RHH's photos with the keyword: war graves

The Commonwealth Cemetery in Ranville has 2,236 graves, most of them British soldiers killed on D-Day or after, but also includes 90 "known only to God," 323 German graves and others of different nations. The cemetery is near Benouville, the first French town liberated on D-Day, and is next door to a church where there are other soldiers buried. I found the visit to the cemetery very moving, many of the soldiers were only boys of 17 or 18 years, some of them with wives and children left behind.

We visited several of the World War II cemeteries in the area of the D-Day beaches when we were in Normandy. This was taken at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Ranville. I was interested in the history of the D-Day landings but did not realize I would find our visit so deeply moving. This grave of a soldier who died was killed the day after D-Day was one of many that brought tears. The lad was only 18 years old and the bottom of the grave says, "Daddy, Jesus took you before I came. Through Mommy I'll always cherish your name." The cemetery has 2,236 graves, most of them British, but includes 90 "known only to God," 323 German graves and other nationalities as well.