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A. I. F. Burial Ground Ground, Grass Lane, Flers, Somme. 4 miles S of Bapaume, 1 mile NE of Flers. Captured on Sept 15th 1916 by N. Z. Div & 41 st Divs., following the newly revealed Tanks. Records 2811 UK, 402 Aust., 84 N.Z., 68 Can, 27 S.A., 55 Unknown , 163 French, 3 German burials & 26 special memorials.
A.I.F. Burial Ground, Grass Lane, Flers, Somme. 4 miles South of Bapaume, 1 mile North East of the village. The Cemetery was begun by Australian Medical Units in November 1916 – February 1917. It was substantially enlarged after the Armistice when numerous Commonwealth and French graves were brought in from the Somme battlefields and further afield. Records 3,475 Commonwealth Servicemen buried or commemorated, 2.263 unknown, 23 special memorials, 170 French and 3 German burials.
Recent photograph October 2010
Grave in A.I.F. Burial Ground of Sgt. Robert Baden Pebody of 4th (‘D’) Company Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Branch) (very early tank crew grave) died of wounds 16 Sept 1916. Sergeant Pebody was 2 i/c of tank D14 commanded by 2nd Lieutenant Gordon Court which had not been in action on the 15th September but was attached to 41st Division for the second day of the attack on Fles. The objective was mainly the German held Gird Trench and Gird Support in front of Guedecourt. D14 was heading down what is now Grass Lane towards Guedecourt branching off and heading ove a piece of higher ground when the tank was observed to come to a halt and then suddenly explode with a shattering roar. The tank was subsequently found to have been blown to bits and Lieutenant Court and 5 of the crew of 7 were incincerated in the fire; Sergeant Pebody and Lance Corporal Upton Army Service Corps died of wounds. It seems likely that Sergeant Pebody and Lance Corporal Upton got out of the tank perhaps to examine what had halted the tank when a German shell hit the tank itself. Lance Corporal Upton is also buried in A.I.F. Burial Ground whilst the other members of the crew of D14 have no known grave and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Grave in A.I.F. Burial Ground of No. M2/178194 Lance Corporal Laurence William Upton, Army Service Corps, 711th Mechanical Transport Company Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Branch) attached “D” Company died of wounds 15th September 1916 aged 23 years.
Lance Corporal Upton was the driver of the Tank D14 Commanded by 2/lieut. G.F.Court, 2 i/c Sergeant R B Pebody. 2/Lieut. Court and the other crew members Lance Corporal T. Cromack, Gnr. G Mann, Gnr. J E Crowe, Gnr. W H Barber and Gnr. A C Lawson were all killed, have no known grave and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Son of Mary Upton of Barnby Dun, Doncaster and the late William Upton, husband of Bertha Upton of Barby Dun, Doncaster.
Grave in A.I.F. Burial Ground of 2nd Lt. Ernest Shepherd Dorset Regiment . Sgt Major Shepherd took part in the 2nd battle of Ypres and the Somme battle of 1916 and was commissioned 2nd Lt. In Novr 1916. Killed in action as a Company Commander on 11 Jany 1917 while leading an attack at Beaucourt in the Beaumont Hamel sector Somme. Diaries published 1987 “ A Sergeant Major’s War – From Hill 60 to the Somme.”
Grave in A.I.F. Burial Ground of Sgt. Harold Jackson V. C. of the 7th East Yorkshire Regiment in this cemetery. He won his V.C. in May 1918 in the German Spring Offensive of 1918 but was killed at Thiepval Somme on the 24th August 1918. An extract from the London Gazette records “For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Sergeant Jackson volunteered and went out through the hostile barrage and brought back valuable information regarding the enemy’s movements. Later when the enemy had established themselves in our line this N.C.O. rushed at them, and single-handed bombed them out into the open. Shortly afterwards, again single-handed, he stalked an enemy maching-gun, threw Mills bombs at the detachment, and put the gun out of action. On a subsequent occasion when all his officers had become casualties, this very gallant N.C.O. led his company in the attack, and when ordered to retire he withdrew the company successfully under heavy fire . He then went out repeatedly under heavy fire and carried in wounded.” Son of Thomas and Mary Ann Jackson of “Allandales”, Kirton, Boston.
Headstone bears inscription "He heard the call And answered With never a thought of fear."
Grave in A. I. F. Burial Ground of Private No. 1665 Henry Salkeld 10th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry. Killed in action 16th September 1916 aged 29 years.
This Service Battalion was formed at Newcastle on the 22nd August 1914 as part of 43rd Brigade, the other battalions in the Brigade being 6th Somerset Light Infantry, 6th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and 6th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and the Brigade landed at Boulogne as part of the 14th (Light) Division on the 21st May 1915. Served first in the Bailleul sector moving North to the Ypres Salient beginning trench instruction in trenches west of Wytschaete on the 12th June 1915. The Brigade arrived in the Somme sector on the 7th August 1916 moving on the 12th August to the front line trenches north of Longueval with the right of the Battalion in Delville Wood.
