ranville war cemetery

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The Allied offensive in north-western 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 2,236 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 90 of them unidentified. There are also 323 German graves and a few burials of other nationalities.

The CHURCHYARD contains 47 Commonwealth burials, one of which is unidentified, and one German grave.
Recent contents

  1. PARAS McKenna, Samuel Charles

    SURNAME McKenna FORENAME Samuel Charles UNIT 12 Bn RANK Corporal NUMBER 2981620 DATE OF DEATH 9th June 1944 AGE 29 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IIIA.H.4 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Glasgow resided Falkirk,Stirlingshire former Royal Artillery KIA Normandy

  2. PARAS Beddall, William John

    SURNAME Beddall FORENAME William John UNIT 12 Bn RANK Lance Corporal NUMBER 949496 DATE OF DEATH 9th June 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IVA.H.8 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born London W resided London N son of William and Mary Susan...

  3. PARAS Jones, William

    SURNAME Jones FORENAME William UNIT 12 Bn (C Company) RANK Corporal (A/Sergeant) NUMBER 1120624 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France VA.H.3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Lancashire son of Edward Owen and Martha Jane...

  4. PARAS Dobson, William Arthur

    SURNAME Dobson FORENAME William Arthur UNIT 12 Bn RANK Private NUMBER 4539627 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 25 GRAVESITE Ranville Churchyard,France Grave 34 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Yorkshire son of James and Elizabeth Dobson,Ferrybridge,Yorkshire former West...

  5. PARAS Black, Walter James

    SURNAME Black FORENAME Walter James UNIT 12 Bn RANK Lance Sergeant NUMBER 2567287 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 29 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IIA.C.13 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Liverpool son of James and Jessie Black,Liverpool former King's Regiment...

  6. PARAS Berry, Eric William

    SURNAME Berry FORENAME Eric William UNIT 12 Bn RANK Lance Corporal NUMBER 4394748 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France IIA.M.13 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Yorkshire son of Alfred and Mabel Berry, Northallerton, Yorkshire KIA Normandy

  7. PARAS Bell, Frederick

    SURNAME Bell FORENAME Frederick UNIT 12 Bn RANK Sergeant NUMBER 4387286 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 31 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France IIA.E.13 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born County Durham son of James and Gertrude Bell, Sherburn Hill, Co.Durham husband of Lily...

  8. PARAS Blakeway, Alexander Victor Selby

    SURNAME Blakeway FORENAME Alexander Victor Selby UNIT 7 Bn RANK Sergeant NUMBER 5387371 DATE OF DEATH 23rd August 1944 AGE 27 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France IIIA.F.5 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1919 Dudley, Worcestershire, UK son of Joseph and Lily Eugenia...

  9. PARAS Ball, Frederick William

    SURNAME Ball FORENAME Frederick William UNIT 7 Bn RANK Corporal NUMBER 5439144 DATE OF DEATH 22nd August 1944 AGE 25 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France IIIA.C.5 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Staffordshire son of Joseph Proctor and Eliza Ann Ball, Longton...

  10. PARAS Baldwin, John (Jack)

    SURNAME Baldwin FORENAME John (Jack) UNIT 7 Bn RANK Private NUMBER 14219568 DATE OF DEATH 19th August 1944 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France IIA.D.14 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Buckinghamshire resided Buckinghamshire died Normandy

  11. PARAS Atkinson, Robert Norman

    SURNAME Atkinson FORENAME Robert Norman UNIT 7 Bn RANK Lieutenant NUMBER 228433 DATE OF DEATH 7th July 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IIIA.L.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Northumberland resided Gloucestershire son of Major John Edward (1878-1948) and...

  12. PARAS MacDonald, Ian G.

    SURNAME MacDonald FORENAME Ian G. UNIT 7 Bn RANK Lieutenant NUMBER 278379 DATE OF DEATH 29th June 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IIIA.B.9 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Glasgow son of Hugh and Margaret MacDonald,Glasgow former Royal Corps of Signals died...

  13. PARAS Bennett, Ralph Duncan

    SURNAME Bennett FORENAME Ralph Duncan UNIT 7 Bn RANK Private NUMBER 3254243 DATE OF DEATH 25th June 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France IVA.C.21 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 07.03.1921, Exmouth, Devonshire, UK son of Jamieson Duncan (1888-1947) and Violet...

  14. PARAS Blackshaw, Eric Edward

    SURNAME Blackshaw FORENAME Eric Edward UNIT 7 Bn RANK Lance Corporal NUMBER 5679289 DATE OF DEATH 20th June 1944 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France IVA.F.21 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1920 Wandsworth, London SE son of William Alfred (1892-1951) and Nellie...

  15. PARAS Balding, Leonard George

    SURNAME Balding FORENAME Leonard George UNIT 7 Bn RANK Sergeant NUMBER 5679154 DATE OF DEATH 9th June 1944 AGE 30 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IA.A.22 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born London E resided London E son of Charles William and Mary Annie Balding,East...

  16. PARAS Chappell, Albert Edward

    SURNAME Chappell FORENAME Albert Edward UNIT 7 Bn RANK Lance Sergeant NUMBER 5679083 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IIIA.G.8 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born London SE resided London SE son of Albert Edward and Martha Mary...

  17. PARAS Barrett, Peter

    SURNAME Barrett FORENAME Peter UNIT 7 Bn RANK Private NUMBER 14543706 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IIIA.C.9 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Oxford resided Oxford KIA Normandy

  18. PARAS Parsons, Robert George

    SURNAME Parsons FORENAME Robert George UNIT 9 Bn RANK Private NUMBER 14406258 DATE OF DEATH 19th August 1944 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IIA.C.9 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1924 Dorchester,Dorset resided Dewlish,Dorset son of Roy Eric and Violet (nee...

  19. PARAS Beckwith, Walter George

    SURNAME Beckwith FORENAME Walter George UNIT 9 Bn RANK Warrant Officer Second Class (CSM) NUMBER 6009791 DATE OF DEATH 17th August 1944 AGE 28 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France VA.C.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Essex son of George F. and Winifred M. Beckwith...

  20. PARAS Yarwood, William Stanley

    SURNAME Yarwood FORENAME William Stanley UNIT 9 Bn (South Lancashire Regiment,attached) RANK Private NUMBER 3659827 DATE OF DEATH 8th August 1944 AGE 29 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IA.K.10 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Liverpool son of John Joseph and Sarah...
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