk during the evacuation of Crete. Michael was made a prisoner of war and sent to Klagenfurt German POW Camp 10029/GW - Stalag XVIIIA. Michael was the youngest in the camp by almost three years.