The fighting on the Somme in 1916 had, from the start, proved to be not the swift and powerful thrust deep into German held territory that was earlier envisaged but a long painful slogging match in which small gains of ground were won only at an enormous cost in the lives of British soldiers it being scant comfort to the bereaved families at home and to the wounded that the German defenders had sustained severe casualties as well. The British commander in chief Sir Douglas Haig was determined to break out of this impasse and began preparations for a major assault on the enemy’s Third Line, the German’s last line of prepared defences which stretched from Morval across to Flers and on to Le Sars. A new weapon was available and there was a new method of employing established weapons. The new weapon was the tank which although slow-moving, mechanically unreliable and vulnerable to shelling was at least fairly immune from rifle and machine-gun fire and so enjoyed a chance of getting across no-man’s-land. The established weapon was the artillery and the new method was that British gunners were now capable of firing a creeping barrage of shells in co-ordination with the forward movement of their infantry. Haig planned 15th September as his second attempt at a great breakthrough. The chosen front was wide and the cavalry held at the ready but in order to protect the tanks from the British artillery shells the creeping barrage was not fired ahead of the infantry in the areas where the tanks were being employed. The action of 15th September produced some piecemeal advances, including the capture of the village of Flers, but not the capture of the whole of the German Third line. In the area of Flers the 42nd Brigade had been leading the attack but the advance had been checked east of Flers with heavy losses from enfilade machine-gun fire from the right.
The 43rd Brigade was in reserve on the 15th September and the Battalion moved to the vicinity of Fricourt on the night of the 14th September where battle stores were distributed and next morning the Battalion moved up to Pommiers Redoubt and then on to Bernafay Wood. In the afternoon of the 15th September the Battalion was ordered to occupy trenches east of the Longueval – Flers road and this involved going through Delville Wod where 8 men were killed by one shell but there were no further casualties from the persistent fire of the enemy until the position was reached when the Battalion sustained further casualties. Orders were received for the Battalion to take over the line on the left in touch with the 41st Division where Bull’s Road met the road from Gueudecourt. On the right the 6th Somersets were to join with the left of the Guards Division. The Battalion moved off at midnight in artillery formation and, though there were a few casualties from German shrapnel on the way, the relief was easily accomplished. At dawn on the 16th September one could see down the slope to Gueudecourt beyond Gird and Gird Support trenches, and considerable movement of the enemy near the village was observed. By Bull’s Road stood four field guns abandoned by the Germans.
Orders were received to attack at 0925 with the object of breaking through the Gird defences, clearing Gueudecourt and establishing a line beyond. The enemy was very quiet when the British heavy artillery opened, but trhe bombardment did not seem to trouble the enemy much. Some Germans even disdained to take cover. The British shrapnel barrage came down 600 yards in front of the trenches the Battalion held and was weak and scattered; neverless the Battalion advanced at the appointed hour, though as soon as they appeared in the open there came heavy machine-gun fire from the front and the right. The advance continued though paying dearly for every yard but when nearly a quarter of a mile had been gained the survivors had to seek cover in shell-holes and stay there. Before mid-day parties of Germans were seen coming forward to the Gird line from the direction of Le Transloy but no counter-attack was attempted.
Orders then came for another attack to be delivered at 1855. Lieutenant Colonel H. H. S. Morant collected about 100 men which included all employed at battalion headquarters; his only remaining officers were the adjutant, Lieutenant F A Stewart and the bombing officer Lieutenant Todd.
The British bombardment was now better though still not heavy enough considering the area to be covered and it had the effect of shelling out most of the survivors of the first attack still holding on in front but CSM C Wakeham and the remnants of C Company stayed until the evening attack came up to them but it got no further with the creeping barrage being negligible and the German machine-guns being as active as before. With no troops in immediate support and both flanks unprotected a withdrawal was inevitable and after dark the survivors of the Battalion fell back and put Bull’s Road in a state of defence. Many of the wounded were then brought in.
The Division was being relieved by the 21st Division and the Battalion handed over the position before dawn. A very weak Battalion reached Pommiers Redoubt during the morning of the 17th September. Losses in killed, wounded and missing amounted to 381. The Commanding Officer and 10 officers were wounded and 5 officers including Lieutenant F A Stewart were killed.
Private Henry Salkeld was one of those killed.
Born in Chester-le-Street, enlisted at Consett whilst residing in Stanley County Durham. Husband of Mary Lowe (formerly Salkeld) of Bloomfield Ground, West Stanley, Co. Durham.
Brother of Thomas Salkeld killed in action on the 1st July 1916 and commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. See the entry on the Thiepval Memorial page.
Grave of an Unknown Soldier from the Northumberland Fusiliers buried in A.I.F. Burial Ground
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The Imperial War Graves Commission was incorporated in May 1917 and became responsible for the task of marking and recording the graves of casualties killed or who died from wounds on the battlefields of the First World War, now extended to those who died in later conflicts, and for the commemorative memorials for those whose bodies could not be identified or were never found at all. Original wooden crosses were replaced by headstones and on these was engraved factual information, name, rank, number, decorations (V.C., M.C., D.S.O. etc) regiment or corps and date of death. At the top was engraved the regimental or corps badge.
Next-of-kin were contacted and asked if they wished the Christian cross to be replaced, for example by the Star of David, or excluded, the age of the casualty if they wished this to be added and a “personal inscription” of which there are many examples on this site.
