Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Ralph Ernest Spencer
In memory of:
Corporal Ralph Ernest Spencer
June 6, 1944
Military Service
H/40660
23
Army
Royal Winnipeg Rifles
Additional Information
December 10, 1920
Morden, Manitoba
June 13, 1940
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Son of Ernest and Amanda Spencer of Morden, Manitoba. Husband of Hazel Spencer of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Commemorated on Page 449 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.
Burial Information
BENY-SUR-MER CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Calvados, France
II. F. 3.
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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Newspaper Clipping – In memory of the men and women memorialized on the pages of the Winnipeg Evening Tribune. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me -
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Photo of RALPH ERNEST SPENCER – Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me -
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Photo of Ralph Spencer – Cecil Pittman travelled with the Royal Winnipeg Riffles Association when they participated in the 40th Anniversary of the D day tour to the Normandy beaches (Juno Beach) in 1984, the Royal Winnipeg Riffles "pilgrimage" tour in 1989, the year the memorial was unveiled in the little village of Audrieu and the Royal Winnipeg Riffles 50th Anniversary tour in 1994. He also attended the unveiling ceremonies of the Juno Beach Memorial located in Normandy, France in June of 2003. Mr. Pittman has researched information through the National Archives, military histories, former veterans and from any other materials he can locate. In 2002, he completed 104 stories for the Manitoba Geographical Names Program (Lakes, Rivers, Islands, etc are named after Manitoba's world War II and the Korean Conflict casualties) Several soldier's photo from his collection were included with these stories in the Map Branch's publication "A Place of Honour". (Notes taken from the Cecil Pittman's photo collection) -
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Biography -
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Photo 2 of Ralph Spencer -
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Grave Marker – A photograph (2010) of the headstone at the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, located at Reviers, about 4 kilometres from Juno Beach in Normandy, France. May he rest in peace. (J. Stephens) -
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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)
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