Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
. The cemetery contains 703 identified Commonwealth war graves and is the southernmost British cemetery in Normandy.
History
The majority of the soldiers interred in the cemetery were killed in late July and early August 1944. British forces pushed south from
Caumont-l'Éventé
Caumont-l'Éventé () is a former commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Caumont-sur-Aure.Vire
Vire () is a town and a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Vire Normandie.
Geography
The town is located on the river Vire. Much of i ...
5th Panzer Army
5th Panzer Army (german: 5. Panzerarmee) was the name of two different German armoured formations during World War II. The first of these was formed in 1942, during the North African campaign and surrendered to the Allies at Tunis in 1943. The ...
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations m ...
. Retrieved on 25 February 2019.
Location
The cemetery is north-east of
Vire
Vire () is a town and a former commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Vire Normandie.
Geography
The town is located on the river Vire. Much of i ...
List of military cemeteries in Normandy
The following military cemeteries were established in the French region of Normandy in memory for casualties of the World War II battles there:
American
* The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, located near the battle site at Omaha Beach ...
References
Further reading
* Shilleto, Carl, and Tolhurst, Mike (2008). ''A Traveler’s Guide to D-Day and the Battle of Normandy''. Northampton, Mass.: Interlink.