ST. VALERY-EN-CAUX FRANCO-BRITISH CEMETERY
Seine-Maritime
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.86002, Longitude: 0.72423
Image above © Johan Pauwels
Location Information
St. Valery-en-Caux is a small seaside town and holiday resort 32 kilometres west of Dieppe and 60 kilometres north-west of Rouen. The Franco-British Cemetery lies on the south eastern outskirts of the town about 200 metres from the church and adjoins the civil cemetery. Follow St. Valery town centre, and the first CWGC sign is on the right of the main road.
History Information
During the Second World War, the town of St. Valery was three-quarters destroyed and was under German occupation from the middle of June 1940 until liberated in 1944. In June 1940 it was at the centre of important battles when Commonwealth troops, notably the 51st (Highland) Division, made their last stand fighting alongside the 2nd French Cavalry Division. After an evacuation by sea proved to be impossible, Major General Fortune, the 51st (Highland) Division's commanding officer, surrendered the town to the German commander, General Rommel on the 12th June, following the capitulation of the local French forces. As a result, most of the 51st (Highland) Division ended up being taken prisoner. After the war, the French Government bestowed the Croix de Guerre on the town, and the order conferring the honour contained the words, "St. Valery . . . made illustrious by the heroic resistance of the 51st Scottish Division". Facing each other on the cliffs that flank the town are, to the east the 51st (Highland) Division Memorial, and to the west the memorial to the French Cavalry, which were unveiled simultaneously. In the cemetery is a memorial to the 51st (Highland) Division erected by the local civil authorities, and a granite St. Andrew's shield given, by the Marchioness of Huntley, is set into the base of the Cross of Sacrifice. The cemetery gates were the gift of the people of north and north-east Scotland. The cemetery contains 234 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 63 of them unidentified. There are also 218 French war graves.
Total Burials: 453.
World War Two Identified Commonwealth Burials: United Kingdom 165, Canada 4, New Zealand 1, Poland 1, South Africa 1. Total 172.
World War Two Unidentified Commonwealth Burials: 63.
French War Graves: 218.
J/18928 Flying Officer
William John Bentley
Royal Canadian Air Force
12th August 1944, aged 24.
Row B. 10.
Son of William Henry and Esther Bentley, of Willowdale, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him"
William John Bentley
Royal Canadian Air Force
12th August 1944, aged 24.
Row B. 10.
Son of William Henry and Esther Bentley, of Willowdale, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him"
1454125 Gunner
Thomas Alexander Hughes
237 Battery 107 Lt. A.A./Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
11th June 1940, aged 23.
Row C. 19.
Son of Edward and Mary Catherine Hughes, of Flint.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Heavenly Love Abiding"
Thomas Alexander Hughes
237 Battery 107 Lt. A.A./Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
11th June 1940, aged 23.
Row C. 19.
Son of Edward and Mary Catherine Hughes, of Flint.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Heavenly Love Abiding"
J/15208 Pilot Officer
Gerald Peabody MacKay
Royal Canadian Air Force
24th August 1942, aged 23.
Row A. 14.
Son of Dr. Donald Russell MacKay and Alice Maude MacKay; husband of Edith Joyce MacKay, of Upwell, Cambridgeshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "And May There Be No Sadness Of Farewell,...When I Have Crost The Bar"
Gerald Peabody MacKay
Royal Canadian Air Force
24th August 1942, aged 23.
Row A. 14.
Son of Dr. Donald Russell MacKay and Alice Maude MacKay; husband of Edith Joyce MacKay, of Upwell, Cambridgeshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "And May There Be No Sadness Of Farewell,...When I Have Crost The Bar"
104557 Lieutenant
John Murdoch McKillop M. B.
Royal Army Medical Corps, attached to Seaforth Highlanders
11th June 1940.
Row B. 34.
John Murdoch McKillop M. B.
Royal Army Medical Corps, attached to Seaforth Highlanders
11th June 1940.
Row B. 34.
R/83141 Flight Sergeant
Victor Howard Miller
Royal Canadian Air Force
24th August 1942.
Row A. 15.
Click on image to enlarge
Victor Howard Miller
Royal Canadian Air Force
24th August 1942.
Row A. 15.
Click on image to enlarge
421525 Pilot Officer
George Vernon Bently Patterson
630 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force
8th August 1944, aged 23.
Collective Grave B. 11-13.
Son of Mrs. L. Z. M. Patterson, of Levuka, Fiji.
George Vernon Bently Patterson
630 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force
8th August 1944, aged 23.
Collective Grave B. 11-13.
Son of Mrs. L. Z. M. Patterson, of Levuka, Fiji.
86622 Squadron Leader
Josef Stransky, D. F. C.
21 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
21st June 1944, aged 29.
Joint Grave B. 31-32.
Of Czechoslovakia
Josef Stransky, D. F. C.
21 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
21st June 1944, aged 29.
Joint Grave B. 31-32.
Of Czechoslovakia
J/21309 Flying Officer
Adrian Ralph Taylor
183 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
6th June 1944, aged 25.
Row B. 29.
Son of Charles Taylor, I.S.O., and Mary Taylor, of Bell Island, Newfoundland. B. Mus.
His headstone bears the inscription "I Am The Resurrection And The Life"
Adrian Ralph Taylor
183 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
6th June 1944, aged 25.
Row B. 29.
Son of Charles Taylor, I.S.O., and Mary Taylor, of Bell Island, Newfoundland. B. Mus.
His headstone bears the inscription "I Am The Resurrection And The Life"
12994 Major
Henry Johnston Younger
1st Lothians and Border Horse, Royal Armoured Corps
12th June 1940.
Row D. 17.
Henry Johnston Younger
1st Lothians and Border Horse, Royal Armoured Corps
12th June 1940.
Row D. 17.
