KNIGHTSBRIDGE CEMETERY
Mesnil-Martinsart
Somme
France
General Directions: The village of Mesnil is about 8 kilometres north of the town of Albert on the D129 road. The cemetery is about 2 kilometres north-east of Mesnil (signposted in the centre of Mesnil). Access is by a farm track of which 1 kilometre is tarmac and 1 kilometre is dirt track (unsuitable for cars). The cemetery is 200 metres from the track and no permanent grass pathway exists.
This cemetery, which is named after a communication trench which ran through the area, was begun at the outset of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. It was used by units fighting on that front until the German withdrawal in February 1917 and was used again by fighting units from the end of March to July 1918, when the German advance brought the front line back to the Ancre. After the Armistice, burials in Rows G, H and J were added when graves were brought in from isolated positions on the battlefields of 1916 and 1918 round Mesnil.
Further Information: As can be seen from the directions above, access and parking are extremely difficult to this cemetery. It can be treacherous in wet weather.
Casualty Details: UK 490, Canada 39, Australia 1, New Zealand 18, Total Burials: 548
11/49 Serjeant
Frank Cox
11th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment.
27/06/1916, aged 25.
Son of Alfred and Mary Jane Cox, of "Rose Ville," East Acridge, Barton-on-Humber, Lincs.
Row H. 65.
The raid in which this soldier was killed is described in Michael Bilton's book "Hull Pals".
Photo courtesy of his grandson Chris Cox.
20/565 Private
James Henderson
20th (Tyneside Scottish) Bn.
Northumberland Fusiliers
01/07/1916
Row J. 28.
He was reported missing July 1st 1916 when serving in France, at the Battle of the Somme.
My grandmother had 3 children, my mother aged 8, her sister aged 6 and brother aged 4.
She received a letter from the war office dated 7th July 1917 saying as no further news had been forthcoming, he was officially presumed dead.
His name is in the regiments records at the Crypt in Edinburgh Castle.
I recently found details on the War Graves records that he had a grave at Knightsbridge Cemetery in Mesnil.
My husband and I made a journey to Albert in 2006, 90th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, and found the beautiful cemetery and his named grave,J27.
It was a very proud moment for me, his first relative to see it.
His family moved to Hull, E. Yorks in approx 1920, I would love his name to be placed on your Roll of Honour.
Picture courtesy Barbara Pawson
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