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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Blake Bird Keyes

In memory of:

Sergeant Blake Bird Keyes

August 4, 1944

Military Service

Service Number:

C/ 38711

Age:

25

Force:

Army

Unit:

Royal Canadian Artillery

Division:

5 Anti-Tank Regt.

Additional Information

Born:

January 24, 1919
Gananoque, Ontario

Enlistment:

May 21, 1941

Son of Dexter and Ethel Keyes, of Gananoque, Ontario. Husband of Mary M. Keyes, of Gananoque, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 352 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Calvados, France

Grave Reference:

III. H. 11.

Location:

This cemetery lies on the west side of the main road from Caen to Falaise (route N158) and just north of the village of Cintheaux. Bretteville-sur-Laize is a village and commune in the department of the Calvados, some 16 kilometres south of Caen. The village of Bretteville lies 3 kilometres south-west of the Cemetery. Buried here are those who died during the later stages of the battle of Normandy, the capture of Caen and the thrust southwards (led initially by the 4th Canadian and 1st Polish Armoured Divisions), to close the Falaise Gap, and thus seal off the German divisions fighting desperately to escape being trapped west of the Seine. Almost every unit of Canadian 2nd Corps is represented in the Cemetery. There are about 3,000 allied forces casualties of the Second World War commemorated in this site.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Gananoque Remembers– Gananoque, Ontario is a small town situated on the St. Lawrence River in the heart of 1,000 Islands. It is one of hundreds of communities throughout Canada with war memorials which commemorate more than 110,000 men and women who lost their lives during both world wars. Over a thousand citizens from Gananoque and surounding areas served in the navy, army, or air force: 83 lost their lives in parts of Canada, and in the battlefields of Europe. Among the dead of Gananoque include a 15 year old solider, a father of ten, four sets of brothers and a Victoria Cross winner. Today the town cenotaph lists the names of those who died and few citizens are aware of their family backgrounds or their circumstances of their deaths. Geraldine Chase of Gannaoque and Bill Beswetherick of Kingston believed it was necessary to collect this information and perpetuate their sacrifices. Gananoque Remembers book is a tribute to those who gave their lives for our freedom.

    Details

    Gananoque Remembers
    Gananoque Remembers – Gananoque, Ontario is a small town situated on the St. Lawrence River in the heart of 1,000 Islands. It is one of hundreds of communities throughout Canada with war memorials which commemorate more than 110,000 men and women who lost their lives during both world wars. Over a thousand citizens from Gananoque and surounding areas served in the navy, army, or air force: 83 lost their lives in parts of Canada, and in the battlefields of Europe. Among the dead of Gananoque include a 15 year old solider, a father of ten, four sets of brothers and a Victoria Cross winner. Today the town cenotaph lists the names of those who died and few citizens are aware of their family backgrounds or their circumstances of their deaths. Geraldine Chase of Gannaoque and Bill Beswetherick of Kingston believed it was necessary to collect this information and perpetuate their sacrifices. Gananoque Remembers book is a tribute to those who gave their lives for our freedom.
  • Memorial Page– Blake Keyes is honoured on page 143 of the Gananoque Remembers booklet, published on January 31, 2005.

    Details

    Memorial Page
    Memorial Page – Blake Keyes is honoured on page 143 of the Gananoque Remembers booklet, published on January 31, 2005.
  • Family Photo– Photo of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar McCalpin and their grandchildren whose fathers were killed in 1944, about 3-1/2 weeks apart. On the left is Robin (Florence Rita Elnora), daughter of Major Archie MacDonald and his wife Elnora McCalpin. On the right is Steven, son of Sgt. Blake Keyes and Mary Minerva McCalpin.

    Details

    Family Photo
    Family Photo – Photo of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar McCalpin and their grandchildren whose fathers were killed in 1944, about 3-1/2 weeks apart. On the left is Robin (Florence Rita Elnora), daughter of Major Archie MacDonald and his wife Elnora McCalpin. On the right is Steven, son of Sgt. Blake Keyes and Mary Minerva McCalpin.
  • Photo of Blake Keyes

    Details

    Photo of Blake Keyes
    Photo of Blake Keyes
  • Grave Marker

    Details

    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker
  • Grave Marker– 2005.

    Details

    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker – 2005.

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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