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Graves in Norfolk Cemetery of Private John Jennings 2/S Lancs and Private Griffith Lewis 2/S Lancs executed 26 June 1916 for desertion. Both had served in France in 1914 as Reservists but had left Lancashire on 25th October 1915 on a draft bound for 2 South Lancs. In London the party left their kit at Waterloo Station before marching to the Union Jack Club where they were allowed to fall out. When the draft was re assembled Jennings and Lewis were absent. Nothing further was seen of the duo until they were arrested by the Shoreditch Police on 18 May 1916 and handed over to military escort and shipped out to the Battalion billeted in a back area of the Somme. Their Court Martial took place on 20 June 1916.
The Battle of the Somme ended on a ridge North of Beaucourt and East of Beaumont-Hamel on the 18th/19th November 1916. On the 13th November 1916 the 51st (Highland) Division were unable to capture the German trench Munich Trench but in “whirling sleet which afterwards turned to rain” attempts to seize the Ridge began ending with the loss of some 22,000 men for an advance of abut 2000 yards, only ending because of the terrible weather conditions and the mud. “We found two English soldiers up to their armpits in mud, one dead, the other facing him was stark mud. We gave him food and got him out as soon as we could but he died.”
The most southerly cemetery is New Munich Trench, followed by Frankfurt Trench (France – Cemeteries “F”) and Waggon Road Cemetery (France – Cemeteries “W”) with the most northerly Munich Trench British Cemetery (France Cemeteries “M”). Also on the Ridge but over to the North East is Ten Tree Alley Cemetery (France – Cemeteries “T”).
New Munich Trench British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme. 1 mile NE of Beaucourt-Hamel. New Munich Trench was dug during the night of 14th November 1916 by 2/2nd Highland Field Company. Records 146 UK burials.
Grave in New Munich Trench British Cemetery of Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Sidney Frederick Johnson, 3rd Battalion attached 2nd Battalion the Border Regiment. Died 10th January 1917. Headstone bears inscription “Although wounded earlier took the front line. Wounded Festubert 1915.” The Battalion had been ordered to attack Leave Avenue and Muck Trench (east from Beaumont Hamel/towards Beaucourt) and at 0200 British Field Guns put a barrage on No Man’s Land, by which time attacking troops had formed up and commenced to move forward; 30 minutes the enemy positions had been captured, with 146 prisoners and 2 machine-guns being seized. The casualties in the Battalion were slight and occurred chiefly from the British guns, due to the fact that the attackers followed up the barrage too closely; although their rapid advance prevented the enemy getting out of his dug-outs and using his machine-guns on the barrage lifting. Captain Johnson with 6 other ranks were killed, 2 officers and 44 other ranks were wounded. | 
