France

List updated June 3, 2010

Country Total = 4984

1563 names on 16 memorials; 3411 named graves and 416 graves of the unknown in 437 cemeteries

Completed =4850+ (or 97.48%)

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Local area volunteers wishing to help should contact Fred Killick SAWGP National Coordinator for France

***Note*** We would like volunteers to take the photos of ALL the South Africa unknown soldier graves and plot them as well.

Cems to be completed

ESQUEHERIES COMMUNAL CEMETERY - Aisne

There are 2 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war here.

JOFFE, Second Lieutenant, WILLIAM, D S O, 1st Sqdn. Royal Air Force formerly 5th Bn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. 1st October 1918. Age 23. Born at Singapore. Son of Mr. and Mrs. L. Joffe, of 20, Villiers St., Kimberley, South Africa. North-east part. 5

DONCHERY COMMUNAL CEMETERY - Ardennes

Donchery is a village and commune 16 kilometres south-east of Mezieres and 5 kilometres west of Sedan, on the N.64 between the two towns. The cemetery is about 250 metres north-east of the church. There are 6 war graves in this cemetery.

ING, Flying Officer (Pilot), JOHN, 39987, 150 Sqdn. Royal Air Force. 14th May 1940. Native of South Africa. Roll of honour GLENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, Durban, South Africa. Grave 12.

CHAMPIGNOL-LEZ-MONDEVILLE CHURCHYARD - Aube

The village of Champignol-les-Mondeville is 48 kilometres east-south-east of Troyes and 11 kilometres south-west of Bar-sur-Aube, a town on the Paris to Chaumont railway. The 9 war graves are in the north-west corner of the churchyard.

ROSE, Flight Sergeant (Nav.), WILLIAM JAMES, D F M, 778285. 207 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 7th November 1942. Age 23. Son of William George and Mary Elizabeth Rose, of Melsetter, Southern Rhodesia. Grave 7.

VERRIERES CHURCHYARD - Aube

Verrieres is a village and commune 10 kilometres south-south-east of Troyes, and 1 kilometre north-east of the Troyes to Dijon road. In the churchyard, on the far left side from the main gate, are the graves of five British and two Australian airmen.

EVANS, Sergeant (Air Gnr.), JOHN GEORGE FURNESS, 1678129. 100 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 26th July 1944. Age 20. Son of John Raven Evans, and of Annie Gillespie Evans, of Claughton, Cheshire. Of South Africa. Coll. grave

PLAINE FRENCH NATIONAL CEMETERY - Bas-Rhin

Plaine is a village in the Department of the Bas-Rhin, formerly part of Alsace (Elsass). The Cemetery is situated on the south-west side of the village. The Commonwealth war graves plot is in the South-West corner. Plaine French National Cemetery was made in 1921. There are now over 40, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 10 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four soldiers known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate five buried at Labroque. Commonwealth graves came from; Albet (or Albe) Communal Cemetery German Extension, Liepvre Military Cemetery and from Ste. Marie-Auz-Mines German Cemetery.

COLE, Second Lieutenant, MONTAGUE HENRY, 3rd Regt. South African Infantry attd. 104th Sqdn. Royal Air Force. Killed whilst flying 30th June 1918. Age 29. Son of Annie Fisher Cole, of Creiachan P.O., Rijno, Elliot, South Africa, and the late Henry Christian Cole 344

MAZARGUES WAR CEMETERY, MARSEILLES - Bouches-du-Rhone

PLEASE NOTE: Due to vandalism in the area, it is regretted that it is necessary to keep this cemetery locked outside working hours. The cemetery will USUALLY be open to visitors Monday to Friday 08.30 to 17.00 except on public holidays. The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible. For further information regarding wheelchair access, please contact our Enquiries Section on 01628 507200. Marseilles is the chief town in the Department of the Bouches-du-Rhone. Mazargues is a suburb on the south-east side of the town, 6 kilometres from the centre of Marseilles, on the coast road to Toulon via La Ciotat - Avenue General Delattre de Tassigny (No.24). The Cemetery lies on the western side of this road. Marseilles was the Base of the Indian troops in France during the 1914-18 war; and throughout the War the Royal Navy, the Merchant Navy, British troops and Labour units worked in the port or passed through it. Four of the town cemeteries were used, in the main, for the burial of officers and men of the Commonwealth forces who died at Marseilles. At ST. PIERRE CEMETERY, on the East side of the town, the bodies of Hindu soldiers and labourers were cremated in 1914-16. LE CANET OLD CEMETERY and LE CANET NEW CEMETERY, on the North side, were in 1917-19 the places of burial of Indian soldiers and Indian, Egyptian and Chinese labourers. MAZARGUES CEMETERY, on the South-East side, was used less in the War; but before the Armistice an Extension was made, to which were removed, a little later, the bodies or ashes from the four Town cemeteries and from PORT ST. LOUIS-DU-RHONE COMMUNAL CEMETERY. There are now 1,487, 1914-18 and 267, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. The cemetery covers an area of 9,021 square metres.

