ALLEMONT (LE RIVIER) COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Isère
France
Location Information
Allemont and Le Rivier are villages in the department of the Isere, some 24 kilometres east-south-east of Grenoble, the chief town of the department.
The cemetery is situated on the mountain side, east of the village of Le Rivier and is only accessible from April to October.
The eight British and one Australian airmen's graves (together with the civilian grave of Lady Leigh-Mallory) are all to be found to the right of the entrance in the centre plot.
On November 14th 1944 the Avro 685 York C1 BOAC carrying the highest ranking R.A.F. Officer Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, KCB, DSO to his new command in Ceylon as Commander of allied air forces, along with his wife and 8 other crew members crashed in the mountains above Le Rivier d'Allemont. Due to the poor conditions, the bodies were only found and recovered in June 1945 where they were then buried with full military honours in the little Communal Cemetery in the village.
Pictures © Barry Cuttell, Jean François Durand and Jean-Paul Gonzales
Allemont and Le Rivier are villages in the department of the Isere, some 24 kilometres east-south-east of Grenoble, the chief town of the department.
The cemetery is situated on the mountain side, east of the village of Le Rivier and is only accessible from April to October.
The eight British and one Australian airmen's graves (together with the civilian grave of Lady Leigh-Mallory) are all to be found to the right of the entrance in the centre plot.
On November 14th 1944 the Avro 685 York C1 BOAC carrying the highest ranking R.A.F. Officer Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, KCB, DSO to his new command in Ceylon as Commander of allied air forces, along with his wife and 8 other crew members crashed in the mountains above Le Rivier d'Allemont. Due to the poor conditions, the bodies were only found and recovered in June 1945 where they were then buried with full military honours in the little Communal Cemetery in the village.
Pictures © Barry Cuttell, Jean François Durand and Jean-Paul Gonzales
Cemetery
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Memorial
Individual Headstones
INSCRIPTION.
WE LOST A SON AND BROTHER WITH A HEART OF GOLD, HOW MUCH WE MISS HIM CANNOT BE TOLD.
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INSCRIPTION.
THE BEST IS YET TO BE - REUNION. EVER REMEMBERED BY MOTHER, DAD AND EDIE.
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INSCRIPTION.
EVER IN THE THOUGHTS OF HIS DEVOTED WIFE AND CHILDREN. TILL WE MEET AGAIN.
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INSCRIPTION.
MORNING, SPRING, PROMISE OF LIFE HE KNEW, BUT NOT HIGH NOON OR FULFILMENT.
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INSCRIPTION.
GOD'S GREATEST GIFT, REMEMBRANCE.
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INSCRIPTION.
WE WERE YOUNG, THEY SAY. WE HAVE DIED. GIVE OUR DEATHS AN END TO WAR, A TRUE PEACE.
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INSCRIPTION.
FAR AWAY BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.
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403555 Flight Lieutenant
John Austral Casey, Mentioned in Despatches
Royal Australian Air Force
14th November 1944, aged 29.
Son of John George and Jessie Adelaide Casey, of Waverley, New South Wales, Australia. Centre.
Portrait of 403555 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) John Austral Casey, RAAF, attached to No. 288 Squadron RAF, of Sydney, NSW, taken at RAAF Overseas Headquarters. Flt Lt Casey was accidentally killed in operations in France while attached to RAF Transport Command.
Other Burial Details
523400 Corporal John Ellis Morton Burgess, Royal Air Force, died 14th November 1944. Son of Robert Morton Burgess and Annie Burgess, of Altrincham, Cheshire. Centre.
967906 Leading Aircraftman John Chalmers Burnett, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944.
403555 Flight Lieutenant John Austral Casey, Mentioned in Despatches, Royal Australian Air Force, died 14th November 1944, aged 29. Son of John George and Jessie Adelaide Casey, of Waverley, New South Wales, Australia. Centre.
