Martinsart British Cemetery, Mesnil-Martinsart, Somme. 3 miles N of Albert 1 mile S of Mesnil S of village. Begun in June 1916 and used as a front-line Cemetery until October 1916 and in September 1918. Records 377 UK, 8 NZ, 1 Aust ,96 Unknown burials and 6 special memorials.

Martinsart British Cemetery Mesnil-Martinsart, Somme.

Graves in Martinsart British Cemetery of a platoon of the 13th Royal Irish Rifles (County Down Volunteers) hit by a heavy German shell while parading in the village on 28 June 1916 ready to go into the trenches for the attack at Thiepval. 17 men were killed including the RSM and a CSM.

Details next entry 

Graves in Martinsart British Cemetery, Martinsart, Somme of CSM Joseph McCoy, Riflemen Richard Crawley, George Heenan, Alexander Jones, Joseph Thompson, Thomas Mercer, Thomas John Bell, Joseph Martin, CSM James Beaston. Riflemen Albert Crangle, Samuel Hamilton, William Darragh, John Carson and David Dale all of 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles killed by a German shell on 28th June 1916. Two other Riflemen of this Battalion were also killed on the 28th June1916, Rifleman Hugh Graham and Rifleman S Skillen and both are buried in Authiele Military Cemetery. . “On the evening of the 28th June 1916 “Y” day, the battalion (13th Battalion) was relieving the 11th Rifles in Thiepval Wood, and marching out of Martinsart by platoons at two hundred yards’ interval. As number 11 Platoon and battalion headquarters were about to march out together a shell fell right in the midst of the party. Fourteen were killed on the spot, and ten more died later. Almost all the rest were wounded, including the second-in-command Major R. P. Maxwell, and the adjutant, Captain Wright. The confusion in the pitch darkness, with scarce a man on his feet, was appalling. Fortunately a platoon of the 11th Rifles, just relieved from the trenches, appeared on the scene, and the street was speedily cleared.”

Grave in Martinsart British Cemetery, Martinsart, Somme of Colonel Herbert Clifford Bernard commanding 10th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles killed 1st July 1916. Born at Cheltenham. Son of Robert Bernard MD, RN., Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals and Fleets, and Sarah Augusta Clifford. Served in the Burmese War (1885-1891). Commanded the 45th (Rattray’s) Sikhs from 1909 to 1914, after which he retired from the Indian Army. Headstone bears inscription “Miles Generosu Comitate, Fidelitate Virtue Pariter Insigis.”

Grave in Martinsart British Cemetery, Martinsart, Somme of Lieut-Commander Frederick Septimus Kelly DSC Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division died 13th November 1916.

A scholar of Balliol College Oxford, known as "Clegg" a tallented pianist who had perfrmed at Queen's Hall and Aeolian Hall in London but during his time at Eton and Oxford his musical genius was overshadowed by his prowess as an oarsman, being a triple Diamond Sculls winner.

On the 1st March 1915 he left for the Mediterranaen en route for Gallipoli in the company of amongst others Rupert Brooke.  By April they had reached Lemnos when on the 7th April a party including Rupert Brook landed on the Island of Skyros.  Later in the month Rupert Brook landed on Skyros with his platoon but on return to the ship he was taken ill and despite being moved to a French hospital and an opeaation he died from septicaemia on the 23rd April 1915.  It was decided he would be buried on Skyros and Lieutenant Commander Kelly was present at the hastily arranged funeral.  Twelve Australians carried the coffin to the olive grove which his fellow officers had selected as the place for burial and Lieutenant Patrick Shaw-Stewart commanded a guard of honour.  Just before the Hood Battalion sailed for Gallipoli Frederick Kelly began work on a musical elegy to Rupert Brooke.

The Hood Battalion was part of 189th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval)Division and Lieut-Commander Kelly was killed in the course of the Battle of the Ancre 13th - 19th November 1916.

