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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Gordon Charles Cairns

In memory of:

Lance Sergeant Gordon Charles Cairns

August 15, 1944

Military Service

Service Number:

C/10588

Age:

24

Force:

Army

Unit:

Royal Canadian Artillery

Division:

5 Anti-Tank Regt.

Additional Information

Son of William H. and Mabel M. Cairns, of Easton's Corners, Ontario. Brother of Lieutenant Arthur Hugh Cairns, who died on October 17, 1944, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.

Commemorated on Page 265 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

BENY-SUR-MER CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Calvados, France

Grave Reference:

XII. H. 3.

Location:

Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery is about 1 kilometre east of the village of Reviers, on the Creully-Tailleville-Ouistreham road (D.35). Reviers is a village and commune in the Department of the Calvados. It is located 15 kilometres north-west of Caen and 18 kilometres east of Bayeux and 3.5 kilometres south of Courseulles, a village on the sea coast. The village of Beny-sur-Mer is some 2 kilometres south-east of the cemetery. The bus service between Caen and Arromanches (via Reviers and Ver-sur-Mer) passes the cemetery.

It was on the coast just to the north that the 3rd Canadian Division landed on 6th June 1944; on that day, 335 officers and men of that division were killed in action or died of wounds. In this cemetery are the graves of Canadians who gave their lives in the landings in Normandy and in the earlier stages of the subsequent campaign. Canadians who died during the final stages of the fighting in Normandy are buried in Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery.

There are a total of 2,048 burials in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. There is also one special memorial erected to a soldier of the Canadian Infantry Corps who is known to have been buried in this cemetery, but the exact site of whose grave could not be located.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
  • Merrickville Remembers– This project was sponsored jointly by the Canadian Legion Branch 245 and the Merrickville District Community Health Centre. Serving on the Committee were Jack Jessop, Past President of Legion Branch 245; Joyce McKay, who lost a brother in the Second World War; Peter McKenna, Executive Director of Merrickville and District Community Health Centre; and Jack Wilcox, who upon discharge from the Canadian Army in 1945, prepared the Sydney Academy Memorial Booklet honouring the students of the Academy who gave their lives in the Second World War.

    Details

    Merrickville Remembers
    Merrickville Remembers – This project was sponsored jointly by the Canadian Legion Branch 245 and the Merrickville District Community Health Centre. Serving on the Committee were Jack Jessop, Past President of Legion Branch 245; Joyce McKay, who lost a brother in the Second World War; Peter McKenna, Executive Director of Merrickville and District Community Health Centre; and Jack Wilcox, who upon discharge from the Canadian Army in 1945, prepared the Sydney Academy Memorial Booklet honouring the students of the Academy who gave their lives in the Second World War.
  • Memorial Page– Gordon Charles Gairns is honoured on page 32 of the Merrickville Remembers booklet, published in January 2003.

    Details

    Memorial Page
    Memorial Page – Gordon Charles Gairns is honoured on page 32 of the Merrickville Remembers booklet, published in January 2003.
  • Cemetery– Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery - August 2012 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

    Details

    Cemetery
    Cemetery – Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery - August 2012 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery– The Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, located at Reviers, about 4 kilometres from Juno Beach in Normandy, France. (J. Stephens)

    Details

    Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery
    Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery – The Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, located at Reviers, about 4 kilometres from Juno Beach in Normandy, France. (J. Stephens)
  • Cemetery– Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

    Details

    Cemetery
    Cemetery – Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Grave Marker– The grave marker (2010) at the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, located outside Reviers, about 4 kilometres from Juno Beach in Normandy, France. May he rest in peace. (K. Falconer & J. Stephens)

    Details

    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker – The grave marker (2010) at the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, located outside Reviers, about 4 kilometres from Juno Beach in Normandy, France. May he rest in peace. (K. Falconer & J. Stephens)
  • Grave Marker– Grave marker - Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery - August 2012 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

    Details

    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker – Grave marker - Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery - August 2012 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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