On the headstone of every grave containing an unidentified body, as here, is inscribed “A Soldier of the Great War” and “Known unto God.” But in this case as in many others it was possible to identify the regiment; other examples show a rank or nationality.
78. Grave in A.I.F. Burial Ground of Charles William Reginald Duncombe who served as Feversham, 2nd Earl of Feversham, Commanding Officer 21st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps, killed in action 15th September 1916 aged 37 years.
Born in 1879 and educated at Eton and Oxford, he was the M.P. for Thirsk and Malton from 1906 until he became the 2nd Earl. In 1904 he married Lady Marjorie Greville, a daughter of the Earl of Warwick.
Lord Feversham had gone to France in April 1915 in command of the Yorkshire Hussars Yeomanry but on the break up of that regiment into Divisional Cavalry he accepted the task of raising an infantry battalion from the among the farming class in the north of England. The Battalion was full to establishment by December 1915 and went to France on the 4th May 1916 as part of 124th Brigade 41st Division, serving first in the Ploegsteert area in the Ypres sector, moving to near Abbeville late August 1916 for training. On the 14th September 1916 the Battalion moved up to assault positions just north-east of Delville Wood for the attack on Flers on the 15th September.
The 41st Division was to attack with the 124th Brigade on the right and the 122nd Brigade on the left. The 10th Queen’s was on the right of the 124th Brigade sector with the 21st King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the left, their first major attack. The 122nd Brigade was to attack on the left with 15th Hampshire and on the left 18th King’s Royal rifle Corps. The dividing line between the two Brigades was through the middle of the village of flers. The general line of attack for the 21st Battalion was North East towards the Eastern side of the village of Flers with in front of them Tea Support Trench and Switch Trench. The village was cleared by 10 a.m. but was being heavily shelled. At 1020 a.m. a party from the 18th Battalion had established themselves just north of the village whilst the 124th Brigade had got out of touch to the east of the village but in touch with units of the 14th division on their right. Lieut.Colonel the Earl of Feversham and Liet. Colonel Oakley of 10th Queen’s woith as many men as they could collect advanced against the third objective, captured I and held it for some time against a number of German counter-attacks and during this period Lord Feversham was killed. This party was eventually obliged to fall back east of the village. As well as Lord Feversham, the 21st Battalion lost 2nd Lieutenants T.P.A. Harvey and R.B. Nivison killed, 10 officers wounded, 54 other ranks killed, 256 wounded and 70 missing, a total of all ranks of 395.
At first Lord Feversham was reported as missing but his body was eventually found on the 10th October and buried in a grave about 500 yards west of the village of Guedecourt, north east of Flers. By early 1918 a lych gate had been erected with an engraved flagstone but at some time after 1945 the body was exhumed and re-buried in A.I F. Burial Ground, a few hundred yards to the North of the original burial site.
Son of William Reginald Duncombe Viscount Helmsley elder son of the 1st Earl of Feversham; husband of Countess of Feversham (later Lady Marjorie Beckett of Kirkdale Manor Newton Yorkshire).
Headstone bears inscription “In Life Loyal, In Death Fearless, In Faith Certain, In Hope Secure.”
Grave in A.I.F. Burial Ground of No. 9421 Company Sergeant Major Enos England D.C.M., M.M. 6th Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment killed in action 24th August 1918 aged 24 years.
Citation in the London Gazette dated 30th October 1918 for the Distinguished Conduct Medal records “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during a raid by his battalion. He took a Lewis gun team down the slope of a ravine and killed a number of the enemy coming out of their dug-outs. Later although unarmed, he attacked one of the enemy and killed him with his fists. Throughout the raid he displayed a fine fighting spirit, setting a splendid example to all about him.”
Son of Alfred England of 217 Malmesbury Park Road Bournemouth. Husband of Lily Maud England of 27 Cranmer Road Winton Bournemouth. Born Southampton, enlisted Dorchester, resident Moordown Hampshire.
Grave in A.I.F. Burial Ground of No. 30559 Private Cyril Hant M.M. 10th Prince of Wales (West Yorkshire Regiment) killed in action 25th August 1918 aged 29 years.
Son of Joshua and Mary Elizabeth Hant of 17 St. Hilda’s Crescent Cross Green Lane Leeds. Husband of Lydia Arthley Ethel Hant of 74 East Street Leeds. Born Thomes Wakefield enlisted Leeds
81. Grave in A.I.F. Burial Ground of Lieutenant Geoffrey Edwin Cash 6th Battalion attached 8th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 27th August 1916 aged 21 years.
Son of Sidney and Elsie Cash The Moat House Keresley Coventry, the residence of a number of prominent citizens of Coventry until it was demolished in 1930. Geoffrey Cash was educated at Marlborough College and Magdalen College Oxford and was gazetted a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant on the 5th October 1914.
Sidney Cash was the Chairman of J and J Cash Limited from 1895 until 1931. The Company had been established by John Cash (Sidney’s father) and Joseph Cash and began the production of silk ribbons in the early 1840s. In 1857 Cash’s model cottage factory was built in the Kingfield Road area of Radford in Coventry based on the top shop system with weavers working above their living accommodation. By the mid 1860s the premises had been converted into a conventional factory. In the early 1900s the Company was a major force in the Textile industry in Coventry concentrating on ribbon production, woven labels (especially from the 1870s woven name tapes), medal ribbons, hat bands, embroidered badges, braids and tassels.