CLEMENTS, Flight Lieutenant (Pilot), NEVILLE OXYNHAM, 42194. 24 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 5th December 1944. Age 30. Son of William Henry and Annie Elizabeth Clements, of Durban, Natal, South Africa; husband of Patricia Ida Clements, of Durban. Plot 3. Row E. Grave.

BANNEVILLE-LA-CAMPAGNE WAR CEMETERY - Calvados

Banneville-la-Campagne is a village in Normandy, which is 10 kilometres east of Caen. The cemetery lies 100 metres south of the main road (the N175) between Caen and Pont L'Eveque, about 8 kilometres east of Caen. The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944. For the most part, the men buried at Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery were killed in the fighting from the second week of July 1944, when Caen was captured, to the last week in August, when the Falaise Gap had been closed and the Allied forces were preparing their advance beyond the Seine. The cemetery contains 2,170 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 140 of them unidentified, and five Polish graves.

APPLETON, Group Captain, CHARLES HENRY, C B E, D S O, D F C, 24139. 124 Wing. Royal Air Force. 12th August 1944. Age 38. Son of Capt. Henry M. Appleton and Maud Appleton; husband of Yvonne Marjarie Appleton, of Marandellas, Southern Rhodesia. IV. C. 14.

STEWART, Lieutenant Colonel, WALTER BRIAN, D S O, M C, 41194. Cdg. 65 (The Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt. Royal Artillery. 5th August 1944. Age 36. Son of Walter Hewetson Stewart and Violette Marguerite Stewart, of Marandellas, Southern Rhodesia; husband of Sybil Margaret Stewart (nee Roberts), of Nairobi, Kenya. XVI. B. 4.

BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY - Calvados

The town of Bayeux, in Normandy, lies 24 kilometres north-west of Caen. Bayeux War Cemetery is situated in the south-western outskirts of the town on the by-pass, which is named Rue de Sir Fabian Ware. On the opposite side of the road stands the Bayeux Memorial. The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944. There was little actual fighting in Bayeux although it was the first French town of importance to be liberated. Bayeux War Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth cemetery of the Second World War in France and contains burials brought in from the surrounding districts and from hospitals that were located nearby. BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY contains 4,144 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 338 of them unidentified. There are also 505 war graves of other nationalities, the majority German. The BAYEUX MEMORIAL stands opposite the cemetery and bears the names of more than 1,800 men of the Commonwealth land forces who died in the early stages of the campaign and have no known grave. They died during the landings in Normandy, during the intense fighting in Normandy itself, and during the advance to the River Seine in August.

FORRESTER, Flying Officer (Pilot), IAN HUGH, 160153. 266 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 28th July 1944. Age 23. Son of Herbert Arthur and Joyce Forrester, of East London, Cape Province, South Africa. XVIII. F. 15

MIDDLETON, Private, JOHN EDWARD EMPSON, 14430028. 5th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment. 6th June 1944. Age 19. Son of Edward Empson Middleton, and of Adelaide Mary Middleton, of Rosettenville, Transvaal, South Africa. XIV. L. 19

ROBERTSON, Lieutenant, COLIN STEPHEN LEWIS, 302972. "B" Sqn., 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards. Royal Armoured Corps. 14th June 1944. Age 22. Son of the Revd. Joseph Albert Robertson and of Eva Marion Robertson (nee Dorman), of Johannesburg, Transvaal. South Africa. Coll. grave XVI. C. 18-19

ST. DESIR WAR CEMETERY - Calvados

St Desir is a village on the N13 to Caen, 4 kilometres west of Lisieux. The war cemetery is about one kilometre west of the village and lies on a secondary road, the D159. The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944. St Desir War Cemetery is the most easterly of the the Normandy cemeteries. For the most part, those buried here died in the final stages of the campaign, in pursuit of the German forces towards the Seine. The cemetery contains 597 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. 78 of these graves were brought in from Chartres (St Cheron) Communal Cemetery after the war, together with the four First World War burials now at St Desir.

SA Other Units

LOVEGROVE, Private, ROWLAND EVERETT, 6982609. 2nd Bn. The Glasgow Highlanders. Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment). 29th August 1944. Age 29. Son of C. Lovegrove, and of Maude A. Lovegrove, and stepson of C. G. Rhodes, of Lange Baan Weg, Cape Province, South Africa; husband of Mary Lovegrove. VI. B. 5.

