St. Riquier British Cemetery Somme. 6 miles NE of Abbeville. Original burials made April to July 1918. Enlarged after Armistice. Records 30 UK, 11 Aust, 4 Can, 3 S.A. & 35 Ind burials

Redan Ridge Cemetery No.2 Beaumont-Hamel, Somme. 8 miles N of Albert, 1 mile NW of the village. 100 yards W of old German line. Records 279 UK burials of the 2nd, 4th and 29th Divisions.

Redan Ridge Cemetery No.2 Beaumont-Hamel, Somme. 8 miles N of Albert, 1 mile NW of the village. 100 yards W of old German line. Records 279 UK burials of the 2nd, 4th and 29th Divisions.

Redan Ridge Cemetery No.2 Beaumont-Hamel, Somme. 8 miles N of Albert, 1 mile NW of the village. 100 yards W of old German line. Records 279 UK burials of the 2nd, 4th and 29th Divisions.

Redan Ridge Cemetery No.2 Beaumont-Hamel, Somme. 8 miles N of Albert, 1 mile NW of the village. 100 yards W of old German line. Records 279 UK burials of the 2nd, 4th and 29th Divisions.

Redan Ridge Cemetery No.2 Beaumont-Hamel, Somme. 8 miles N of Albert, 1 mile NW of the village. 100 yards W of old German line. Records 279 UK burials of the 2nd, 4th and 29th Divisions.

Redan Ridge Cemetery No.2 Beaumont-Hamel, Somme. 8 miles N of Albert, 1 mile NW of the village. 100 yards W of old German line. Records 279 UK burials of the 2nd, 4th and 29th Divisions.

Railway Hollow Cemetery, Hebuterne, Pas de Calais. 8 miles N of Albert, W of Serre. Burials from Fourth Army (V Corps) who fell in attack on Serre 1st July 1916. Large number of York and Lancashire Regiment. Records 107 UK and 2 French burials.

Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension, Mericourt-Ribemont, Somme. 1 mile NW of Mericourt-Ribemont station, 5 miles SW of Albert. Used from May to August 1918 by units engaged in defence of Amiens. Records 269 UK., 178 Aust., 4 Can., 2 SA., 15 unknown burials and 15 special memorials.

Graves in Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension of No 5/1791 Private John Cameron 1/5th Northumberland Fusiliers executed 4th December 1916 for desertion. His army number suggests that he enlisted prior to the outbreak of war. He had been in France for just a year at the time of his offence. Cameron’s unit had fought a considerable number of actions on the Somme before he went absent. It can only be assumed that the strain of battle had undermined his resolve as previously the soldier had been of good character. No S/9120 Private Jack Calder 8/10th Battalion Gordon Highlanders killed in action 11th November 1916 aged 24 years. Born Hamilton, Lanarkshire, enlisted Glasgow. No S/6501 Corporal Robert J Chisholm 8/10th Battalion Gordon Highlanders killed in action 11th November 1916 aged 29 years. Son of Mrs Chisholm of Aberdeen, and the late Robert Chisholm. Born Huntly, Aberdeenshire, enlisted Dundee.

Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, Pas de Calais. Fleurbaix is a village 3 miles SW of Armentieres the cemetery being about a mile S of the village on the south side of the road from Petillon to La Boutillerie. Begun in December 1914 and used by fighting units until March 1918, adjoined “Eaton Hall” Headquarters and dressing station. Records 1,129 U.K., 291 Aust., 40 Can., 24 N.Z., 2 Guernsey , 12 German burials and 23 special memorials.

Graves in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery of No 244762 Private Herbert Frank Close 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 26th February 1917; No 244758 Private David John Thomas 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 26th February 1917, Headstone bears inscription “Thy will be done”; No 241677 Private George Henry Allen 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 26th February 1917; No 241583 Private John Gore 2/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 26th February 1917 and No 241576 Private John Sanderson 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 26th February 1917, Headstone bears inscription “Too dearly loved to be forgotten.” These were the first casualties of the Battalion which had formed at Bolton October 1914 and was at Blackdown by October 1916 leaving there on the 8th February 1917 for France and landed at Havre on the 9th February 1917 strength 37 officers and 988 Other Ranks. On the 20th February the Battalion began the relief of another battalion in the trenches in the Fleurbaix sector the relief being completed at 1130 on the 25th February the five being killed at 1230 on the 26th February.

Graves in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery of No 241700 Private John Hurst 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 13th March 1917, Headstone bears inscription “When days are dark and friends are few Dear husband, how I think of you.” No 203332 Private William Stanley Whalley 2/4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 23rd March 1917; No 242195 Private Thomas Birchall Hunt 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 24th March 1917; No 242320 Private Charles Kay 2/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 1st April 1917 and No 242062 Private Ernest Pilkington 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment also killed in action 1st April 1917, Headstone bears inscription “Only those who have loved and lost really realise the meaning of gone.” Privates Hurst, Hunt, Kay and Pilkington were the next four casualties of the Battalion in the period 13th March to 1st April.

