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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William Allan Smith

In memory of:

Lance Corporal William Allan Smith

June 11, 1944

Military Service

Service Number:

B/63650

Age:

25

Force:

Army

Unit:

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

Additional Information

Son of William and Mary Smith, of Toronto, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 447 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:

III. C. 7.

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

Send us your images

  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star June 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star June 1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of William Allan Smith– Lance Corporal Smith enlisted in the Queen's Own Rifles in June 1940 when the Regiment was mobilized for overseas service. He served in Newfoundland, New Brunswick and in England. Lance Corporal Smith was in Dog Company of the QOR and killed at Le Mesnil Patry (west of Caen).

    Details

    Photo of William Allan Smith
    Photo of William Allan Smith – Lance Corporal Smith enlisted in the Queen's Own Rifles in June 1940 when the Regiment was mobilized for overseas service. He served in Newfoundland, New Brunswick and in England. Lance Corporal Smith was in Dog Company of the QOR and killed at Le Mesnil Patry (west of Caen).
  • Gravemarker– Padre Cameron took this photo of Lance Corporal Smith's gravemarker at Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery during a trip to Normandy in June 1997.

    Details

    Gravemarker
    Gravemarker – Padre Cameron took this photo of Lance Corporal Smith's gravemarker at Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery during a trip to Normandy in June 1997.
  • Obituary– This obituary of Lance Corporal Smith was published in a Toronto paper in 1944. According to the obituary, Lance Corporal Smith served with the QOR Militia Battalion for four years prior to enlisting in the overseas Battalion in 1940.

    Details

    Obituary
    Obituary – This obituary of Lance Corporal Smith was published in a Toronto paper in 1944. According to the obituary, Lance Corporal Smith served with the QOR Militia Battalion for four years prior to enlisting in the overseas Battalion in 1940.
  • 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)

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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