Page 10 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 60

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

Return to Normandy for D-Day +78

1st – 8th June, by Ian Scott

I sailed overnight on the 31st May Putot en Auge Churchyard where
from Portsmouth to Ouistreham Private J J Bennett lies along with 31
(Caen) with my partner Pauline for comrades. He was killed on 19th August
our first return to Normandy since 1944.
Covid-19. The final cemetery visited was
A very smooth crossing which in Tilly sur Seulles again with one Corps
1944 thousands of men took in very dif- member, where Private H Howard lies
ferent circumstances to release Europe amongst 889 comrades and 232 German
from Nazi stranglehold. combatants.
We made our base for the week at No visit to Normandy would have
Camping des Capucines in the village been complete without visiting the
of Ranville about 3 miles from the infa- British Normandy Memorial at Ver
mous Pegasus Bridge in Benouville. sur Mer. A memorial built through
The object of the week was to visit as the shear hard work and fundraising of
many Commonwealth War Cemeteries Veterans of the Normandy Campaign.
and French graveyards where men of What a legacy they have left for them-
the Corps lay. In all 7 “Silent Cities” Pegasus Bridge in Benouville selves and their fallen comrades! If you
were visited and I paid my respects to visit Normandy, please come here, you
Bayeux surrounded by 4,646 other
38 Corps men. won’t be disappointed.
fallen in what is the largest World War
I laid my first wreath at Ranville, but Hopefully next year I shall return
II cemetery in France.
not in the cemetery, in the churchyard to Honour these heroes once again, in
I also visited the following:
adjacent. Here lies Pte Robert Stanley the meantime I’ll get on with finalising
Ridout ACC who was killed in action Banneville-les-Baines with 6 Corps the River Kwai, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan
on the 6th June 1944, he has 11 ACC Hottot-les Bagues with one Corps and Singapore for Remembrance this
comrades buried in the Ranville War member, Private R Jervis killed on 26th year, when more Corps men will be
Cemetery. July 1944. remembered.
The second Corps wreath was laid The British Normandy
at Bayeux War Cemetery, which has the Memorial at Ver sur Mer
largest contingent of ACC men buried
there, a total of 17, each man was visited,
no man forgotten.
Serjeant J Ryan and Corporal
C Nicholas lie side by side here at

Hottot-les Bagues, where Pte R Jervis lies

Paying my respects to Pte R Stanley at the Laying a wreath a Bayeux War Cemetery in honour
Churchyard at Ranville of the 17 ACC men buried there

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