RYES WAR CEMETERY
Bazenville
Calvados
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.29981, Longitude: -0.60116
Location Information
Bazenville is a village 8 kilometres east of Bayeux.
Leave Bayeux on the D112 to the east; at the village of Sommervieu carry straight on, following the D112, and after 3 kilometres turn right onto the D87. After climbing round a bend to the left, Ryes War cemetery will be found on the left hand side.
Historical Information
The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944.
Ryes War Cemetery is not far inland from the beaches at Arromanches, where the 50th Division landed on 6 June. The first burials were made there just two days after the landings.
The cemetery contains 652 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. There are also one Polish and 335 German graves.
Total Burials: 988.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 572, Germany 275, Canadfa 21, Australia 1, Poland 1. Total 870.
Unidentified Casualties: Germany 60, Commonwealth 58.
Cemetery images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
4539583 Private
James Alder
8th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
12th June 1944, aged 26.
Plot VI. J. 2.
Son of James and Mary Alder, of Bradford, Yorkshire; husband of Jessie Alder, of Bradford.
James Alder
8th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
12th June 1944, aged 26.
Plot VI. J. 2.
Son of James and Mary Alder, of Bradford, Yorkshire; husband of Jessie Alder, of Bradford.
CDN/132 Lieutenant
Gordon Macgowan Brown
Royal Canadian Infantry Corps attached to 2/5th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
30th July 1944, aged 21.
Plot II. B. 7.
Son of George Alexander Brown and Margaret Ann Brown, of Humber Bay, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This"
Gordon Macgowan Brown
Royal Canadian Infantry Corps attached to 2/5th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
30th July 1944, aged 21.
Plot II. B. 7.
Son of George Alexander Brown and Margaret Ann Brown, of Humber Bay, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This"
A/57462 Trooper
Albert Charron
'B' Sqdn., 6th Armd. Regt. 1st Hussars, R.C.A.C.
11th June 1944, aged 24.
Plot II. D. 2.
Son of William and Anna Charron, of Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
His headstone bears the inscription "Dear Son, You May Be Gone But Shall Not Be Forgotten. Mother, Dad, Sister & Brother"
Albert Charron
'B' Sqdn., 6th Armd. Regt. 1st Hussars, R.C.A.C.
11th June 1944, aged 24.
Plot II. D. 2.
Son of William and Anna Charron, of Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
His headstone bears the inscription "Dear Son, You May Be Gone But Shall Not Be Forgotten. Mother, Dad, Sister & Brother"
B/82205 Lance Corporal
Earl James Cherry
63 Army Transport Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
31st August 1944, aged 21.
Plot II. A. 4.
Son of Wilfred and Gladys Cherry, of Lisle, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life for His Friends"
Earl James Cherry
63 Army Transport Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
31st August 1944, aged 21.
Plot II. A. 4.
Son of Wilfred and Gladys Cherry, of Lisle, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life for His Friends"
2880494 Gunner
Andrew Clayton
356 Independent Searchlight Battery, Royal Artillery
8th June 1944, aged 22.
Plot I. A. 1.
Andrew Clayton
356 Independent Searchlight Battery, Royal Artillery
8th June 1944, aged 22.
Plot I. A. 1.
Some of the Original Grave Markers in the Cemetery
CDN/395 Lieutenant
James Patterson Day
Royal Canadian Infantry Corps, attached to 1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
1st August 1944, aged 23.
Plot II. B. 6.
Son of Charles Arthur and Ethel May Day, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; husband of Marie Anita Day (nee La Lande), of Ottawa.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This"
James Patterson Day
Royal Canadian Infantry Corps, attached to 1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
1st August 1944, aged 23.
Plot II. B. 6.
Son of Charles Arthur and Ethel May Day, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; husband of Marie Anita Day (nee La Lande), of Ottawa.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This"
B/11194 Lance Sergeant
Walter Roy Dowden
12 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
9th June 1944, aged 24.
Plot II. D. 7.
Son of Walter James Dowden and Elsie Violet May Dowden, of Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Gave His Life That We May Live. proudly Remembered By Mum, Dad And Family"
Walter Roy Dowden
12 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
9th June 1944, aged 24.
Plot II. D. 7.
Son of Walter James Dowden and Elsie Violet May Dowden, of Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Gave His Life That We May Live. proudly Remembered By Mum, Dad And Family"
989352 Gunner
Frank Edward Gibson
1. H. A. A. Regiment, Royal Artillery
26th July 1944, aged 24.
Plot II. G. 6.
Son of Frederick William and Elizabeth Nellie Gibson, of Tottenham, Middlesex.
His headstone bears the inscription "Taken From Us But Your Spirit Is with Us For Ever. Mum, Dad, Brothers & Sisters"
Frank Edward Gibson
1. H. A. A. Regiment, Royal Artillery
26th July 1944, aged 24.
Plot II. G. 6.
Son of Frederick William and Elizabeth Nellie Gibson, of Tottenham, Middlesex.
His headstone bears the inscription "Taken From Us But Your Spirit Is with Us For Ever. Mum, Dad, Brothers & Sisters"
F/50175 Private
Hollis Leslie McKeil
North Nova Scotia Highlanders, R.C.I.C.
7th June 1944, aged 33.
Plot II. D. 1.
Son of Daniel and Ada McKeil; husband of Violet Audrey Jean McKeil, of Truro, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Tho'Seas Divide Us And Death Us Part You Will Always Live In My Heart"
Hollis Leslie McKeil
North Nova Scotia Highlanders, R.C.I.C.
7th June 1944, aged 33.
Plot II. D. 1.
Son of Daniel and Ada McKeil; husband of Violet Audrey Jean McKeil, of Truro, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Tho'Seas Divide Us And Death Us Part You Will Always Live In My Heart"
Captain
Harry Lee Smuck
6th Armoured Regiment, 1st Hussars, R.C.A.C.
11th June 1944, aged 41.
Plot II. D. 5.
Son of William and Jane Smuck; husband of Lettie C. Smuck of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Love's Greatest Gift, Remembrance"
Harry Lee Smuck
6th Armoured Regiment, 1st Hussars, R.C.A.C.
11th June 1944, aged 41.
Plot II. D. 5.
Son of William and Jane Smuck; husband of Lettie C. Smuck of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Love's Greatest Gift, Remembrance"
