St. Cuthbert's - a Commonwealth War Graves site

This week has marked the 80th anniversary of Operation Overlord - better known as D-Day - one of the most significant events in global history. 

The largest land-based invasion force ever assembled sailed the 136 miles from Portsmouth to Northern France. There, spread across five beaches and involving men from a multitude of countries, the assault began that would ultimately help to free Europe from the Nazi yoke.

The better part of a century has come and gone since that day in June, but the debt we owe to those who played a part in D-Day still remains. And those at St Cuthbert's Church, in Billingham, are particularly aware of the heavy price paid by so many, on D-Day and throughout the Second World War. Our churchyard has the great honour of being one of the 23,000 locations in 150 different territories across the world, that hold the graves of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

Twenty-two of the graves in St Cuthbert's Churchyard are official war graves, from both World Wars, commemorating the lives of servicemen - and one woman - from across all three of the armed forces. One of the founding principles of the CWGC was the firm conviction that anyone killed overseas should be buried as close as possible to where they fell. It was considered an important democratising feature - that wealth should not dictate where the fallen should be buried. The presence of these 22 war graves on British soil is indicative of the fact that they must have died on British soil, and from injuries connected to their service.

This, along with the details included as standard on war graves - service number, age and date of death - are all to be found on the CWGC website, but it would be wonderful to know more, to understand their human dimensions and why they rest in St Cuthbert's Churchyard. If you are interested to know more, or have any information on those brave people who rest with us, please get in touch to let us know. And you can check out full list and further deatils on the 22 graves at the CWGC website.