Graves in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery of No 18589 Private Harold Sumner 2/4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 4th April 1917; No 201990 Private William Gillett 2/4th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 6th April 1917; No 241693 Private Elijah Brandwood 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 14th April 1917, Headstone bears inscription “Of your charity, pray for the repose of his soul.” No 241866 Private William Wright 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 14th April 1917; No. 200733 Lance Corporal William Henry Burrell 2/4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 20th April 1917. Headstone bears inscription “Thy will not mine Oh Lord.” Privates Brandwood and Wright were the 10th and 11th fatal casualties of the Battalion Privates Sumner and Gillett and Lance Corporal Burrell being casualties of the 2/4th Battalion relieving the 2nd/5th in the Cordonierre sector and it is noted how the casualties were buried next to each other in order of date of death.

Grave in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery of Major William Ainsworth 2nd in command 2/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment killed in action 16th April 1917. Headstone bears inscription “Waiting for the glorious appearance of our saviour.” Titus 2/13. Son of the late Mrs Ainsworth of Marylands Bolton, husband of Bertha A Ainsworth of 1 Stanley Road, Hastings. The Battalion had relieved the 2/4th Loyal North Lancashire on the 12th April in the Cordonnerie Sector and Major Ainsworth was killed at 1230 on the 16th April 1917. He was the first officer of the Battalion to be killed.

View detailed Record of Major William Ainsworth

Rosieres British Cemetery, Vauvillers, Somme.  21 miles East of Amiens, south of Bray-sur-Somme off the D929 which passes through Proyart and Vauvillers, the cemetery being in open country to the North of the D937 from Harbonnieres to Chaulnes,  about a mile North of the village of Rosieres-en-Santerre.  All casualties buried in the cemetery fell between the 23rd and 26th March 1918 during the German offensive.  Records 59 U.K. burials.

 Grave in Rosieres British Cemetery of No. Z/2347 Rifleman John Matthews 3rd Battalion  the Rifle Brigade who died of wounds on the 25th March 1918 aged 23 years.  Son of Mr. and Mrs. W Matthews of Churchover, Rugby.  Commemorated on the Churchover Village War Memorial.

For circumstances see entry under Churchover Village Memorial

 Grave in Rosieres British Cemetery of No. 7367 Private William Tallon, VII Corps Cyclist Battalion,  Army Cyclist Corps, who died on the 24th March 1918 aged 26 years.  Son of Thomas and Mary Jane Tallon of 6 Coronation Terrace, St. Helens, Bishop Auckland.

 Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme.  Roisel is a small town about 8 miles East of Peronne.  The Cemetery is on the East of the road at the north end of the town leading to Villers-Faucon.  The town was occupied by British troops in April 1917 and evacuated on the 22nd March 1918 after a strong defence by the 66th (East Lancs.) Division.  The Cemetery was begun by the Germans and developed in October and November 1918 by 41st, 48th, 53rd and 58th Casualty Clearing Stations.  After the Armistice there was a concentration of graves from areas to the North, South and East of the town and the Cemetery now records 721 U.K., 106 Aust., 29 S.A., 6 Can. and about 500 German burials and 15 special memorials.

 Grave in Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension of 2nd Lieutenant John Crawford Buchan,  V.C., 7th Battalion Princess Louise’s (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) died 22nd March 1918 aged 25 years.  He was attached to the 8th Battalion at the date of his death and was fighting in an action about 7 miles south of Roisel, near the village of Villeveque south of the Omignon River and about 9 miles North East of Voyennes where the last unit of the Brigade crossed the Somme River about 6 a.m. on the 23rd March, the Battalion being in 183rd Brigade, 61st Division.

An extract from The London Gazette dated 21st May 1918 records “For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty.  When fighting with his platoon in the forward position of the battle zone, 2nd Lt. Buchan, although wounded early in the day, insisted on remaining with his man and continually visited all his posts encouraging and cheering his men in spite of most severe shell fire, from which his platoon was suffering heavy casualties.  Later when the enemy were creeping closer and heavy machine-gun fire was raking his position, 2nd Lt. Buchan, with utter disregard of his personal safety, continued to visit his posts and though still further injured accidentally, he continued to encourage his men and visit his posts.  Eventually when he saw the enemy had practically surrounded his command he collected his platoon and prepared to fight his way back to the supporting line.  At this point the enemy, who had crept round his right flank, rushed towards him shouting out “Surrender.”  “To hell with surrender” he replied and shooting the foremost of the enemy he finally repelled this advance with his platoon.  He then fought his way back to the supporting line of the forward position where he held out till dusk.  At dusk he fell back as ordered but in spite of his injuries again refused to go to the aid post, saying his place was beside his men.  Owing to the unexpected withdrawal of troops on he left flank it was impossible to send orders to 2nd Lt. Buchan to withdraw, as he was already cut off, and he was last seen holding out against overwhelming odds.  The gallantry, self-sacrifice, and utter disregard of personal safety displayed by this officer during these two days of most severe fighting is in keeping with the highest traditions of the British Army.”

Grave in Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension of No. 201023 Private Albert Henry Broadhurst 5th Battalion the Tank Corps killed in action 22nd March 1918 aged 26 years.  Son of Richard and Clara Broadhurst of Faversham Kent and husband of Lilian Broadhurst of 104 Spencers Road Crawley Sussex, born Faversham and enlisted Red Hill Surrey.  Previously served as No. 68895 Machine Gun Corps.