The Grave of Andrew Mynarski VC

On our recent trip to the Somme, my travelling companions and I realised while searching through the local guidebooks that we were remarkably close to the burial plot of Andrew Mynarski VC. I have enjoyed my visits to Mount Hope and long admired the “other” Lanc so it would have been seriously remiss not to pay our respects.

He is buried in the CWG Section of Meharicourt Communal Cemetery, for those who don’t know he was awarded the Victoria Cross trying to rescue his friends and fellow crewman Pat Brophy from their doomed burning Lancaster. He failed and fell from the aircraft on fire, his parachute opened and he landed but succumbed to his wounds after capture. Brophy survived when the turret he was trapped in was thrown clear from the crash. He was 27.

The War Graves are situated at the rear of the Cemetery and most of them are of bomber crews so he is in good company. Among them are six men of Pilot Officer G H Weedon crew who were from 617 Sqn. They perished on a routine supply drop mission.

An exception to the Bombers is the grave of Pilot Officer Claude Weaver who was a 19 year old American flying with 403qn RCAF. By the time he was shot down on 28th January1944 he had been awarded the DFC, DFM and Bar. The inscription on his headstone tells of his brother who was killed aged 20 at Iwo Jima in 1945.

It was typical “English” weather when we visited with low cloud and drizzle, but it didn’t spoil what is a delightful and peaceful small French Village cemetery that contains some remarkable men and their stores.

With that, we headed home.