The 6th (Service) Battalion was formed at Preston in August 1914 and embarked at Avonmouth on the 17th June 1915 for the Mediterranean landing at Anzac, Gallipoli on the 4th August 1915. Lieutenant Cash was one of the 30 officers who embarked and so served with the Battalion on the Gallipoli peninsula until the Battalion left in December 1915 for Egypt then served for the rest of the War in Mesopotamia. The 8th (Service) Battalion had been formed at Preston in September 1914 and remained in England until landing at Boulogne on the 16th September 1915, transferring on the 26th October 1915 from the 74th to the 7th Brigade whilst remaining in 25th Division. In the Spring of 1916 British troops took over from the French Army most of the line from Arras to the Somme River. The 8th Battalion arrived in the Somme sector at Forceville 6 miles North West of Albert moving up to front line positions on the 7th July. Lieutenant Cash probably joined the 8th Battalion when it was in the Armentieres sector until moving south in March 1916.
On the 19th August 1916 the 25th Division took over the line immediately south of the Ancre River the Germans still being on Thiepval Ridge. On the 21st August a very successful local attack was carried out by the 7th Brigade with the 1st Wiltshires attacking east and capturing important points in the enemy’s front and support line of the Leipzig Redoubt, a position almost directly East of Authuille which is on the Ancre River. On the 25th August an intense artillery barrage was put down on the Hindenburg trench and under cover of a rolling barrage the 1st Wiltshires and 3rd Worcesters from 7th Brigade advanced and successfully assaulted the position helped by a smoke barrage near Thiepval Wood, to the North, designed to draw the enemy’s fire which undoubtedly succeeded in its object. Over 150 German prisoners were captured and a number killed. In addition a batch of about 100 German prisoners were caught and killed by their own artillery barrage. Two companies from the 8th North Lancashire were utilised to garrison the original German front line. It had been intended to relieve the 1st Wiltshire and the 8th North Lancashire during the evening of the 25th August but about 6.30 p.m. Germans appeared to be massing for a counter attack but this was stopped by a very effective British artillery bombardment although both the 1st Wiltshires and 3rd Worcesters suffered heavy casualties owing to the absence of dugouts and the lack of protection in the captured Hindenburg trench which had been badly knocked about by the British heavy artillery before the attack and there was no opportunity to consolidate it after its capture. On the 26th August the 7th Brigade was relieved by the 75th Brigade from the 25th Division with the exception of the 8th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire who were placed at the disposal of the 75th Brigade in order to attack the pocket of Germans who were still holding onto a small portion of the Hindenburg trench. The German garrison was occupying a strong point called the Wunderwerk, guarding the southern side of the Thiepval defences which was in turn behind Hindenburg Trench and it was apparently believed that garrison were demoralised and likely to surrender through want of food and water. The attack was made by “D” Company 8th Loyal North Lancashire, under Captain Cash with Lieutenants S H May and Copeman at 6 p.m. In fact the Germans were much more numerous and better prepared for resistance than had been expected. The first wave succeeded in entering the enemy’s position but though reinforced by the second and third wave, the North Lancashire were unable to maintain themselves and were finally forced to retire to their original line, Captain Geoffrey Edwin Cash and Lieutenant Stanley Harris May being killed. It is recorded that the Battalions losses “in this engagement” were killed or missing and believed killed, 4 officers and 85 other ranks. Both officers are recorded as having been killed on the 27th August whilst it has only been possible to trace 21 other ranks killed on the 26th August and of these 1 is buried in Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, 3 in Lonsdale Cemetery, Aveluy, 1 at Bray Vale, Bray-sur-Somme and 21 have no known grave and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial as is Lieutenant May. The Regimental History refers to Geoffrey Cash as a Captain, plainly a reference to his temporary rank as such very common in the Great War.
The stronghold Wunderwerk was not captured in fact until the 14th September 1916 by units from the 11th Division.
Lieutenant Cash was awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1914 – 1915 Star.
Headstone bears inscription “So he passed over and all the trumpets sounded for him over the other side.”
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Aire Communal Cemetery, Aire-sur-la-Lys, Pas de Calais. North of the town and on the road to St. Omer, the CWGC plots being on the east side of the Cemetery. From March 1915 to February 1918 Aire was a Corps Headquarters. The Highland Casualty Clearing station was based there, as was from May 1917 the 39th Stationary Hospital and other medical units. Plot I contains burials from this period whilst the burials in plots II, III and IV relate to the fighting of 1918 when the 54th Casualty Clearing Station came to Aire the town being some 8 miles (13 kilometres) of the German lines. Records 865 U.K., 15 Can., 6 Aust., 3 Ind., 3 B.W.I., 1 N.Z., 1 Guernsey, 4 French and 26 German burials.
Grave in Aire Communal Cemetery of No. 4749 Lance Corporal Ernest George Makepeace of the 10th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, died of disease on the 4th May 1916 aged 19 years. Headstone bears inscription “We little thought When we said goodbye We parted forever And you were to die.”
