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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Graeme Delamere Black

In memory of:

Captain Graeme Delamere Black

October 23, 1942

Military Service


Service Number:

106240

Age:

31

Force:

Army

Unit:

South Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales Volunteers)

Division:

No 2, Commando

Citation(s):

Distinguished Service Order (DSO), Military Cross

Additional Information


Born:

May 9, 1911
Dresden, Ontario

Commemorated on Page 58 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL
Surrey, United Kingdom

Grave Reference:

Panel 12, Column 1

Location:

The Brookwood Memorial stands in the large Brookwood Military Cemetery, which forms part of the London Necropolis at Brookwood, west of Woking, about 48 kilometres from London. The garden in which the Memorial stands is at the south end of the Canadian Section (Second World War) located on the far side of St. Lawrence Avenue, the highway leading in from the main entrance on the Pirbright road. The memorial commemorates 3,475 men and women of the land forces of the British Commonwealth and Empire who died during the Second World War and whose names could not appropriately be recorded on any of the campaign memorials in the different theatres of war. There are names of men and women who served as special agents and died as prisoners or while working with Allied underground movements. A few of the names on the memorial commemorate those whose bodies were never recovered or those graves which could not, for some other reason, be marked and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The names of over 200 Canadians are remembered on the Brookwood Memorial. Some perished in ships that were sunken in waters outside the territorial limits of any major campaign; some were lost overboard; some died from various causes on hospital ships or troop transports and were given burial at sea. Also commemorated are those who died during the campaign in Norway in 1940, and in raids on enemy-occupied territory in Europe, including the costly operation against Dieppe in August 1942.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Other– This page describes the capture and murder of Capt Black, MC and was scanned from the book:
Camera in Colditz, Ron Baybutt, Hodder and Stoughton, 1982, ISBN 0-340-24823-8
  • Other– This page describes the capture and murder of Capt Black, MC and was scanned from the book:
Camera in Colditz, Ron Baybutt, Hodder and Stoughton, 1982, ISBN 0-340-24823-8
  • Photo of Graeme Delamere Black– No. 2 COMMANDO was formed by volunteers from 41 different regiments of the British Army and one Canadian soldier from Dresden, Ontario.


During the course of World War II, the British Army Commandos earned thirty-eight battle honours and many other awards, including eight Victoria Crosses.  It was a record which prompted the Founder of the Commandos, Winston Churchill, to pay the following tribute to the Commandos:

	We may feel that nothing of which we have any knowledge or record has ever been done by mortal men, which surpasses their feats of arms.  Truly we may say of them, when shall their glory fade? 

I like to think that maybe Sir Winston had Captain Black in mind, and that, maybe, just maybe, our V.C. award count should have been increased to nine.
					
Bob Bishop
St. James Branch
Royal British Legion
									
Branch 60
Royal Canadian Legion
  • Essay– Story of Black's heoric deeds leading to his execution
  • Brookwood Memorial– Photo taken by John S. Brehaut during the Road to Freedom Tour of 2003.

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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