Jerusalem War Cemetery, Chouain

Jerusalem War Cemetery, Chouain
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Jerusalem War Cemetery
Used for those deceased 1944
Established1944
Location49°12′36″N 0°39′07″W / 49.2101°N 0.6519°W / 49.2101; -0.6519
near 
Chouain, Calvados, France
Designed byPhilip D. Hepworth
Total burials48
Burials by nation
United Kingdom: 46 known, 1 unknown
Czech: 1
Burials by war
Statistics source: Cemetery details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Jerusalem War Cemetery is one of the smallest Second World War cemetery of Commonwealth soldiers in Normandy, France. It is located between Bayeux and Tilly-sur-Seulles, close to the commune of Chouain. The cemetery contains 46 known Commonwealth war graves, 1 Czech grave, and 1 unknown British grave.[1]

History

The majority of the soldiers interred in the cemetery were killed in June and July 1944 as the Allies pushed south of Bayeux and then south-west to encircle Caen. Many casualties were involved in fighting around Tilly-sur-Seulles.

The graveyard has two chaplains interred in it; Reverend Cecil James Hawksworth and Reverend Gerard Nesbit and the grave of the youngest British soldier killed in Normandy, 16-year-old Private Jack Banks of the Durham Light Infantry.

This cemetery was the first Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in France to have a Cross of Sacrifice erected.

Location

The cemetery is on the D.6, 9 kilometres south-east of Bayeux, close to the commune of Choain.

  • Gravestones in Jerusalem cemetery
    Gravestones in Jerusalem cemetery
  • Grave of Czech soldier
    Grave of Czech soldier
  • Grave of 16-year-old Private Banks
    Grave of 16-year-old Private Banks
  • Cross of Sacrifice
    Cross of Sacrifice

See also

References

  1. ^ "Cemetery". www.cwgc.org.

Further reading

  • Shilleto, Carl, and Tolhurst, Mike (2008). A Traveler’s Guide to D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. Northampton, Mass.: Interlink. ISBN 1566565553