Some of those members of the land forces buried here died in the advance through Reichswald Forest in February 1945. Others died crossing the Rhine, among them members of the airborne forces whose bodies were brought from Hamminkeln, where landings were made by the 6th Airborne Division from bases in England. Some of the airmen buried in the cemetery lost their lives in supporting the advance into Germany, but most died earlier in the war in the intensive air attacks over Germany. Their graves were brought in from cemeteries and isolated sites in the surrounding area.
There are now 7,594 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 176 of the burials are unidentified. There are also 78 war graves of other nationalities, most of them Polish. Special memorials to 9 airmen are located at the east boundary wall, near Plot 10. Additional special memorials to 7 airmen are located within Plot 31, near the Cross of Sacrifice.
Directions
The town of Kleve lies in the west of Germany close to the Dutch border, approx 130 kilometres to the north west of Köln, and approx 25 kilometres to the west of Nijmegen.