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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

James Rogerson McNeily

In memory of:

Lieutenant James Rogerson McNeily

July 18, 1944

Military Service

Age:

26

Force:

Army

Unit:

Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.

Additional Information

Born:

August 3, 1917
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Enlistment:

October 7, 1941
Toronto, Ontario

Son of James Alexander William Whiteford McNeily, K.C., and Margaret Elizabeth Potts McNeily. Husband of Elizabeth Mary McNeily, of Toronto, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 391 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. D. 9.

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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  • Grave marker– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Grave marker
    Grave marker – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Document
    Document – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Document
    Document – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Document
    Document – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Correspondence– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Correspondence
    Correspondence – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Memorial Plaque– This outdoor plaque is located at the “Old Vic” building, part of Victoria University in the University of Toronto. The decorative motif at the top shows the Victoria University crest, with motto in Latin: “ABEUNT STUDIA IN MORES”. The plaque is inscribed: “THEY WERE VALIANT IN LIFE TRIUMPHANT IN DEATH. ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THE STUDENTS OF THIS COLLEGE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1939-1945. THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS AND DEDICATED OCTOBER 13TH, 1953”. There are 79 names inscribed in bas relief. Photo: Cody Gagnon, courtesy of Alumni Relations, University of Toronto.

    Details

    Memorial Plaque
    Memorial Plaque – This outdoor plaque is located at the “Old Vic” building, part of Victoria University in the University of Toronto. The decorative motif at the top shows the Victoria University crest, with motto in Latin: “ABEUNT STUDIA IN MORES”. The plaque is inscribed: “THEY WERE VALIANT IN LIFE TRIUMPHANT IN DEATH. ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THE STUDENTS OF THIS COLLEGE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1939-1945. THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS AND DEDICATED OCTOBER 13TH, 1953”. There are 79 names inscribed in bas relief. Photo: Cody Gagnon, courtesy of Alumni Relations, University of Toronto.
  • Photo of James Rogerson McNeily– Lt McNeily joined the QOR of C after D-Day as a first-line replacement officer due to the high number of officer casualties in the first week of combat. He was KIA as a platoon commander with "A" Company at the town of Giberville (east of Caen).

    Details

    Photo of James Rogerson McNeily
    Photo of James Rogerson McNeily – Lt McNeily joined the QOR of C after D-Day as a first-line replacement officer due to the high number of officer casualties in the first week of combat. He was KIA as a platoon commander with "A" Company at the town of Giberville (east of Caen).
  • Newspaper clipping– This copy of Lt McNeily's obituary in a Toronto newspaper was recorded by myself on October 26, 2001.

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – This copy of Lt McNeily's obituary in a Toronto newspaper was recorded by myself on October 26, 2001.
  • Newspaper Clipping– Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Cemetery– The Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, located at Reviers, about 4 kilometres from Juno Beach in Normandy, France. (J. Stephens)

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    Cemetery
    Cemetery – The Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, located at Reviers, about 4 kilometres from Juno Beach in Normandy, France. (J. Stephens)
  • Gravemarker of James Rogerson McNeily– This photo of Lt. McNeily's grave at Beny-sur-mer Cemetery was taken by myself during Op Normandie Return in June 1994.

    Details

    Gravemarker of James Rogerson McNeily
    Gravemarker of James Rogerson McNeily – This photo of Lt. McNeily's grave at Beny-sur-mer Cemetery was taken by myself during Op Normandie Return in June 1994.

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