Mesnil Communal Cemetery Extension, Mesnil-Martinsart, Somme. 4 miles N of Albert, S of village on road to Martinsart. Begun in July 1916 and used again as a front-line Cemetery in 1918. Records 252 UK., 7 NZ., 5 Can., 59 Unknown burials and 10 special memorials.

Mesnil Communal Cemetery Extension, Mesnil-Martinsart, Somme.

Mesnil Communal Cemetery Extension, Mesnil-Martinsart, Somme.

View of Mesnil Communal Cemetery Extension from track leading to Auchonvillers.

Mailly Wood Cemetery, Somme. 1 mile SW of village of Mailly-Maillet and 5 miles N of Albert. Begun by 2nd Seaforths June 1916 and used by 51st (Highland) Division November 1916, 12th and 21st Divisions in May and August 1918. Records 624 UK., 27 NZ., 3 SA, 41 Unknown burials and 8 special memorials.

Graves in Mailly Wood Cemetery of Privates D Smith, A Brown, M McKay, Lance Corporals G T Clark, A McDonald, W McCulloch, Privates J Dewar, Alfred Hill alias A Smith, C Graham, J Sinclair, Sgt J Wood, L/Cpl J Smith and Sgt H K Hendry the 13 men of the 2nd Seaforths buried on 25 June 1916 when the cemetery was started. The preliminary British bombardment for the July offensive had started the previous day and the Germans retaliated that night by shelling the place where the Seaforths were bivouacked; 51 men were killed or wounded by one shell.

Grave in Mailly Wood Cemetery of Captain Herbert Geoffrey Lush-Wilson Royal Horse Artillery. Serving in Y Battery he fought at Gallipoli with the 29th Division and he and his battery came to France with that division in April 1916. He was awarded the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and was killed near Mailly by counter-battery fire on 21 July 1916.

Grave in Mailly Wood Cemetery of Sergeant Harold John Colley VC MM of the 10th Lancashires Fusiliers who died of wounds on 25th August 1918 aged 23 years. An extract from the London Gazette records “For most conspicuous bravery and initiative when in command of a platoon in support of forward platoons which had been ordered to hold on at all costs. When the enemy counter-attacked in force he rushed forward on his own initiative to help the forward line, rallying and controlling the men holding it. The enemy by this time were advancing quickly, and had already obtained a footing in the trench. Sergeant Colley then formed a defensive flank and held it. Out of the two platoons only three men remained unwounded and he himself was dangerously wounded. It was entirely due to Sergeant Colley’s actions that the enemy were prevented from breaking through, and were eventually driven off. His courage and tenacity saved a very critical situation.” Son of John and Hannah Elizabeth Colley of 74 Cheshire Road, Smethwick, Staffs.

Mailly-Maillet Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme. 5 miles N of Albert, N of the village. The village was severely shelled and the catacombs under the village were prepared for use by troops after March 1918. Cemetery used August 1915 to December 1916 and in March – July 1918. Records 122 UK., 3 NZ and 1 Newfld. Burials.

Graves in Mailly-Maillet Communal Cemetery Extension of Riflemen J  McCracken and J Templeton 15/RIrishRifles. Executed 19 March 1916 for desertion. Both came from Belfast, had served with the battalion since it arrived in France in October 1915. They were tried on the 27 February for desertion and McCracken was then aged 19 but he had 3 previous convictions 2 involving absence and both were executed side by side.

Grave in Mailly-Maillet Communal Cemetery Extension of Private A Stevenson 1/7 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders died 16 September 1915.

Mesnil Ridge Cemetery, Mesnil-Martinsart, Somme. 5 miles N of Albert 2 miles N of the village. Used from August 1915 to July 1916. Records 90 UK., and 1 Newfld burials.

Mesnil Ridge Cemetery, Mesnil-Martinet, Somme 

View of Munich Trench British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme.

Munich Trench British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme. 2 miles N of Beaucourt-Hamel, 150yads W of Waggon road. Beaumont-Hamel was captured  November 1916 in Battle of Ancre. Records 126 UK burials.

