Thousands of Canadian soldiers died in action during World War II, which ran from 1939 to 1945. Of these, very few were buried on their native soil.
(Photo Canadian Veterans)
According to the Canadian government, there are 23,000 cemeteries in which it is possible to find plots of land exclusively reserved for soldiers who died during the two great wars. The VIVA MÉDIA team has listed some cemeteries where a significant number of soldiers from the region rest.
Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
Pro amicis mortui amicis vivimus, We live in the hearts of friends for whom we died. Located in the Netherlands, most of those buried in the Canadian War Cemetery were Canadians, many of whom lost their lives in the Battle of the Rhineland, where the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Infantry Divisions and the 4th Canadian Armoured Division took part in the drive southwards from Nijmegen to clear the territory between the Maas and the Rhine in February and March 1945.
Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery
Located north of the Scheldt, near the Belgian border, the Canadian War Cemetery at Bergen-op-Zoom has 968 Canadian graves. It should be noted that most of the soldiers who are buried there, lost their lives in the fighting north of Antwerp during the Battle of the Scheldt, as the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, with support from the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, worked to clear the right bank (north) of the Scheldt estuary, occupied by the Germans.
Brookwood Military Cemetery
Located about 30 miles from London, this 37 acres military cemetery is the largest of the Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom.
Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery
Located in Yorkshire, UK, soldiers from both world wars lie in this cemetery. However, the large majority of burials occured during World War II. Most of them were airmen, two-thirds of them belonging to the Canadian Forces. Note that many of these men died in the military wing of Harrogate General Hospital.
Nearly all of the Canadians resting in this cemetery belonged to No. 6 (R.C.A.F) Bomber Group, whose headquarters were at Allerton Park. All of the stations controlled by this Group were located north of Harrogate in the Vale of York, the largest base having its headquarters at Linton-on-Ouse.
Source: Veterans Affairs Canada website
