An author living in France is trying to make contact with the family of a war hero with connections to Aberdyfi.

Rosemary Rudland, who lives in Normandy, is a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation.

With the agreement of the commissions area office in Northern France, and with the local municipalities, Rosemary is involved in the maintenance of several war graves in small communal cemeteries and village churchyards within a radius of about 20km from her home in Asnières.

The former journalist and author of That Summer in Normandy is also a member of the ‘Comité Juno Canada Normandie’ and conducts research about war casualties to keep their stories alive and provide historical information for local and military archives, and for the fallen’s surviving next of kin.

“One of the six cemeteries I visit for the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation is the Lieurey Communal Cemetery,” Rosemary told the Cambrian News.

“It contains the graves of three troopers (Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C.) and that of Major John Ryland Dain, born at Selly Oak on 15 July 1909, the son of Harry Guy and Flora Elizabeth Dain who resided in Aberdyfi.

“All four soldiers were killed in action between 24 and 26 August 1944.

“Major Dain died on 26 August 1944, aged 35. He served with the 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. Service N° 65855. I thought that this information might be of interest to your local community.”

Rosemary has discovered that John Dain was schoolmaster at Uppingham School in Oakham, England.

“As many families are sadly unable to travel to Normandy this autumn due to Covid-19 restrictions, it would be a great pleasure for me to inform Major Dain’s relatives that I’ve personally ordered poppy crosses from the Royal British Legion in Kent to ensure that his grave and the isolated graves in the six cemeteries I visit will be remembered and honoured by the CWGF, along with the traditional French Remembrance commemorations,” Rosemary said.

Rosemary joined the war grave foundation thanks to lockdown.

“During an authorised country walk last spring with my Jack Russell called Loopy, I spotted a Commonwealth War Graves green plaque on a small church wall,” said Rosemary. “I pushed open the cemetery gate and found an isolated Commonwealth grave.

“I’ve visited many large Commonwealth cemeteries in Normandy, but I wasn’t aware of the isolated graves scattered around the countryside, and this young fighter pilot’s solitary resting place, set among the village people he had given his life for, didn’t just move me. It was soul-stirring.

“I came home, filled a jam jar with flowers from the garden and next day Loopy and I walked back to the churchyard with the posy and a tiny Union Jack! I applied to become a volunteer member, and with the help of the local village mayor who had met members of the pilot’s family, I am now able to enjoy correspondence with them, and keep them informed that the grave is well-tended.”