Beny-sur-mer Canadian War Cemetery, the burial-place of the soldiers who fell on Juno Beach on D-Day

Beny-sur-mer Canadian war cemetery was opened to gather the remains of the 2044 Canadian soldiers who fell between June and July 1944 and were buried in two temporary cemeteries near Bény-sur-mer and Reviers.

Beny-sur-mer Canadian war cemetery - Stone of Remembrance during the 75th Anniversary commemorations
Stone of Remembrance during the 75th Anniversary commemorations

Mostly from the Canadian 3rd Division, they died either on Juno Beach at Corseulles-sur-Mer on D-Day or during the successive assaults on Caen.

The remains of the 18 Canadian prisoners of war massacred by the German SS-Panzer Hilterjugend men at the Abbey of Ardenne (near Caen) were repatriated to Beny-sur-mer.

The cemetery contains also the graves of 15 Canadian airmen, as well as those of 4 British soldiers and a French resistant soldier.

A total of 2049 graves.

A French Resistance soldier, R. Guenard, who was killed while fighting along the Canadians, was buried with them, as he had no known family.

His grave is easily identifiable as it’s marked with the understated French grey Cross and is inscribed with “Mort pour la France – 19 – 7 – 1944” (Died for France).

A cemetery shaded by maple trees

Although on the outskirts of the village of Reviers, the cemetery was named after the neighbouring Beny-sur-mer.

Beny-sur-mer Canadian war cemetery - Tomb stones
Tomb stones

The two municipalities are about 2-3kms inland from Juno Beach and are delimited by the road D35.

Beny-sur-mer Canadian war cemetery is easily accessible from a large roundabout.

A huge maple leaf, the emblem of Canada, marks the centre of the car park.

An opening in the enclosure wall provides access to an avenue lined with maple trees that leads to the Stone of Remembrance.

Two shelter-pavilions frame this monument.

A plaque dedicated to the men of The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa Regiment is affixed to the wall of the left-hand shelter.

A few steps lead to the upper floor, a roofed terrace that offers full view of the cemetery.

Beny-sur-mer Canadian war cemetery - During the 75th Anniversary commemorations
During the 75th Anniversary commemorations

The Carré du Souvenir (Remembrance Lawn) marks the entrance to the necropolis and the central alley that divides it into two main sections.

The Cross of Sacrifice stands in the centre of the cemetery.

Two alleys, shaded by maple trees and perpendicular to the central alley, delimit the necropolis in 3 sub-sections.

Lush flowerbeds embellish the individual tomb stones that are laid-out in 16 plots.

Finally, pine and maple trees frame the necropolis that lies in the open countryside among cultivated fields.

France granted the land in perpetuity to Canada to bury its Dead.

Directions: Department of Calvados – Along D35, Reviers
Coordinates: Lat 49.303612 – Long -0.450584

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