1618502 Sergeant Harold John Chandler, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 42. Son of Harold John and Mary Ann Chandler; husband of Edith May Chandler, of Codicot, Hertfordshire.
107984 Flight Lieutenant Peter Chinn, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 20. Son of Henry Charles and Gertrude Mary Chinn, of Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. Centre.
169052 Flying Officer Alfred John Enser, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 29. Son of Walter John and Helen Enser; husband of Winifred May Enser, of Coventry.
759989 Squadron Leader Charles Gordon Drake Lancaster, D. F. C. and Bar, Pilot, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 32. Son of Wilfrid Drake Lancaster and Dorothy Grace Lancaster, of Woldingham, Surrey.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Trafford Leigh Leigh-Mallory, K. C. B., C. B. D. S. O. Allied Air Commander-in-Chief South East Asia formerly Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Fighter Command, Royal Air Force, died 14th November 1944, aged 52. Son of the Revd. Canon Herbert Leigh Leigh-Mallory, M.A., and Annie Berridge Leigh-Mallory; husband of Lady LEIGH-MALLORY, (nee Sawyer), who died with him. Mentioned in Despatches in the 1914-18 war. LL.B. History Tripos (Magdalene College, Cambridge).
126892 Flight Lieutenant Keith Alan Mooring, Navigator, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 24. Son of Cecil Herbert and Kate Henrietta Mooring, of Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey; husband of Evelyn Dorothy Mooring, of Hersham.
John Austral Casey, Mentioned in Despatches
Royal Australian Air Force
14th November 1944, aged 29.
Son of John George and Jessie Adelaide Casey, of Waverley, New South Wales, Australia. Centre.
Portrait of 403555 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) John Austral Casey, RAAF, attached to No. 288 Squadron RAF, of Sydney, NSW, taken at RAAF Overseas Headquarters. Flt Lt Casey was accidentally killed in operations in France while attached to RAF Transport Command.
Other Burial Details
523400 Corporal John Ellis Morton Burgess, Royal Air Force, died 14th November 1944. Son of Robert Morton Burgess and Annie Burgess, of Altrincham, Cheshire. Centre.
967906 Leading Aircraftman John Chalmers Burnett, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944.
403555 Flight Lieutenant John Austral Casey, Mentioned in Despatches, Royal Australian Air Force, died 14th November 1944, aged 29. Son of John George and Jessie Adelaide Casey, of Waverley, New South Wales, Australia. Centre.
1618502 Sergeant Harold John Chandler, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 42. Son of Harold John and Mary Ann Chandler; husband of Edith May Chandler, of Codicot, Hertfordshire.
107984 Flight Lieutenant Peter Chinn, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 20. Son of Henry Charles and Gertrude Mary Chinn, of Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. Centre.
169052 Flying Officer Alfred John Enser, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 29. Son of Walter John and Helen Enser; husband of Winifred May Enser, of Coventry.
759989 Squadron Leader Charles Gordon Drake Lancaster, D. F. C. and Bar, Pilot, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 32. Son of Wilfrid Drake Lancaster and Dorothy Grace Lancaster, of Woldingham, Surrey.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Trafford Leigh Leigh-Mallory, K. C. B., C. B. D. S. O. Allied Air Commander-in-Chief South East Asia formerly Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Fighter Command, Royal Air Force, died 14th November 1944, aged 52. Son of the Revd. Canon Herbert Leigh Leigh-Mallory, M.A., and Annie Berridge Leigh-Mallory; husband of Lady LEIGH-MALLORY, (nee Sawyer), who died with him. Mentioned in Despatches in the 1914-18 war. LL.B. History Tripos (Magdalene College, Cambridge).
126892 Flight Lieutenant Keith Alan Mooring, Navigator, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th November 1944, aged 24. Son of Cecil Herbert and Kate Henrietta Mooring, of Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey; husband of Evelyn Dorothy Mooring, of Hersham.
The Funeral Ceremony
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The Crash Site
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Debris Recovered from the Crash Site
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