Chadburn’s Final Resting Place
Lloyd Chadburn, the person for whom this squadron is named, rests today in the Ranville War Cemetery which is located in the centre of a small and quiet village in France. Over the years only a few from the Squadron have ever had the opportunity to visit this peaceful place. It gives one a chance to pause and reflect once again on the life and times of the person whose name we know so well.
A visit to any of the military cemeteries dotted across Europe is a moving and emotional experience which remains etched in one’s memory forever. On each visit, we are reminded once again of the loss of so many young men who gave their lives in a struggle that determined the future of our civilization.
The comments and photos that follow have been assembled to provide all those who follow the activities of this Squadron a chance to see a part of our Squadron’s history that only a few will have the opportunity to experience. The Allied offensive in north-western Europe began with the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944.
Ranville was the first village to be liberated in France when the bridge over the Caen Canal was captured intact in the early hours of 6 June by troops of the 6th Airborne Division, who were landed nearby by parachute and glider.
The churchyard at Ranville was used for immediate burials, and some soldiers from 6th (Airborne) were laid to rest at this location as the fighting for the Eastern Flank continued.
Many of the division’s casualties are buried in the Ranville War Cemetery and the adjoining churchyard. The Cemetery contains 2,235 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 97 of them unidentified. There are also 330 German graves and a few burials of other nationalities.
After the Second World War, the site was chosen to regroup burials from this part of the battlefield, and graves were brought in from a number of areas, including Amfreville, Colleville-sur-Orne, Houlgate, Colombelles, and Villers-sur-Mer. The cemetery was finally closed in 1946. A very high proportion of the dead here are men from 6th (Airborne) Division.
The “Debt of Honour Register” is the Commission’s database listing the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars and the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations worldwide where they are commemorated. The register can also be searched for details of the 67,000 Commonwealth civilians who died as a result of enemy action in the Second World War.
Search The Common Wealth War Graves Commission Website by Clicking Here