PONTAVERT COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Aisne
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.40806, Longitude: 3.82509
Location Information
Pontavert is a village and commune 17.5 miles (28 kilometres) south-east of Laon, on the northern side of the river Aisne. It is about 3 miles (5 kilometres) west of the Laon-Reims road (N.44) and is approximately 15 miles from Reims. Both these towns are on the Paris-Luxembourg railway line, and are the most convenient stations for Pontavert. Although there are bus services from both to the village the services are extremely poor, and it is best to go by taxi. The communal cemetery is on the eastern side of the village on the N.325 road, which leads to the Laon-Reims road. Some ten yards south-west of the Calvary in the centre of the cemetery is the grave of an airman of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Flight Details provided by Barry Cuttell
Base: R.A.F. Wyton, Cambridgeshire
Unit: 83 Sqdn. Bomber Command
Aircraft: Lancaster Mk I, serial R5484
Target: Pizen
Incident: The aircraft crashed at Pontavert. The following survived the crash and were take prisoner:
Flt. Lieut. H. H. F. Beaupre (R.C.A.F.
Warrant Officer C. W. Hobbs (R.C.A.F.)
Flt. Lieut. T. W. Lewis (R.C.A.F.)
Warrant Officer G. C. Mott (R.A.F.)
Flt. Sgt. H. R. Willis (R.A.F.
Pontavert is a village and commune 17.5 miles (28 kilometres) south-east of Laon, on the northern side of the river Aisne. It is about 3 miles (5 kilometres) west of the Laon-Reims road (N.44) and is approximately 15 miles from Reims. Both these towns are on the Paris-Luxembourg railway line, and are the most convenient stations for Pontavert. Although there are bus services from both to the village the services are extremely poor, and it is best to go by taxi. The communal cemetery is on the eastern side of the village on the N.325 road, which leads to the Laon-Reims road. Some ten yards south-west of the Calvary in the centre of the cemetery is the grave of an airman of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Flight Details provided by Barry Cuttell
Base: R.A.F. Wyton, Cambridgeshire
Unit: 83 Sqdn. Bomber Command
Aircraft: Lancaster Mk I, serial R5484
Target: Pizen
Incident: The aircraft crashed at Pontavert. The following survived the crash and were take prisoner:
Flt. Lieut. H. H. F. Beaupre (R.C.A.F.
Warrant Officer C. W. Hobbs (R.C.A.F.)
Flt. Lieut. T. W. Lewis (R.C.A.F.)
Warrant Officer G. C. Mott (R.A.F.)
Flt. Sgt. H. R. Willis (R.A.F.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
J/17109 Flying Officer
Glen Alexander McNichol
Pilot in 83 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
7th April 1943, aged 21.
Son of Mark A. McNichol and Mae McNichol, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath no Man Than This. That Le Lay Down His Life For Another"
Glen Alexander McNichol
Pilot in 83 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
7th April 1943, aged 21.
Son of Mark A. McNichol and Mae McNichol, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath no Man Than This. That Le Lay Down His Life For Another"
