Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of Wilfrid (aka Willie) Bernatchez and Claudia Curadeau from Petite-Rivière-au-Renard, Québec. Brother of Private Gustave Bernatchez, service number E-42717, who fought in Italy and Holland with the Royal 22e Régiment. He survived the war.
He was killed in action on 14 September 1944 during an assault on Mount Marano, Italy, while attempting to take the Palazzo des Vergers north of Marano, which was on the Rimini Line. He was initially buried 11 miles (about 18 km) north-west of Pesaro, Italy. After the war, his body was exhumed and reburied at Gradara Canadian War Cemetery, Italy.
1939-1945 Star, Italy Star, 1939-1945 War Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with bar
Digital gallery of Lance Corporal Wilfrid Bernatchez
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Photo of Wilfird Bernatchez
Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me -
Grave Markers
Row of markers in the tiered Gradara War Cemetery - May 2013 ... Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
Memorial
Cross of Sacrifice - Gradara War Cemetery - May 2013 ... Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens -
Memorial
View of the Cross of Sacrifice from the tiered rows of Gradara War Cemetery - May 2013 -
Grave Marker
Grave marker - Gradara War Cemetery - May 2013 ... Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 248 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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GRADARA WAR CEMETERY Italy
GRADARA WAR CEMETERY is situated in the Commune of Gradara in the Province of Pesaro, at a distance of about 1.5 kilometres from the shores of the Adriatic. To reach the GRADARA WAR CEMETERY from Highway A14 (Bologna-Taranto), exit at Cattolica, which is the nearest town and a seaside resort. The Cemetery is on the main road 5 kilometres south west of the town.
The cemetery occupies a unique position on a hillside which was terraced for agriculture, each row of graves taking up one terrace. The site for the cemetery was chosen in November 1944 and it contains the graves of casualties incurred during the advance from Ancona to Rimini (which broke the Gothic Line) and in the heavy fighting around Rimini, which was taken by the Allies on 21st September 1944.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Poppy Design is a trademark of The Royal Canadian Legion (Dominion Command) and is used with permission. Click here to learn more about the poppy.
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