For background see entry France Cemeteries "N" New Munich Trench 

Grave in Munich Trench Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel of Lieutenant acting Captain Vivian Edward Fanning 2nd Battalion Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry killed in action 14 November 1916 aged 19 . Headstone bears inscription “After 3 months fighting he was killed leading his Company.” The 2nd Battalion arrived on the Somme on 20th July 1916 and was engaged in the unsuccessful attack on Waterlot Farm on the 30 July. As part of 5th Brigade in support of 6th Brigade between Bernafay and Trones Wood on 8th August. Beaumont section trenches on 23 August. Front line Beaumont section 4 September. Front line again on 16 September. Took over trenches Serre left sub-sector on 6th October. Trenches Redan sector 25th October. Moved from Mailly-Maillet to assembly positions after dark on 12th November 1916 in support of 24th Royal Fusiliers during operations along Redan Ridge and towards Beaumont Trench. Small party driven back from Frankfurt Trench. Son of Frederick Charles and Beatrice Margaret Fanning.

Mericourt-L’Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme. E of village. Summer 1915 front was taken over by British and Mericourt-Ribemont Station became a railhead. From March 1918 to August was used by units engaged in defence of Amiens. Records 230 UK., 122 Aust., 4 Can., 51 unknown burials and 2 special memorials.

Grave in Mericourt-L’Abbe Communal Cemetery of No 11788 Private John Dunn 8th (Service) Battalion Devonshire Regiment died of wounds 18th March 1916 aged 19 years. Born Culmstock, Devon, enlisted Exeter. Headstone bears inscription ”Also in memory of No 2852 Private Wilfred R Dunn aged 24, 23rd Bn London Regiment killed at Givenchy 26th May 1915.” This is a reference to No 2852 Private Wilfred Robert Dunn London Regiment 23rd (County of London ) Battalion. Enlisted Clapham Junction. Residence Exeter, Devon. Son of the late John and Lilian Dunn. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial. This Memorial is within Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’Avoue, Pas de Calais and records the 13,479 missing soldiers who have no known grave and who fell in the Battles of La Bassee, Neuve-Chapelle, Aubers Ridge and Festubert 1914 – 1915. At 2330 hours on the 15 May 1915 between Festubert and Neuve Chapelle  the 2nd and Meerut Divisions of 1 Corps began the first British night attack of the war followed three and a half hours later in daylight by 7th Division to their south. The 23rd Battalion took part in the attack in the Givenchy sector on the 25th-26th May 1915 and were relieved from captured trenches in the afternoon. Total casualties were 13 officers and 486 other ranks.

Headstones in Mericourt-L’Abbe Communal Cemetery bearing inscriptions “To the memory of these two British Soldiers who died as prisoners of war in 1918 and who were buried at the time in Clery-sur Somme German Cemetery and whose graves are now lost. Their glory shall not be blotted out. G/8066 Sergeant Frank Kerman MM 7th Battalion The Buffs ( East Kent Regiment) died of wounds 7th August 1918. Time passes memories linger, Alice. Born Walthamstow, enlisted Tottenham, residence Willesden. Husband of Alice Emily Kerman of 55 Lincoln Road Ponders End Middlesex No 42863 Lance Corporal Frederick Smith 10th Battalion Essex Regiment died of wounds 9th August 1918. Born Dunstable, enlisted Luton, residence Luton.”

Montcornet Military Cemetery, Montcornet,Aisne. 21 miles East of Laon, South and on the outskirts of the village on the road to Lislet. Records originally 56 U.K. burials and 3 special memorials but now with the additional casualties brought in over 100 U.K. burials over 50 from the Great War being unidentified. Montcornet was a German hospital centre in 1918. The Military Cemetery contains the graves of British soldiers who were originally buried with French, Russian and German dead in a site adjoining the cemetery. The French, Russian and German graves were removed to other cemeteries in 1919 and the British graves were regrouped to form the present cemetery. Between 1927 and 1938, the bodies of British soldiers recovered from former battlefields east of Soissons were buried here; most of these were unknown and fell in September 1914.

