RANVILLE CHURCHYARD
Calvados
France
Location Information
Ranville is best reached by taking the D513 northeastwards out of Caen and after about 9 kilometres turning left at Herouvillette. Go north for one kilometre and then turn left into Ranville village. The Churchyard is on Rue des Airbornes.
Visiting Information
Ranville Churchyard is locked from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. each day.
Historical Information
The Allied offensive in northern Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944.
Ranville was the first village to be liberated in France when the bridge over the Caen Canal was captured intact in the early hours of 6 June by troops of the 6th Airborne Division, who were landed nearby by parachute and glider. Many of the division's casualties are buried in Ranville War Cemetery and the adjoining churchyard
The CEMETERY contains 2,235 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 97 of them unidentified. There are also 321 German graves and a few burials of other nationalities.
The CHURCHYARD contains 47 Commonwealth burials, one of which is unidentified, and one unidentified German grave.
Ranville is best reached by taking the D513 northeastwards out of Caen and after about 9 kilometres turning left at Herouvillette. Go north for one kilometre and then turn left into Ranville village. The Churchyard is on Rue des Airbornes.
Visiting Information
Ranville Churchyard is locked from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. each day.
Historical Information
The Allied offensive in northern Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944.
Ranville was the first village to be liberated in France when the bridge over the Caen Canal was captured intact in the early hours of 6 June by troops of the 6th Airborne Division, who were landed nearby by parachute and glider. Many of the division's casualties are buried in Ranville War Cemetery and the adjoining churchyard
The CEMETERY contains 2,235 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 97 of them unidentified. There are also 321 German graves and a few burials of other nationalities.
The CHURCHYARD contains 47 Commonwealth burials, one of which is unidentified, and one unidentified German grave.
237676 Lieutenant
Denham Brotheridge
2nd Airborne Bn., Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry,
6th June 1944 aged 29.
Son of Herbert Charles and Lilian Brotheridge, of Smethwick, Staffordshire; husband of Maggie Brotheridge, of Smethwick.
(Often considered to be the first allied soldier to be killed on D. Day).
Denham Brotheridge
2nd Airborne Bn., Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry,
6th June 1944 aged 29.
Son of Herbert Charles and Lilian Brotheridge, of Smethwick, Staffordshire; husband of Maggie Brotheridge, of Smethwick.
(Often considered to be the first allied soldier to be killed on D. Day).
