Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, Albert, Somme, France

ALBERT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Albert

Somme

France

GPS: 2.65489,49.99759

General Directions: Albert is a town 28 kilometres north-east of Amiens. The Communal Cemetery is on the south-east side of Albert and at the junction of the roads to Peronne (D938) and Bray sur Somme (D329), and the extension is entirely enclosed by it. The main entrance to the cemetery is on the Peronne road.

Albert was held by French forces against the German advance on the Somme in September, 1914. It passed into British hands in the summer of 1915; and the first fighting in July, 1916, is known as the Battle of Albert, 1916. It was captured by the Germans on the 26th April, 1918, and before its recapture by the 8th East Surreys on the following 22nd August (in the Battle of Albert, 1918,) it had been completely destroyed by artillery fire. The town was later "adopted" by the City of Birmingham. The Extension was used by fighting units and Field Ambulances from August, 1915 to November, 1916, and more particularly in and after September, 1916, when Field Ambulances were concentrated at Albert. From November, 1916, the 5th Casualty Clearing Station used it for two months. From March, 1917, it was not used (except for four burials in March, 1918) until the end of August, 1918, when Plot II was made by the 18th Division. During the 1939-45 War the extension was used again, when the French moved into it British casualties from isolated graves in and around Albert.

The extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens & George Hartley Goldsmith

Shot at Dawn: 3057 Private H. Palmer, 1st/5th Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers, executed for desertion on 27/10/1916. Plot I. P. 65.

Shot at Dawn: 89173 Pioneer E. Beeby, 212th Company, Royal Engineers, executed for desertion on 09/12/1916. Plot I. R. 43.

The mass pardon of 306 British Empire soldiers executed for certain offences during the Great War was enacted in section 359 of the Armed Forces Act 2006, which came into effect on royal assent on 8 November 2006.

Casualty Details: UK 618, Canada 202, Australia 39, India 3, Total Burials: 862