Son of William and Sarah Makepeace of Pailton near Rugby. Lance Corporal Makepeace is also commemorated on the Village War Memorial at Pailton near Rugby, Warwickshire.
For circumstances see entry under Pailton Village Memorial
Grave in Aire Communal Cemetery of No.31034 Sapper David Charles Fox, 8th Railway Company, Royal Engineers died 10th August 1915. Headstone bears inscription “Death for one’s countrys sake is sweet A life laid down at Jesus’ feet.”
Born London, son of Jane Simpson Fox and the late Thomas Joseph Fox of St. George’s East, London, enlisted at Stratford, Essex.
Authuille Military Cemetery, Somme. 3 miles N of Albert, on E bank of River Ancre, S edge of village. Authuille was 1 mile W of German front-line trenches on July 1st 1916 before Battle of the Somme. Casualties from September 1915 to December 1916. Records 451 UK., 18 Ind., 3 SA and 1 German burials.
View to River Ancre from Authuille Military Cemetery. “One evening I stood there looking over the broad marshes of the Ancre and the great mass of Aveluy Wood beyond. There was a lull in the firing and everything was still. The sun was setting; perhaps the majesty of Nature had stayed for one moment the hand of the Angel of Death. The river and marshes were a sea of gold, and the trees of the wood were tinged with fire. To the south were the square tower of Aveluy Church and the great trees surrounding the crucifix at the junction of the roads, known as Crucifix Corner. Shadows were lengthening in the woods and on the marshes. A cool evening breeze blew gently through the graves of our men. Before me lay men of many nations in their lone sleep. The names inscribed on the dark crosses of the French were full of music; there were men of the Breton Corps, sons of Morbihan and Finisterre. Apart lay the grave of a man killed in the first month of the war when Uhlan patrols came in to conflict with small bodies of British and French detached from their regiments. Near by were the dead of the first autumn slain in the great fight for the ridge. Beyond were the men who had died in the long and monotonous days of trench warfare, which for eighteen months had taken day by day its toll of human life, of the flower of two nations. Here were the white crosses of the British, men from every shire in England and Scotland. Officers and men lay side by side as they fell…………….. In the far corner a padre stood reading the burial service, while a group of men with bowed and uncovered heads stood round a new grave. Here indeed death held nothing of indignity, and all was simple and sincere. No king could dream of a more splendid resting-place, here above the marshes in the glory of the evening. The sun set; twilight drew on. The evening star glimmered above the far horizon. The marshes were grey and a mist rose from the water. Dark shadows enveloped the woods. There was a roar as a shrapnel shell burst, and the smoke hung like a pall over the ground where once Authuille had stood, now a ruin where death stalked night and day. A machine-gun opened fire in the trenches, and the crash of bombs re-echoed through the trees. The weary night watches had begun. The wind rose. The Angel of Death was abroad and in the wind I could hear the beating of his wings. “ Charles Douie Subaltern in 1st Dorset Regiment Spring 1916 in The Weary Road. The cemetery is built on the northern end of the slopes of Black Horse Shelters a bank honeycombed by dug-outs and he had come down by the bank to where the French Communal Cemetery was but there were graves outside and around it and already a new and large cemetery existed below.
Grave in Authuille Military Cemetery of Lance-Corporal Albert Taylor G/16201 “C” Company 12th Royal Sussex killed in action Ancre 13 November 1916 aged 17. From East Ham son of late James and Ada Schneider.
Grave in Authuille Military Cemetery of Private William McBride, 9th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers killed in action 22nd April 1916 aged 21 son of Joseph and Lina McBride Roan Cottage Lislea Armagh.
This is suggested to be the Grave of “Willie McBride” who inspired seemingly the 1960’s Song composed by Eric Bogle entitled No Man’s Land or the Green Fields of France. There were three soldiers named William McBride killed in 1916: William McBride killed in action 22nd April 1916, William McBride 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers killed in action 10th February 1916 ( also buried in Authuille Military Cemetery) and William John McBride killed in action 2nd July 1916 of the Royal Irish Rifles commemorated on Thiepval Memorial. Only this headstone records an age but 21 does not rhyme with 1916 whilst 19 does!
Green Fields of France
Well how do you do, young Willie McBride,
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside?
And rest for a while neath the warm summer sun
I’ve been walking all day and I’m nearly done
I see by your gravestone you were only nineteen
When you joined the Great Fallen in Nineteen Sixteen.
I hope you died well, and I hope you died clean
Or young Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene.
Chorus:
Did they beat the drum slowly?
Did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the Dead March
As they lowered you down?
Did the band play the Last Post and chorus?
Did the pipes play “The Flowers of the Forest”?
Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind?
In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined?
Although you died back in Nineteen Sixteen
In that faithful heart are you forever Nineteen?
Or are you a stranger without even a name
Enclosed and forever behind a glass pane
In an old photograph torn, battered and stained
And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame?
Chorus
The Sun now shines on the green fields of France,
There a warm Summer breeze that makes the red poppies dance,
And look how the sun shines from under the clouds,
There’s no gas, no barbed wire, no gun fire now.
But here, in this graveyard, it’s still No Mans Land
The countless white crosses stand mute in the sand,
To man’s blind indifference to his fellow man
To a whole generation who were butchered and damned.
