Over 2,230 British and Commonwealth servicemen rest in the cemetery at Ranville, Normandy. They lie alongside more than 320 servicemen of other nations including France, Belgium, Poland, and Germany.
Ninety of those resting here are unidentified and their headstones simple state ‘Known unto God’.
Located near to the bridges over the Orne River and Caen Canal and the huge German batterie at Merville – all British objectives on the morning of D-Day June 6, 1944 - many of those buried here are from airborne divisions who landed in the area by parachute and glider.
There are also many burials of those who took part in the Normandy campaign of June, July, and August 1944.
The first burials were made here in the days following D-Day and initially began in the grounds immediately surrounding the Notre Dame church, were there are an additional 49 graves to the main cemetery.
These include the grave of Lt Herbert Denham ‘Den’ Brotheridge of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry who is believed to be the first person killed by enemy fire following his landing via glider near what has become known as ‘Pegasus’ Bridge. He was 29 years old.
The youngest solider resting here is Portsmouth’s Robert Johns, a Private in the Parachute Regiment, who was killed on July 23, 1944, aged just 16. Additionally, there are three 17 year olds here.
The oldest servicemen buried at Ranville is Brigadier Denis Sanders OBE, of Leicestershire, who was aged 49. A veteran of the First World War, he had previously served in the Royal Artillery and died on June 20 while serving with the Combined Operations Royal Marines.
There are many here who were killed during the assault on the Merville Batterie, east of the Orne river and north of the Ranville Cemetery.
One of those is Private Emile Corteil who served as a dog handler with the 9th Parachute Battalion and parachuted in with his dog, Glenn, on D-Day. Both were killed on June 6 and are buried together in one grave – a plot which not only always has fresh flowers by it but also a collection of dog toys and tennis balls in remembrance.
The final burials were made in 1946. As is the case with Commonwealth War Graces Commission sites in Normandy, the Ranville Cemetery is immaculately turned out and cared for.