Grave in Montcornet Military Cemetery of Lieutenant Mark Kincaid Mackenzie 4th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps attached 3rd Battalion the Rifle Brigade killed in action 25th September 1914 aged 26 years. The Battalion had disembarked at St. Nazaire on the 12th September 1914 with the 6th Division and it was decided that the Division should be temporarily broken up and distributed amongst the weary troops of the Expeditionary Force. The Battalion as part of the 17th Infantry Brigade on the 21st September 1914 was sent to relieve the 5th Infantry Brigade from the neighbourhood of the Germe de Metz in the Braye valley to La Cour de Soupir after the heavy attacks of September 20th. The Battalion had in fact arrived just too late to take part in the heavy fighting which had raged until then although on the 25th September the Battalion made a dawn attack on a German advanced trench which as an officer of the Battalion candidly observed “was not the surprise it was intended to be.” Two officers were killed, Major Anthony Drummond Boden and Lieutenant Mackenzie and Captain P.A Kennedy wounded with heavy casualties in “C” and “D” Company, 23 other ranks being killed, which carried out the operations. Headstone bears inscription “Onward Christian Soldier.” Son of the Hon. Lord Charles Kincaid Mackenzie, LL.D and Lady Mackenzie Mackenzie (nee Young) of Edinburgh, brother of Mr. A.D, Mackenzie of Wester Shian Gullane East Lothian. Major Drummond and twenty of the other ranks having no known grave being recorded on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, Seine-et-Marne which commemorates 3,888 “Missing” who fell in the Battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne and the Aisne and who have no known grave. Riflemen James Allen and William John Gross are buried with Lieutenant Mackenzie in Montcornet Military Military Cemetery whilst Rifleman Frederick William Thomas Cook is buried in Vendresse British Cemetery, Aisne, 12 miles South of Laon, a cemetery made after the Armistice from isolated graves.

Grave in Montcornet Military Cemetery of No 33927 Private William Cromwell 5th Battalion Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment) (The Green Howards) died 21st September 1918 aged 24 years. Formerly S/4090264 Royal Army Service Corps. Headstone bears inscription “Our Lady of Good Counsel Interceded for him From his loving wife. RIP.” Son of Samuel and Annie Cromwell of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, husband of Bridget Cromwell of 8 Healy Street, Dublin.

Meteren Military Cemetery Nord.  Meteren is a village about 11 miles south west of Ypres in Belgium and 3 miles west of Bailleul on the road to Cassell.  First taken by 10th Brigade of the 4th Division  on 13th October 1914, finally retaken by 9th (Scottish) Division July 19th 1918 after a fortnight’s bombardment.  Records 583 U.K., 104 Aust., 31 S.A., 22 N.Z., 15 Ind., 5 Can., 1 Newfld., 65 French and 7 special memorials.

Graves in Meteren Military Cemetery of six unknown soldiers of the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) died on the 13th October 1914.

Grave in Meteren Military Cemetery of No. 7916 Private James Cooke of the 1st Battalion  King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) killed in action 13th October 1914 aged 29 years.

Born St. Pauls Stalybridge enlisted Hyde Cheshire.  Husband of Mamie Cooke 5 Sidebottom Street Stalybridge.

Grave in Meteren Military Cemetery of No. 2185 Private William Edward Hawthorne of the 1st Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) killed in action 13th October 1914 aged 20 years.

Born Padham enlisted Blackburn Lancs.  Son of Mrs Mary J Whittaker 86 Skiddaw Street Blackburn.

Grave in Meteren Military Cemetery of No. 9163 Corporal Arthur Harrison Proctor of the 1st Battalion  King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) killed in action 13th October 1914.

Born Kirkby Lonsdale enlisted Lancaster.

For circumstances of the deaths of the unknown soldiers and Privates Cooke and Hawthorne and Corporal Proctor see entry under Pailton Village Memorial for Lieutenant Anthony George Attwood Morris