Chorus
And young Willie McBride, I can’t help wondering why,
Do all those who lie here know why they died?
Did they believe them when they answered the call?
And did they really believe that this war would end wars?
But the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain
The killing and dying, it was all done in vain,
For young Willie McBride, it all happened again,
And again, and again, and again and again.
Chorus
Grave in Authuille Military Cemetery, Somme of No 21406 Private William McBride 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers killed in action 10th February 1916.
Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart, Somme. 3 miles N of Albert. Begun June 1916. Records 334 UK, 26 Aust burials and 20 special memorials.
Grave in Aveluy Wood Cemetery of Private John Edward Stannard Royal Fusiliers killed in action 6th April 1918 aged 19 .Headstone bears the inscription “In affectionate remembrance from his loving wife and son.” The Register records his wife as Grace Ellen Stannard of 464 Cleethorpes Road Grimsby.
Arneke British Cemetery, Nord. Arneke is a village about 5 miles north west of Cassell and the Cemetery is about 1 mile North West of the village, on the south side of a farm track off the main road to Bourbourg. Used by Clearing Stations and Stationary Hospitals from October 1917. Records 418 U.K., 9 Aust., 3 Can., 2 N.Z., 2 S.A., 1 Unknown, some French and 2 German burials.
French Graves in Arneke British Cemetery
Grave in Arneke British Cemetery of Rifleman No. 54216 Arthur Burton 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles died 16th August 1918 aged 18 years after being gassed on the 14th August 1918. Formerly Rifleman No. 12847 King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
Brother of Miss Ada Burton of 283 Harrow Road, Maida Hill, London.
Rifleman Burton is also commemorated on the Village War Memorial at Harborough Magna near Rugby Warwickshire.
For circumstances see entry under Harborough Magna Village Memorial
Grave in Arneke British Cemetery of Rifleman No. 540302 Herbert Thomas Allen 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles who died on the 20th August 1918 after being gassed on the 14th August 1918. Formerly Rifleman No. 37402 King’s Royal Rife Corps.
For circumstances see entry for Rifleman Burton above
Grave in Arneke British Cemetery of Rifleman No. 54195 Charles Monk 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles who died on the 17th August 1918 after being gassed on the 14th August 1918. Formerly Rifleman 42396 King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
For circumstances see entry for Rifleman Burton above
Grave in Arneke British Cemetery of 2nd Lieutenant Charles Lane 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles who died on the 21st August 1918 who died on the 21st August 1918 after being gased on the 14th August 1918. Headstone bears inscription “Gone but not forgotten Respected by all.”
For circumstances see entry for Rifleman Burton above
Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel.
Grave in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel of Captain Eric S Ayre Newfoundland Regiment killed 1st July 1916 aged 27. He was one of five members of the Ayre family all killed on the 1st July 1916 and all (Captain Bernard Ayre apart who was serving with the 8th Norfolks and is buried in Carnoy Military Cemetery) were serving with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. L/Cpl Edward Ayre (“Y” Ravine Cemetery), 2nd/Lt Gerald Ayre (commemorated on Caribou Memorial in Newfoundland Park), 2nd/Lt W D Ayre (Knightsbridge Cemetery).
Grave in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel of No 24752 Private James Ford 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers killed 1st July 1916 aged 21 years, enlisted Kingstown, Co. Dublin. Son of Annie Ford of Montreal, Canada and the late John Ford. His brother Martin is also buried in this cemetery.
Grave in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel of No 9339 Private Martin Ford 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers killed 1st July 1916 aged 22. Born Blackrock Co Dublin, enlisted Dublin. Son of Annie Ford of Montreal, Canada and the late John Ford. Brother of James Ford.
Grave in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel of Lieutenant Hon. Vere Sidney Harmsworth of the Hawke Battalion Royal Naval Division killed on 13th November 1916 aged 21 years. Prior to the Ancre fighting he had been offered a Staff job but had refused stating the “greatest honour an officer can receive is to lead his men over the parapet”. In the attack Vere Harmsworth was wounded twice before reaching the German third line where a shell fell close and killed him outright.
The Hawke Battalion was part of 189th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval Division) and Lieutenant Harmsworth was killed in the course of the Battle of the Ancre 13th - 19th November 1916.
Grave in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel of Lieutenant Hon Vere Sidney Harmsworth showing bronze laurel plaque on his grave presented by Hungarian Scouts in gratitude for the stand by the Daily Mail on the restitution of Hungarian territory after the War. Vere Harmsworth was the second son of Lord Rothermere (the Newspaper proprietor) and a nephew of Lord Northcliffe.
