top of page

VILLANOVA CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY, Italy

Villanova lies in the Commune of Bagnacavallo in the Province of Ravenna.

The site of the cemetery was chosen by the 5th Canadian Armoured Division for battlefield burials. It was in the vicinity of Villanova that troops of this Division succeeded in establishing a bridgehead over the River Lamone in the night 10/11th December 1944. West of this bridgehead there was heavy fighting in the following days, when attempts were made to cross the three canals that run from Faenza to the sea; from 12th to 15th December the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment and the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards suffered heavily in these attempts, and 85 of the burials in the cemetery come from these two regiments. Among the others are those of casualties incurred in the advance to the final line held by the Canadians on the River Senio before they left Italy in February 1945. There are now over 200, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site.

A/22993 PTE. KENNETH ALEXANDER ADAIR, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 22.
Son of Frank Roy Adair, and of D. Adair, of Windsor, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,A,1.

B/43086 SGT. ROBERT JAMES DICKSON, died on Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 25.
Son of David G. Dickson, and of Bessie Dickson, of Preston, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,A,2.

B/116525 PTE. ARTHUR JAMES DIWELL, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 28.
Son of Thomas Henry and Caroline Diwell; husband of Emma Rosane Diwell, of Dunnville, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,B,7.

A/11039 PTE KEITH DULEY, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 24. 
Son of Arthur and Nellie Duley, of Stratford, Ontario. 
Grave Reference: IV,C,1.

A/11781 PTE. WILLIAM THOMAS FAWCETT, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 28.
Son of Thomas and Mary E. Fawcett, of Mitchell, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,B,10.

A/106345 PTE. MELVIN KENNETH FISHER, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944.
Husband of Evelyn B. Fisher, of Port Elgin, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,A,3.

A/64159 PTE. HUGH COURTNEY GRAHAM, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 36.
Son of John and Bertha Graham, of St. Mary'S, Ontario; husband of Alice Graham, of St. Mary'S.
Grave Reference: IV,B,8.

H/70488 L/CPL JOHN GORDON LEONARD, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944.
Son of John H. and Rose H. Leonard.
Grave Reference:IV,A,6.

B/148732 PTE. HAROLD ALFRED GRIFFIN, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944.
Grave Reference: IV,A,8.

A/50035 PTE. EDWARD CLARENCE HEDRICK, died onWednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 21.
Son of Clifford James Hedrick and Bessie Gertrude Hedrick, of Blenheim, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,B,3.

B/157987 PTE. KENNETH EDMUND HEPINSTALL, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 19.
Son of William and Minnie Hepinstall, of Washago,Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,A,5.

B/1638 PTE. FRED GEORGE HOOTUN, died Tuesday, 2nd January 1945. Age 21.
Son of George and Mary Hootun, of Toronto, Ontario.
Grave Reference: II.B,7.

C/58518 PTE. RENE J. LACASSE, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 31.
Son of Nelson and Rose Lacasse; husband of Lucille Lacasse, of Carlington, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,A,10.

A/31133 PTE. JOHN LEE, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 26.
Son of John A. and Edna Lee; husband of Margaret Lee, of New Westminster, British Columbia.
Grave Reference: IV,A,4.

A/89273 PTE. ROY OTTO LOSCH, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 21.
Son of Robert and Ida Losch, of Kitchener, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,C,8.

A/102225 L/CPL FRED LYTWYN, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 17.
Son of Michael and Anne Lytwyn, of Windsor, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,B,9.

A/11369 CPL JOHN MACKAY, died on Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 34.
Son of William and Laura Mackay, of Seaforth, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,C,6.

B/68982 PTE. EARL MARKS, died Wednesday, 27th December 1944. Age 27.
Son of Archibald J. and Ethel Ellen Marks, of Beaverton, Ontario.
Grave Reference: III,C,7.

A/106198 Pte CORNELIUS MARYS, died Tuesday, 2nd January 1945. Age 21.
Son of C. and Gertrude Marys, of Appin, Ontario.
Grave Reference:II,B,9.

A/28723 PTE. JAMES KENNETH McCLURE, died Wednesday, 13th December 1944. Age 24.
Son of William Alexander McClure and Edna I. McClure; husband of Norma Louise McClure, of Wilcox, Saskatchewan.
Grave Reference: VII,A,10.

B/118594 Pte DONALD MERSON, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 31.
Son of William and Rose Poole Merson, of Toronto, Ontario; husband of Frances Arnold Merson.
Grave Reference: IV,C,7.

H/14043 PTE. EDWIN WADE PARKER, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 30.
Son of Edwin Godfrey and Mabel F. L. Parker, of Winnipeg, Manitoba; husband of Evelyn Scott Parker, of Winnipeg. 
Grave Reference: IV,B,6.

LIEUT. ROBERT WHYTE PATTERSON, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 28.
Son of Harry and Lucinda Patterson, of Stratford, Ontario; husband of E. Beatrice Patterson, of Stratford.
Grave Reference: IV,C,2.

E/30227 PTE. MARCEL PELLETIER, died Thursday, 4th January 1945. Age 26.
Son of John Stanley Pelletier and Elionore Pelletier. 
Grave Reference: II,C,5.

A/64791 PTE. LORNE HENRY PODANN, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 20.
Son of Gustave and Wilhelmina Podann, of Stratford, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,B,2.

A/11792 PTE. WILLIAM JACK RICHARDSON, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 26.
Grave Reference: IV.C.4.

H/14071 PTE. WALTER HOWARD ROGERS, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 26.
Son of James Arthur and Eva Rogers, of Winnipeg, Manitoba; husband of Doris Mary Rogers, of Winnipeg.
Grave Reference: IV,A,9.

A/11766 PTE. FREDERICK ARTHUR SMITH, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 31.
Son of Henry Thomas Smith and Elizabeth Sarah Smith, of Stratford, Ontario; husband of Lillian Smith.
Grave Reference: IV,B,4.

A/117481 PTE. KENNETH GORDON STEPHENS, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944.
Grave Reference: IV,C,9.

B/64565 PTE. RICHARD CHARLES TAVIGNOT, died Tuesday, 2nd January 1945. Age 24.
Son of Charles Boromee Tavignot and Marie Antoinette Tavignot, of East York, Toronto, 
Grave Reference: II,B,8.

A/58162 SGT. FRED WILLIAM TAYLOR, died onWednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 25.
Son of Fred Borman Taylor and Harriet Ann Taylor; husband of Donna Evelyn Taylor.
Grave Reference: IV,C,3.

A/118143 PTE. WILLIAM LORNE TRIMBLE, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 31.
Son of William and Phyllis Trimble; husband of Blanche M. Trimble, of Cottam, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,B,1.

B/157751 PTE. RAYMOND JOSEPH VINCE, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. 
Grave Reference: IV.C.5.

A/115952 PTE. RAYMOND FREDERICK WEIBERG, died Wednesday, 20th December 1944. Age 23.
Son of Karl Fred and Della Katherine Weiberg; husband of Elizabeth Mary Weiberg, of Ailsa Craig, Ontario.
Grave Reference: IV,A,7.

bottom of page