Name: STOKES, FRANCIS RALPH
Initials: F R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Royal Armoured Corps
Unit Text: 144th (8th Bn. The East Lancashire Regt.) Regt.
Age: 34
Date of Death: 23/08/1944
Service No: 220795
Additional information: Son of Francis Maurice and Alice Lillian Stokes; husband of Rosemary Joan Stokes, of East Brent, Somerset.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: V. F. 4.

ST. MANVIEU WAR CEMETERY, CHEUX - Calvados

Cheux is a village 10 kilometres west of Caen. This cemetery is reached from Caen by taking route D9 westwards. After about 8 kilometres, the road by-passes St Manvieu village, while Cheux lies 2 kilometres to the left. You will find St Manvieu War Cemetery on the right hand side. The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944. Those buried in St. Manvieu War Cemetery died for the most part in the fluctuating battles from mid June to the end of July 1944, in the region between Tilly-sur-Seulles and Caen. The cemetery contains 1,627 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 49 of them unidentified. There are also 556 German burials.

HENDRIE, Second Lieutenant, GEORGE WATT, 307770. 9th. Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C.. 10th July 1944. Age 21. Son of John Bryce Hendrie and Frances Maude Hendrie, of Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia. VIII. E. 13.

STE. MARGUERITE-DES-LOGES CHURCHYARD - Calvados

Ste. Marguerite-des-Loges is a village 16 kilometres south of Lisieux, and 5 kilometres east of Livarot. There are 2 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here; also, there is 1 non world war burial.

LOVE, Flight Sergeant (Pilot), WILFRED ROYCE, 710122. 266 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 17th August 1944. Age 22. Son of John and Hilda Violet Love, of Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia. King's Scout. Sec. G. Row 4. Grave 287.

Rhodesia Post War

LOVE, Warrant Officer, OWEN, 438. Southern Rhodesia Air Force. 7th December 1951. Age 24.

BEAUMONT-LE-ROGER COMMUNAL CEMETERY - Eure

Beaumont-le-Roger is a small town 28 kilometres west-north-west of Evreux. The Communal Cemetery is north of the town on the road Beaumontel. Access is by a road leading north from the church. There are now over 10, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site.

Name: MOSS, BRIAN DOUGLAS
Initials: B D
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 44 Sqdn.
Age: 25
Date of Death: 17/04/1942
Service No: 777646
Additional information: Son of Herbert Moss, and of Marion Beatrix Moss, of Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 1-10.

Name: PEALL, HURWORTH ANTHONY PAUL
Initials: H A P
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 44 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 17/04/1942
Service No: 80067
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 1-10.

Name: VENTER, PETER JOHANNES
Initials: P J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 44 Sqdn.
Date of Death: 17/04/1942
Service No: 777701
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 1-10.

LE FOLGOET COMMUNAL CEMETERY - Finistere

Le Folgoet is a village and commune 22 kilometres north-east of Brest, on the Brest-Lesneven road. It is most conveniently reached by taxi from Brest The cemetery is on the western side of the village on the right of the Brest road. In the northern part, near the boundary wall, are the graves of two airmen of the Royal Air Force.

MACINTYRE, Squadron Leader (Pilot), ALEXANDER STEWART, 80046. 266 Sqdn. Royal Air Force. 15th August 1943. Age 24. Son of Alexander Stewart MacIntyre and Katherine Lawson MacIntyre, of Knysna, Cape Province, South Africa.

NANTES (PONT-DU-CENS) COMMUNAL CEMETERY - Loire-Atlantique

Nantes is a town on the River Loire about 48 kilometres east of St Nazaire. The Pont-du-Cens Communal Cemetery is on the north-western outskirts of the town on the western side of the road to Rennes. The Commonwealth War Graves are in a special plot about 100 metres east (right) of the main entrance. During the 1939-1945 War Nantes was the disembarkation port for stores and vehicles of the first British Expeditionary Force, and in June, 1940, a port of re-embarkation for Line of Communication troops and material. The Pont-du-Cens Communal Cemetery was started in 1939 to supplement the ten other burial grounds within the boundaries of the commune. There are now over 100, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Some were moved into the cemetery from isolated graves at Vivonne, Les Rochelles and near Vertou, and others from Tours (La Salle) Communal Cemetery, St. Brevin-les Pins Communal Cemetery, St. Pere-en-Retz Communal Cemetery, Bougenais Communal Cemetery and a temporary burial ground at Coeson, where permanent maintenance for all time could not be assured.

CLOUSTON, Squadron Leader, JOHN GREVILLE, 40218. 165 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal New Zealand Air Force. 21st June 1944. Son of Allan Wilson Clouston and Violet Clouston, of Wellington City, New Zealand. Native of Rhodesia. Plot L. Row D. Grave 20.