Grave in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel of Private John McDonnell 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers killed in action 1st July 1916 aged 24. Born and enlisted Fintona Co Tyrone. The 1st Battalion was in 87th Brigade part of the 29th Division attacking the German line in front of the village of Beaumont Hamel an objective to be taken that day. Across the front of the 87th Brigade on the right ran Y Ravine with only its edge, not its hollow, visible from the British line. The German front line trench followed the edge of the Beaumont Hamel valley and then the lip of the ravine, thus forming in front of the brigade a deep re-entrant, which ensured cross fire. Both here and along the whole front of the 29th Division, owing to the convexity of the slope, the German wire was not generally visible from the British trenches, and much of it was found uncut. The 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, on the right, attacking south of the ravine, moved forward down the slight slope in admirable order, in spite of heavy casualties, Lieut.-Colonel R C Pierce the CO being amongst the killed. But the greater part of the men who reached the German front defences were held up by uncut wire. Half-a-dozen parties here and there managed to get through it, then across the front trench and even beyond it down into the valley: they were not, however, in sufficient numbers to make good. Fired at from behind by machine-guns, brought up from dug-outs which they had overrun without “mopping up” all were either killed or taken prisoners. The Battalion lost 589 men and only the 13th Royal Irish Rifles with 595 casualties sustained a greater loss. Beaumont Hamel was not captured until 13th November 1916. Headstone bears the inscription
1. “At our fireside
2. Sad and lonely
3. The children I do tell
4. How their brave father fell.”
Assevillers New British Cemetery, Somme. On a country lane E of the village about 6 miles south-west of Peronne. The cemetery was made after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields of the Somme and other burial grounds. There areover 800 1914-1918 war casualties commemorated in the cemetery of which some 320 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 25 soldiers and one airman from the UK known or believed to buried among them.
Grave in Assevillers New British Cemetery of No. 242557 Private Henry Nichols 1/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment killed in action 11th March 1917.
Private Nichols is also commemorated on the Village War Memorial at Brinklow, near Rugby Warwickshire.
For circumstances see entry under Brinklow Village Memorial.
Grave in Assevillers New British Cemetery of 2nd Lieutenant Oliver Chetwode Stokes Royal Munster Fusiliers killed in action 5th March 1917. In his Memoirs “The Storm of Steel” Ernst Junger describes an incident in the following terms: “On the 5th March a patrol approached our trench in the early morning and began to cut our wire. Lieutenant Eisen with a few men hurried off to warn the nearest pos, and threw bombs. The enemy patrol then took flight leaving two men behind them. One, a young lieutenant, died immediately; the other a sergeant was severely wounded in the arm and leg. It appeared from papers found on the officer that he belonged to the Royal Munster Fusiliers. He was very well clothed, and his features though distorted in death were intelligent and energetic. It affected me to find the addresses of several London girls in his pocket-book. We buried him behind our trench and put a simple cross at his head. I saw from this that all patrols need not end so fortunately as mine had done in days past.” Ernst Junger’s Regiment was in the line near the ruins of Villers-Carbonnel and it is believed Lieutenant Stokes was the officer referred to in this extract.
Grave in Assevillers New British Cemetery of 2nd Lieutenant Francis Terence Julian Belcher London Regiment (Cyclists) attached 1/6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment killed in action 4th February 1917 aged 17 years, son of Henry Michael Frederick and Theodora Belcher of 32 Princes Square Bayswater London. Headstone bears inscription “Loyal Jusquia La Morot.”
Agny Military Cemetery Pas de Calais is 3 miles South West of Arras and North West of the vilage of Agny. Begun by the French, used by British units and Field Ambulances from March 1916 to June 1917. Contains 407 U.K., 1 Aust., and 5 German burials.
Edward Thomas was born in London in 1878 the son of Philip Henry Thomas. He was educated at Battersea Grammar School, St. Paul’s School and Lincoln College Oxford and married Helen Noble whist still an undergraduate.
In 1912 he started writing for Poetry Review and other literary magazines and wrote mainly biographical, topographical and historical prose and some fiction until 1914 when, at the age of 36 and encouraged by his friend Robert Frost he wrote his first poetry.
On the 19th July 1915 and not revealing he had diabetes which would probably have led to his rejection he enlisted as Private No. 4229 in the 28th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment (Artists Rifles).
On the 2nd August 1914 the Battalion as Army Troops to the 2nd London Division (Territorial Force) was at Salisbury Plain for the annual camp when the Division was re-called to London and on the 5th August 1914 the Battalion was mobilised for active service.
The Battalion landed in France on the 28th October 1914 but on the way to the Ypres Salient was stopped and in effect from the 5th November 1914 became an Officers Training Corps initially at Bailleul and then St. Omer in France in April 1915 and in England.
In November 1915 Private Thomas was promoted to Lance Corporal/map reading instructor. In March 1916 he was promoted to Corporal and in September 1916 was an officer cadet with the Royal Artillery.
In November 1916 Edward Thomas was commissioned in the Royal Garrison Artillery as a 2nd Lieutenant and in December volunteered for service overseas. On the 29th January 1917 2nd Lieutenant Thomas embarked for France. He was posted to 244th Siege Battery.
In the Winter of 1916 – 1917 the Germans began the construction of a fortified line from South of Arras running south east to St. Quentin and then south to join the original front line North East of Soissons, the line running North of the River Aisne. This was the Siegfried Line – known to the Allies as the Hindenburg Line and from the beginning of February 1917 the German Army began a withdrawal to this line effecting a shortening of their front by some 25 miles and releasing 13 Divisions to a general reserve. The main withdrawal began on the 16th March and was not detected by the Allies until the 25th.
