Ranville War Cemetery

Ranville was the first village to be liberated on D-Day by the 13th Battalion Parachute Regiment of the 6th British Airborne Division.

Many of the Divisions casualties were buried in Ranville War Cemetery and the neighbouring churchyard.

Ranville War Cemetery contains 2,563 burials. Of these 2,152 are British, 76 Canadian, 3 New Zealand, 1 Australian, 5 French, 1 Polish, 1 Belgian, 322 German and 2 unidentified.

The neighbouring churchyard contains the burials of 47 British soldiers all landed by parachute or glider with the British 6th Airborne Division on the 6th June. The church yard also contains the burial of 1 unknown German soldier.

Private Fred Stead of 7 Battalion, Duke of Wellington was killed during shelling in the morning of the 28th July 1944.

Lance Serjeant John Minard Bellamy of D Coy, 7 Battalion, Duke of Wellington was killed during shelling on the 29th July 1944

Lieutenant Roy George Herbert of No.3 Commando was killed on the 8th June 1944 while counter attacking German forces, his body was originally recovered and originally buried in the gardens of Chateau d'Amfreville before being moved to Ranville Commonwealth War Cemetery.

Captain Brian Dear Butler was killed on the 11th June 1944 during heavy mortaring he was originally buried in the gardens of Chateau d'Amfreville before being moved to Ranville Commonwealth War Cemetery.