PORNIC WAR CEMETERY - Loire-Atlantique

Pornic is on the north side of Borgneuf Bay and is 51 kilometres west-south-west of Nantes and 20 kilometres south-south-east of St Nazaire via the toll bridge over the River Loire. The Cemetery is on the north-eastern outskirts of the town one kilometre east of the church on the south side of the road to Chauve. Many of those buried here were washed ashore after the sinking by the enemy of the troopship "Lancastria" in the Bay of Biscay on 17th June 1940. There are now 2 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war and 395 of the 1939-1945 war commemorated here. Of the 1939-1945 war, 160 are unidentified. Special Memorials inscribed "Buried near this spot" record the names of soldiers and airmen whose graves in the cemetery were not precisely located. There are 3 non world war burials here, 2 of which are unidentified.

VIKWANE, Private, JAN, N/20494. Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces. 7th February 1944. Son of Windvoel and Sarah Vikwane, of Rustenburg, Transvaal, South Africa 1. AA. 7

ORLEANS MAIN CEMETERY - Loiret

OPENING HOURS: 1 June - 30 September 07.00 - 19.00 1 October - 28 February 08.00 - 17.00 1 March - 30 May 08.00 - 18.00 Orleans is a large town and Orleans Main Cemetery is situated on the north-eastern side of the town, between the main railway station and the station of Fleury les Aubrai. The cemetery entrance is on Boulevard Lamartire, and the military plot is at the left far end of the cemetery from the main path. The Meerut British General Hospital was in Orleans from October-December, 1914. Orleans Cathedral contains a tablet, unveiled in 1925, commemorating the million British dead in the First World War. There are 21 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war here, 1 of which is unidentified. There are a further 71 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here. There are also 5 Polish Foreign National burials here.

MAFORA, Private, J, N/11242. Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces. 5th January 1944. Age 17. Son of Johannes and Marosina Mafora, of Blairbeth, Transvaa], South Africa Plot 2. Row B Grave 2

LA BOISSIERE-SUR-EVRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY - Maine-et-Loire

La Boissiere-sur-Evre is a village some 44 kilometres south-west of Angers and 10 kilometres south-west of Varades. The Cemetery is north of the village, east of the road to Bouzille. There are 7 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here, on the left of the entrance against the wall in the far corner.

McKECHNIE, Flying Officer (Pilot), DONALD NEIL, 160193. 44 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 27th July 1944. Age 24. Son of Ronald and Minnie McKechnie, of Fort Victoria, Southern Rhodesia. Coll. grave.

CHOLOY WAR CEMETERY - Meurthe-et-Moselle

Choloy is a village 28 kilometres west of Nancy and 5 kilometres west of Toul, a town on the N4 road from Paris to Nancy. The Cemetery is 3 kilometres west of Toul on the north side of the D11B road. Choloy War Cemetery was created by the Army Graves Service for the re-burial of casualties recovered from isolated sites, communal cemeteries, and small churchyards in north-eastern France where permanent maintenance of the graves was not possible. In 1950, for the same reason the Commonwealth War Graves Commission found it necessary to move in to this cemetery more than 100 graves from a number of churchyards and civil cemeteries in the same area. Those who lie in Choloy War Cemetery are mostly airmen; but there are also soldiers belonging to the forces of the United Kingdom who died in the Saar region during the first few months of the war, i.e. up to May 1940, or as prisoners of war. There is now 1 Commonwealth burial of the 1914-1918 war and 461 of the 1939-45 war commemorated in this site. Of these, 23 of the 1939-1945 burials are unidentified. In addition there are 7 Foreign National burials, 2 of which are unidentified and 334 non world war burials here.

SA Other Units

DAVIES, Flight Sergeant (Pilot), HIRAM TOM, 1388039. 76 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 2nd March 1944. Age 20. Son of Cpl. Hiram Morecroft Davies, 6th Middlesex Bn. Home Guard (died on active service. 11th September, 1940), and of Ethel Gwenllian Davies, of Bellevue, Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. 1A. B. 17

Rhodesia Other Units

Name: POSSELT, ARTHUR FRANCIS
Initials: A F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force
Unit Text: 150 Sqdn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 14/05/1940
Service No: 41319
Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. F. W. T. Posselt, of Mbabane, Swaziland.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 1A. A. 10-12.

BEAUFORT-EN-ARGONNE CHURCHYARD - Meuse

Beaufort-en-Argonne is a village and commune 40 kilometres north-north-west of Verdun and about the same distance south-south-east of Sedan. There are 5 war graves in this cemetery.

COOKE, Flying Officer (Pilot), GRIMWOOD CHOKE, D F C, D F M, 80346. 106 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 21st December 1942. Age 20. Son of Herbert and Florence Amelia Cooke, stepson of Mr. F.D. Laland, of Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia. His twin brother, Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Harold Cooke, also died on service. Grave 1.

CHAMBIERES FRENCH NATIONAL CEMETERY, METZ - Moselle