Vanse Churchyard

• Country Norway
• Total identified casualties 9 Find these casualties
• Identified casualties from Second World War
• GPS Coordinates Latitude: 58.10057, Longitude: 6.69337

Location information

Vanse is a village in the province of Vest-Agder, situated on Route 43, west of the town of Farsund. The churchyard is in the centre of the village on the right hand side of the road. The Commonwealth war graves are located in the churchyard extension, not next to the church. Entering through the main gate, the Commonwealth graves are approximately 100 metres up the path on the left hand side.

History information

During the Second World War, Norway was of strategic importance to the Germans. Their invasion on 9 April 1940 was sudden and widespread and despite Allied intervention, the entire country was under German occupation by early June. Thereafter, Allied activity in Norway was confined to raids and special operations, with the Commonwealth air forces providing support to Norwegian resistance groups until the German capitulation in May 1945. There are no Commonwealth war cemeteries in Norway, those who died there being buried in civil cemeteries and churchyards. Vanse Churchyard contains the graves of nine Commonwealth airmen.