In support of an attack by the French Army in the Champagne area between Reims and Soissons with the initial aim of capturing the heights dominating the valley of the Ailette above the plain of Laon, the British Third Army was to seek to break through the German defences North of the Hindenburg Line and thus outflank the new German positions.
Some 2,879 guns were amassed and began the bombardment of the German defences on the 4th April 1917. Zero hour for the infantry attack and a tremendous artillery barrage which struck the German first line was 5.30 a.m. on the 9th April.
The 244th Siege Battery had observation posts at Ronville and later at Beaurains, a village south of Arras which had been in German hands until the withdrawal to the Hindenburg line.
2nd Lieutenant Thomas had left the dug-out apparently to fill his pipe when a shell passed so close to him that the concussive blast wave of one of the last shells fired stopped his heart and he fell to the ground with not a mark on his body.
He was 39 years of age and his body was taken back to the village of Agny east of Beaurains and about 3 miles South West of Arras and buried in the Military Cemetery in Agny, a cemetery begun by the French and then used by British units and Field Ambulances from March 1916 to June 1917.
Edward Thomas was awarded the Victory and British War Medals, sent to his widow after the war when she was living at Forge House, Otford, Sevenoaks in Kent. He and Helen had three children, a son Merfyn and two daughters Bronwen and Myfanwy.
His entire output of more than 140 poems had been written since the beginning of 1915
Athies is a village just under 4 miles East of Arras on the North side of the road from Arras to Fampoux. Both Athies and Fampoux were taken on the 9th April 1917, the opening day of the Battle of Arras. Records 287 U.K., 21 S.A., 1 Aust. and 1 German burials and 3 special memorials.
No. 18015 Private George Teasdale Nash, 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers was killed in action on the 10th April 1917 aged 26 years and is buried in Athies Communal Cemetery Extension. George Nash was the son of Henry Nash and husband of S N Nash of 54 Conyers, Byker, Newcastle on Tyne. He was born in Newcastle on Tyne and enlisted in Stomley, Durham.
On the 4th August 1914 the 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers was in 12th Brigade, 4th Division and landed at Boulogne on the 20th August 1914. Private George Nash, according to his Medal Index Card, served first in the Operational Theatre of Gallipoli (Dardenelles) on the 24th August 1915. However there is no record of that Battalion nor the 4th Division being in Gallipoli.
The Spring offensive of April – May 1917 is known as the Battle of Arras. The attack was launched on the 9th April 1917, Easter Sunday. The 9th Division began its advance at 0530 and is final objective was the village of Athies and Le Point du Jour on the Arras to Douai road and the 4th Division was to leapfrog through those attacking troops starting at 3.15 p.m. to its objective, a line some 500 yards East of Fampoux. In the first stage of its advance, the 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers had only 5 casualties. Fampoux was taken but it was impossible to progress to the final objective because of machine-gun fire from the railway embankment to the south east.
During the morning of the 10th April, XVII Corps commander, Lieutenant General Sir Colin Fergusson, had told General Sir Edmund Allenby, commanding 3rd Army, that he did not think I would be possible to exploit the success won at Fampoux by sending forward formed bodies of infantry because there was no chance of giving them adequate artillery support but a rapid advance by cavalry might succeed in seizing Greenland Hill some 1500 yards East of the chemical works at Roeux, which dominated all the ground within a circle of some 2000 yard radius. Brigadier General Carton de Wiart commanding the 12th Brigade had sent a company from the 1st Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) which was halted by heavy machine gun fire from the Rouex Chemical Works. The 5th Dragoon Guards, advanced guard to the 1st Cavalry Brigade, reached Fampoux about 4.30 p.m. when following discussions with the officers commanding the 1st King Own and the 2nd Duke of Wellingtons it was plain that mounted action was not feasible and dismounted action by the cavalry was unlikely to be any more effective than that of the infantry. Heavy snow began to fall and at 5.30 p.m. it was reported that the Germans were counter-attacking the 4th Division which was beaten back by British artillery fire. At Fampoux, the only point where the Oppy-Mericourt enemy defences had been breached, no serious attempt had been made to exploit that success owing to the lack of artillery support.
Private Nash was one of six from the 2nd Battalion killed in action on the 10th April 1917. No. 3933 Private James Devonport and No. 15756 Private Isaac Whitehouse (like Private Nash) are buried in Athies Communal Cemetery Extension. No. 37049 Private Sampson Bradbury and No. 84 Private Edwin Mason are buried in Brown’s Copse Cemetery, Rouex, which is northwest of the village of Rouex and on the Eastern outskirts of Fampoux. No. 34822 Private Arthur Huntington is buried in Sunken Road Cemetery, Fampoux, just over 4 miles East of Arras and on the road to Bailleul, a village North East of Arras and west of Oppy village.
The six are buried in three cemeteries, Athies being some 2000 yards East of Fampoux and obviously nearer to Arras whilst the other two cemeteries are near Fampoux. This suggests all were killed by random enemy machine-gun or rifle fire with the bodies of Privates Nash, Devonport and Whitehouse being taken back to Athies whilst the other three were buried closer to where they were hit.
Private George Nash was awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star as he served in a theatre of war against Germany and her allies effectively after midnight on 22-23 November 1914 and the 31st December 1915.
Nash
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