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Why an English Village Remembered This German Airman for Nearly 86 Years

Walking4History

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Why is a German airman from the Battle of Britain buried in an English village? In Porlock, Somerset, the Second World War grave of Wilhelm Reuhl became the focus of a remarkable event—and an extraordinary story of British–German reconciliation.

On 27 September 1940, the 20-year-old Luftwaffe airman lost his life after his reconnaissance-configured Junkers Ju 88 was intercepted by RAF Spitfires and brought down in Porlock Bay.

Wilhelm was buried at Hawkcombe Cemetery, where generations of local people cared for his grave and maintained a connection with his family in Germany.

On 13 August 2026, representatives from Britain and Germany gathered in Porlock for the rededication of Wilhelm’s grave and the installation of a permanent German war-grave headstone.

This film considers the young life behind the grave—and how remembrance can transform a legacy of conflict into compassion, friendship and hope.

SUPPORT WAR-GRAVES COMMEMORATION

Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V.
German War Graves Commission
https://www.volksbund.de/en/online-do...

Commonwealth War Graves Foundation
https://foundation.cwgc.org/donate/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The biographical PDF “War Biography Wilhelm Reuhl,” together with family photographs and supporting historical material used in this production, was kindly provided by the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. (German War Graves Commission).

With thanks to the people of Porlock and everyone who contributed interviews, historical material and assistance to this film.

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING

Volksbund — Ein Grabstein und eine Geschichte voller Trost und Hoffnung:
https://www.volksbund.de/nachrichten/...

Commonwealth War Graves Commission — Rededication Ceremony for German Airman Wilhelm Reuhl Held:
https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/news/re...

Commonwealth War Graves Commission — German Airman to Receive New Headstone in Porlock 86 Years After His Death:
https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/news/ge...

Commonwealth War Graves Commission casualty record — Wilhelm Reuhl:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/fin...

West Somerset Free Press — Porlock Community Thanked for Tending German Airman’s War Grave for 86 Years:
https://www.wsfp.co.uk/news/porlock-c...

West Somerset Free Press — Reconciliation Message Shines in British and German Graveside Ceremony:
https://www.wsfp.co.uk/news/porlock-g...

Minehead During WWII — Planes Over West Somerset:
https://mineheadwwii.wordpress.com/pl...

West Somerset at War — Porlock:
https://wsaw.weebly.com/porlock.html

Exmoor Historic Environment Record — Junkers Ju 88 Crash Site on Porlock Beach:
https://www.exmoorher.co.uk/Monument/...

Battle of Britain London Monument — The Airmen’s Stories: P/O Eric Simcox Marrs:
https://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Marrs.htm

The West Somerset historical accounts also reference Battle of Britain: An Epic Conflict Revisited; A Battle of Britain Spitfire Squadron: The Men and Machines of 152 Squadron in the Summer of 1940; and Somerset at War, 1939–1945 by Mac Hawkins.

ARCHIVAL IMAGE CREDIT

Historic Junkers Ju 88 image: U.S. National Archives, NAID 352357711
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/35235...

#WW2History #WarGraves #Reconciliation #Walking4History

CHAPTERS

0:00 Wilhelm Reuhl: A German Airman in Porlock
1:46 Wilhelm Reuhl Joins the Luftwaffe
3:43 Junkers Ju 88 Mission and RAF Spitfire Attack
5:14 Crash Landing in Porlock Bay
7:37 Why Porlock Cared for a German Airman’s Grave
10:52 The New German War-Grave Headstone
12:30 Caring for German War Graves Across Britain
14:22 From Enemy Airman to Reconciliation

20 Comments

@volksbundtv 1 month ago Pinned

Many thanks to everyone

@kenattwood8060 1 month ago

As a British Army veteran veteran I would like to thank the people of Porlock for looking after a fallen soldier and for keeping his memory alive.

