BÉNY-SUR-MER CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Reviers
Calvados
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.30233, Longitude: -0.45061
Location Information
Reviers is a village lying 18 kilometres east of Bayeux, 15 kilometres north west of Caen and 4 kilometres south of Courseulles-sur-Mer. Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War cemetery lies on the north side of the main road 1 kilometre east of Reviers.
Historical Information
The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944.
Many of those buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery were men of the 3rd Canadian Division who died either on 6 June or during the early days of the advance towards Caen, when the Division engaged a German battle group formed from the 716th Division and the 21st Panzer Division.
The cemetery, designed by P.D. Hepworth, contains 2,048 Second World War burials, the majority Canadian, and 19 of them unidentified.
Total Burials: 2,048.
Identified Casualties: Canada 2,025, United Kingdom 4. Total 2,029.
Unidentified Casualties: 19.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
J/13588 Flying Officer
Leonard Ralph Allman
440 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
6th June 1944, aged 24.
Plot XIII. H. 13.
Son of Ephraim and Annie Allman; husband of Regina Mary-Ann Allman, of Schenectady, New York State, U.S.A.
His headstone bears the inscription "We've Known Some Much Of Happiness, One Gift Of God That Death Cannot Destroy"
Leonard Ralph Allman
440 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
6th June 1944, aged 24.
Plot XIII. H. 13.
Son of Ephraim and Annie Allman; husband of Regina Mary-Ann Allman, of Schenectady, New York State, U.S.A.
His headstone bears the inscription "We've Known Some Much Of Happiness, One Gift Of God That Death Cannot Destroy"
C/53811 Private
Thomas Glenn Giffin
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, R. C. I. C.
8th July 1944, aged 21.
Plot XI. E. 14.
Son of Harold Edmund and Ketha L. Giffin, of Brockville, Ontario.
His headstone bears the inscription "We Hope He Did Not Die In Vain"
Picture courtesy of niece, Valerie Kirkwood
Thomas Glenn Giffin
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, R. C. I. C.
8th July 1944, aged 21.
Plot XI. E. 14.
Son of Harold Edmund and Ketha L. Giffin, of Brockville, Ontario.
His headstone bears the inscription "We Hope He Did Not Die In Vain"
Picture courtesy of niece, Valerie Kirkwood
Lieutenant
Donald Jack Smith
Royal Canadian Infantry Corps, attd. Royal Norfolk Regiment
8th July 1944, aged 26.
Plot VI. G. 12.
Son of Donald O. and Nellie C. Smith; husband of Mabel Norma Smith, of Toronto, Ontario.
His headstone bears the inscription "Too Dearly Loved To Ever Be Forgotten. Wife Mabs"
Enlisted June 14, 1940, promoted to Sergeant July 1940, promoted to Lieutenant Aug 21, 1943
Picture courtesy of nephew, Terry Weller
Donald Jack Smith
Royal Canadian Infantry Corps, attd. Royal Norfolk Regiment
8th July 1944, aged 26.
Plot VI. G. 12.
Son of Donald O. and Nellie C. Smith; husband of Mabel Norma Smith, of Toronto, Ontario.
His headstone bears the inscription "Too Dearly Loved To Ever Be Forgotten. Wife Mabs"
Enlisted June 14, 1940, promoted to Sergeant July 1940, promoted to Lieutenant Aug 21, 1943
Picture courtesy of nephew, Terry Weller
Three Brothers buried in Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery
Sons of Robert and Etta Lee Westlake, of Toronto, Ontario
Pictures © Johan Pauwels
B/68737 Rifleman
Albert Norman Westlake
Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.
11th June 1944, aged 25.
Plot III. D. 8.
His headstone bears the inscription "God's Greatest Gift, Remembrance"
Albert Norman Westlake
Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.
11th June 1944, aged 25.
Plot III. D. 8.
His headstone bears the inscription "God's Greatest Gift, Remembrance"
B/63018 Private
George Westlake
North Nova Scotia Highlanders, R.C.I.C.
7th June 1944, aged 23.
Plot VIII. F. 12.
George Westlake
North Nova Scotia Highlanders, R.C.I.C.
7th June 1944, aged 23.
Plot VIII. F. 12.
B/131131 Rifleman
Thomas Lee Westlake
Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.
11th June 1944, aged 29.
Plot III. D. 7.
His headstone bears the inscription "God's Greatest Gift, Remembrance"
Thomas Lee Westlake
Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.
11th June 1944, aged 29.
Plot III. D. 7.
His headstone bears the inscription "God's Greatest Gift, Remembrance"
