This photo was taken in the WW2 allied war cemtery Reichswald. This is the grave of Glasgow born James Stokes VC. Killed in action 1st March 1945, the British 3rd Division on the inter-corps boundary made a three-mile advance and, reaching the town of Kurvenheim, but found it strongly held. Here the 2nd Battalion the King's Shropshire Light Infantry found themselves faced by a 7 yard gap swept by a hail of bullets. The leading platoon was pinned down by severe fire. Whereupon Private Stokes, armed only with a rifle, dashed forward against a hail of bullets and although he was wounded captured single handed a small building and twelve prisoners. The platoon advanced, but again came under heavy fire. Once more Stokes dashed forward receiving more wounds, but again silencing the enemy. He refused to leave his comrades and later, while forming up to attack the final objective, the platoon was subjected to intense enemy fire. Although severely wounded and suffering from loss of blood, Stokes advanced again, firing from the hip, but 20 yards from the objective he was swept by a hail of bullets and fell mortally wounded. As his platoon dashed past him in the final charge, he raised his arm and shouted Goodbye! It was found that Private Stokes had 8 bullet wounds to his upper body.
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