@gosuc7340 1 month ago (edited)

As a German, I take my hat off to the people of Porlock. What they did was by no way selfunderstood. Every side had their aversions (or not) , but those who overcame them are the greatest, regardless of their country. My uncle was a prisoner in Britain. Unbelievable but true, he and 2 other comrades were invited by a British family for christmas, based on religuous conviction. This family had a 15 year old daughter, my uncle was 19 at that time. What was not planed, they fell in love with each other. Of course nothing more happened, for my my uncle knew he owned a great deal of gratitude to that family. But after the war, that girl came to Berlin to visit my uncle . They decided to get married in Britain. That was in 1953. The first years were not easy at work, but in time his collegues knew his mindset better and after some time he was not the hunn anymore. In time, he adopted more and more the British mentality and became a respected member in his comunity in Seaton, Devon. When he died, many people of his comunity were at his funeral. Apart from that, he gave a bench as a present to the comunity of Seaton. This bench is at the beachway of Seaton, with a metal plate showing his name as a gift from him to the comunity of Seaton. If you are in Seaton and walk the beach way where the coloured sheds are, you will find this bench , mentioning his name on a plate " Gerhard Suchomski to the comunity of Seaton".
When I was in the German Airforce, I told my friends about my uncle. No one would believe me until I showed them the the wedding pictures of my uncle. That made them think.

@mortifinkenbein9559 1 month ago

German here. I'm filled with great respect for the amazing people from Porlock who in a time of horrible war treated a fallen enemy with dignity. As long as there are decent people like you, our world will always have hope even in dire times. ❤

@c3LeVr4 1 month ago

Many thanks to all the lovely people from Germany❤
A wonderful reminder that we are brothers and sisters, and not enemies.

@michaelmoeller8963 1 month ago (edited)

Thank You for letting us know this wonderful piece of friendship. Best regards from Cologne, Germany

@tancreddehauteville764 1 month ago

So many young men from many nations died in that terrible conflict. A huge tragedy that will hopefully never be repeated.

@bordersw1239 1 month ago

There is a golf course not far from me in Wales where part of the course is called ‘Yanto’s Meadow’. Yanto was a German POW sent to work as a farm labourer, the Welsh farmer and his wife offered him a job rather than return to Germany, he accepted and become like a son to them. When they died they left him the entire farm which he stayed on until his death. After his death the golf course bought part of his farm and forever named his field after him. Yanto is a Welsh name which I suspect they nicknamed him. He was well respected and accepted by the entire community.

@chrism3236 1 month ago

As a former British soldier I salute all those involved in this marvellous endeavour 🇬🇧🇩🇪

@drau331 1 month ago (edited)

In times when politicians divide countries it is important that the people stay together.
My honor from Oranienburg near Berlin.

@2009Berghof 1 month ago

Thank goodness a real history tale on YT without fake AI images.

@christian8527 1 month ago

I have photos from my great-uncle, serving as a Luftwaffe-Major in Belgium (Diest) in 1940/41 as an airfield-commander, showing how the garrison marched in formation to a funeral of a british air-crew, whose bomber was shot down, and then shooting salute to honor these men. Wreaths were also put on the graves.

@blondkatze3547 1 month ago

What a wonderful story. The village of Porlock deserves the utmost respect for the friendship shown to the young German airman who was killed, and care of his grave.Thank You - warm regards from East Frisia, Northern Germany.💞🙏

@davis7099 1 month ago

Yes I walked through this village once on the coastal path and if I ever do again I will visit the grave and pay my respects.

@Pipermillen 1 month ago

Beautiful story, a young German lad just doing his duty just like all the men of that time, rest in peace Wilhelm.

@Gerhardium 1 month ago (edited)

Remarkable. When I was a child in the 70's I spent a few weeks every other summer in Porlock visiting family and I knew about the plane and Wilhelm Reuhl's grave. I used to visit military cemeteries with my father and uncle, they were both veterans of WW2 and had friends buried all over Europe. From an early age, my father reminded me that these boys deserve to be remembered.

@mfhex1398 1 month ago

18 years old.. just a kid... What a moving story, giving me some little hope for humanity in these dark times. Grüße aus Deutschland!

@greenvally-m1j 1 month ago

I am really impressed. The people of Porlock are great. Thank you very much to take care for this grave. Best regards from Ingolstadt / Bavaria.

@rigelblau 1 month ago

Our brothers and sisters in Great Britain ...........

Lot of British people live in and around my village here in Germany and I deeply be thankful ,- that we all taken care of each other !