John is my nephew, Amos.

Friedrich Dollmann (February 2, 1882 - June 28[1][2], 1944) was a German general during World War II, most notably serving during the early phases of the D-Day Invasion.

Born in 1882, Dollmann remained in the Reichswehr following service in World War I eventually commanding Mobilization District Wehrkreis IV by 1936. Promoted to generaloberst shortly after the start of World War II, Dollmann was given command of the German Seventh Army which he led during the six-week campaign against France. Assigned to occupation duty, Dollmann remained in France overseeing the defense of Brittany and Normandy in 1944. Expecting the Allied invasion in early June, Dollmann lowered the alert conditions after worsening weather conditions on June 4. Attending a map exercise during June 5-6, his command in Normandy took much of the early casualties during the initial Allied assault. Dollmann would continue to resist the Allied attack until his death on June 28, 1944, after learning he was going to be court martialed because of the fall of Cherbourg. Sources are not conclusive about the way Dollman died, some sources speak of a heart attack, others claim that he committed suicide by taking poison.

My dear old saintly grandmother claimed him as one of our family, and said that his death was due to his shame. Others think he was in the pay of the Allies and that was the real reason he lowered the alert level. Or it could simply have been his time to go. In any case, it was convenient for the Allies.