NANTES (PONT-DU-CENS) COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Loire-Atlantique
France
Location Information
Nantes is a town on the River Loire about 48 kilometres east of St Nazaire. The Pont-du-Cens Communal Cemetery is on the north-western outskirts of the town on the western side of the road to Rennes. The Commonwealth War Graves are in a special plot about 100 metres east (right) of the main entrance.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this cemetery is possible with some difficulty.
Historical Information
During the 1939-1945 War Nantes was the disembarkation port for stores and vehicles of the first British Expeditionary Force, and in June, 1940, a port of re-embarkation for Line of Communication troops and material.
The Pont-du-Cens Communal Cemetery was started in 1939 to supplement the ten other burial grounds within the boundaries of the commune.
There are now over 100, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Some were moved into the cemetery from isolated graves at Vivonne, Les Rochelles and near Vertou, and others from Tours (La Salle) Communal Cemetery, St. Brevin-les Pins Communal Cemetery, St. Pere-en-Retz Communal Cemetery, Bougenais Communal Cemetery and a temporary burial ground at Coeson, where permanent maintenance for all time could not be assured.
Pictures © Conrad Freeling
Nantes is a town on the River Loire about 48 kilometres east of St Nazaire. The Pont-du-Cens Communal Cemetery is on the north-western outskirts of the town on the western side of the road to Rennes. The Commonwealth War Graves are in a special plot about 100 metres east (right) of the main entrance.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this cemetery is possible with some difficulty.
Historical Information
During the 1939-1945 War Nantes was the disembarkation port for stores and vehicles of the first British Expeditionary Force, and in June, 1940, a port of re-embarkation for Line of Communication troops and material.
The Pont-du-Cens Communal Cemetery was started in 1939 to supplement the ten other burial grounds within the boundaries of the commune.
There are now over 100, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Some were moved into the cemetery from isolated graves at Vivonne, Les Rochelles and near Vertou, and others from Tours (La Salle) Communal Cemetery, St. Brevin-les Pins Communal Cemetery, St. Pere-en-Retz Communal Cemetery, Bougenais Communal Cemetery and a temporary burial ground at Coeson, where permanent maintenance for all time could not be assured.
Pictures © Conrad Freeling
424759 Flight Sergeant
Stuart Lacey Edwards
Royal Australian Air Force
12th June 1944, aged 28.
Plot L. Row C. Coll. Grave 24-26
Son of Frederick William and Janet Wright Edwards, of Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia.
INSCRIPTION. THE MEMORY OF THOSE HAPPY DAYS WHEN WE WERE ALL TOGETHER.
LONDON, ENGLAND. 1944-02-14. PORTRAIT OF 424759 Sergeant (later Flight Sergeant) Stuart Lacey Edwards (lost on operations over France on 12 June 1944)
Stuart Lacey Edwards
Royal Australian Air Force
12th June 1944, aged 28.
Plot L. Row C. Coll. Grave 24-26
Son of Frederick William and Janet Wright Edwards, of Cammeray, New South Wales, Australia.
INSCRIPTION. THE MEMORY OF THOSE HAPPY DAYS WHEN WE WERE ALL TOGETHER.
LONDON, ENGLAND. 1944-02-14. PORTRAIT OF 424759 Sergeant (later Flight Sergeant) Stuart Lacey Edwards (lost on operations over France on 12 June 1944)
Outdoor group portrait of No 4 Initial Training School, RAAF, Course No 23, B Squadron, Flight 15.
Identified in the back row from left to right: 410283 Aircraftman 2 (AC2) Geoffrey Harold Stott (later Warrant Officer (WO)); 417113 AC2 Kenneth Hillman Pike (later Flying Officer (FO)); 415593 AC2 Kenneth George Rosenthal (later WO); 417117 AC2 Kenneth Albert Rawson (later FO and awarded DFC and Bar); 410264 AC2 Harold Frederick Scott (later FO); 417119 AC2 Robert Spencer Roberts (later Pilot Officer (PO) and died in an accident at Sale, Victoria on 29 December 1944); 415590 AC2 Kenneth Chandos Reade (later FO); 417110 AC2 Colin Albert Peak (later PO and died on flying operations over France on 11 April 1944); 417114 AC2 Max William George Pointon (later FO); 410263 AC2 Gerald Norman Sayce (later Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) and died in an accident at Mildura, Victoria on 4 January 1944); 410262 AC2 Donald Hemphill Rutter (later Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) and died on flying operations over Germany on 4 April 1945); and 417121 AC2 Geoffrey Devenport Rosman (later FO).
Second row from left to right: 417124 AC2 Jack Mckenzie Sheerlock (later FO); 415591 AC2 George Reed (later Flt Lt); 410261 AC2 Athol Thomas Balfour Ross (later WO); 417118 AC2 Graham Sydney Read (later Flt Sgt and died on flying operations over North West Europe on 28 September 1943); 417120 AC2 Peter Robinson (later Corporal (Cpl)); 417116 AC2 Colin Sydney Pullman (later Flt Lt); 417122 AC2 Randal Albert Pfitzner (later Leading Aircraftman (LAC) and discharged on 11 November 1942); 417125 AC2 Gilbert Derek Smith (later Flt Lt and awarded DFC); 410259 AC2 Lewis Rolf Richards (later Flt Lt and awarded DFC); 417111 AC2 Desmond David Pfitzner (later WO); 417131 AC2 Arthur Lindsay Swalling (later Flt Lt); 410282 AC2 Valentine William Richards (later PO); and 410281 AC2 Nigel Russell Pugh (later Flt Lt and died on flying operations off the Northern Territory, Australia on 29 May 1944).
Front row from left to right: 416894 AC2 Lawrence Maxwell Scott (later WO); 410268 AC2 Joseph Roy Spalding (later LAC); 410266 AC2 Thomas Benjamin Shaw (later FO); 417112 AC2 Richard Stanley Phillips (later WO); 417127 AC2 Lewis Dean Stanton (later Flt Lt and awarded DFC); 410285 AC2 Harry Cadwallader Redpath (later WO); 417126 AC2 Allen David Stanley (later Flt Lt); CPL G L Martin; 417108 AC2 John William Parmiter (later WO); 417123 AC2 Ian MacDonald Scott (later Flt Sgt and died on flying operations over England on 17 December 1943); 415592 AC2 Gordon Stewart Woollands Richardson (later Flt Lt O51099); 410260 AC2 James Alwyn Robinson (later CPL); 417115 AC2 Brian Hamilton Priest (later Flt Sgt); and 410267 AC2 Geoffrey William Simondson (later FO).
