Bretteville Canadian War Cemetery

BRETTEVILLE SUR LAIZE CANADIAN
WAR CEMETERY

Canadian - 2,782
British - 80
Australian - 4
New Zealand - 1
French - 1
Unidentified - 87

HISTORICAL INFORMATION: For the most part, those buried at Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery died during the later stages of the fighting in Normandy, including the capture of Caen and the thrust southwardsto Falaise - an advance led initially by the 4th Canadian and 1st Polish Armoured Divisions - to close the Falaise Gap. The burials here include men from almost every unit of Canadian 2nd Corps, with casualties from late July and August 1944 dominating the burials. Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery contains 2,957 Second World War burials, the majority Canadian, and 87 of them unidentified.

LOCATION: The cemetery lies on the west side of the main road from Caen to Falaise (route N158) about 14 kilometres south of Caen and just north of the village of Cintheaux. The village of Bretteville lies 3 kilometres south-west of the cemetery, which is reached by a minor road which runs paralell with the N158. It is well signposted, and there is a large parking area outside the cemetery.

PERSONALITIES:

Belgian soldier serving with the Canadians:

Pte A.J.Bonfond
Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
Killed 27th August 1944, aged 27.
Inscription on his headstone reads: 'Descendant de race Belge'.

Several Americans serving with Canadian units:

Pte C.L.Gillis
North Shore Regiment
Killed 10th August 1944, aged 20.
Lieut R.C.Gould
Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
Killed 8th August 1944, aged 25.

Large number of Black Watch of Canada, killed on the Verrières Ridge, including:

Major T.D.Anyon
Killed 5th August 1944, aged 30.

Major E.R.Bennett
Killed 5th August 1944, age 27.

Seperate British plot in Plot 22 (XXII), which includes:

Pte C.Earnshaw
Black Watch
Killed 14th August 1944, aged 17.

Lt-Col D.A.Syme
Royal Tank Regiment
Killed 8th August 1944, aged 51.
- A veteran of WW1.