Aarestrup Kirke, Aarestrup, Jutland, Denmark. 

The cemetery contains the graves of 11 allied airmen killed when their Liberator GR VII, serial number KH410 of 206 Squadron RAF Coastal Command, crashed on 21st April 1945. The aircraft took off from RAF Leuchars in Fife, Scotland at 20:11 hours for an anti-shipping patrol in the Kattegat. The cause of the crash is not known but is likely to be enemy anti aircraft fire (flak). Unusually the aircraft was commanded by a 40 year-old Dutch Navy Instructor Pilot, Lieutenant Commander Nelis Guilonard. 

At the time of the crash, the Germans arrived and drove the locals away, preveting them from burying the crew, all of whom died in the crash. The Germans gave the crew a hasty burial quite close to the crash site in the forest. 9 of the bodies were badly burned rendering identification very difficult without forensic examinaton, which was not carried out. 2 of the bodies were thrown clear in the crash and were identified by ID tags and documents, one of which was Lieutenant Commander Guilonard.  After the War the locals were determined to locate the bodies and give them a proper burial with full honours. When they did locate the bodies, they discovered that the Germans had boobytrapped the site with incendiary devices. 

The casualties were safely extricated, and were individually identified, prior to being given a burial with full military honours by the Danish Military with British militayr and diplomatic representation in attendance.

During my visit, accompanied by my wife Jo, in Oct 2024, I noticed that one of the headstones was severely cracked and I reported this to the CWGC, receiving a pleasant email from the CWGC country manager acknowledging my report and confirming that matters were in hand to replace the heastone.