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General Directions: From Bethune follow the signs for Armentieres until
you are on the D171. Continue on this road through Essars and Le Touret
village. Approximately 1 kilometre after Le Touret village and about 5
kilometres before you reach the intersection with the D947, Estaires to La
Bassee road, the Cemetery lies on the right hand side of the road. Located
at the east end of the cemetery is Le Touret Memorial, which commemorates
over 13,000 servicemen who fell in this area before 25 September 1915 and
who have no known grave.
The Cemetery was
begun by the Indian Corps (and in particular by the 2nd Leicesters) in
November, 1914, and it was used continuously by Field Ambulances and
fighting units until March, 1918. It passed into German hands in April,
1918, and after its recapture a few further burials were made in Plot IV in
September and October. The grave of one Officer of the London Regiment was
brought in in 1925 from a position on the Estaires-La Bassee road near "Port
Arthur", and the 264 Portuguese graves of March, 1917 and April, 1919 were
removed to Richebourg-L'Avoue Portuguese National Cemetery after the
Armistice.
Victoria
Cross:
The following four soldiers are commemorated on the Le Touret
Memorial within the cemetery:
Private
Abraham Acton, VC, "B" Coy. 2nd Bn. Border Regiment, died 16/05/1915.
Corporal
William Anderson, VC, 2nd Bn. Yorkshire Regiment, killed in Action
13/03/1915.
Private
Edward Barber, VC, 1st Bn. Grenadier Guards, presumed to have died on or
since 12/03/1915.
Private
Jacob Rivers, VC, 1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment),
killed in action 12/03/1915.
More views of this cemetery
Casualty Details: UK 891, Canada 11, India 9, Germany
4, Total Burials: 915
 |
Commemorated
on the Le Touret Memorial:
Corporal
William Anderson, VC
"The London Gazette" 21st March 1915
records the following:
For most conspicuous bravery at
Neuve-Chapelle on 12th March 1915, when he led three men with bombs against
a large party of the enemy who had entered our trenches, and by his prompt
and determined action saved, what otherwise might have become a serious
situation. Cpl Anderson first threw his own bombs, then those in the
possession of his three men (who had been wounded) amongst the Germans,
after which he opened rapid rifle fire upon them with great effect,
notwithstanding that at the time he was quite alone.
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Sapper 2214
John Dunlop
1st Lowland
Field Company, Royal Engineers
KIA
09/05/1915, aged 22.
Son of Hugh
and J.S.M. Dunlop, of 116C, Deedes St., Airdrie, Lanarkshire.
Le Touret
Memorial, Panel 1.
Image
courtesy of Joseph O'Raw and William Kilgour
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Lance Corporal 1225
George McKee
1st Lowland Field Company, Royal
Engineers.
KIA 09/05/1915, aged 27
Son of John McKee, of Forest St.,
Airdrie; husband of Isabella Smith McKee, of 1H, Buchanan St., Airdrie.
Le Touret Memorial, Panel 1.
Image courtesy of Joseph O'Raw and William Kilgour |
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Sapper 2057
Alexander
Arthur
1st Lowland
Field Company, Royal Engineers
KIA
09/05/1915
Le Touret
Memorial Panel 1
Image
courtesy of Joseph O'Raw and William Kilgour
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Private
8149
John
Findlay
2nd Bn.
Highland Light Infantry
KIA
17/05/1915
Le Touret
Memorial Panel 37 & 38
Image
courtesy of Joseph O'Raw and William Kilgour
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Private
S/5039
Allan
Gillespie
2nd Bn. The
Black Watch
KIA
08/05/1915, aged 26
Husband of
Elizabeth Gillespie, of 61, Deedes St., Airdrie, Lanarkshire.
Le Touret
Memorial Panel 24 & 26
Image
courtesy of Joseph O'Raw and William Kilgour
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5179 Private
John Campbell
2nd Bn. Border
Regiment
Killed in action at Festubert 16/05/1915, aged
33.
Son of Mary Campbell, of 48, Sterne St., West Derby
Rd., Liverpool, and the late Henry Campbell.
Le Touret Memorial Panel 19 and 20
Picture Courtesy of Ian Campbell of Rochdale
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9092
Corporal
Albert
Slack
2nd Bn.
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
27/10/1914
Le Touret
Memorial Panel 1.
Picture courtesy of John Barker |

10471
Private
Sydney
Lucas
"C" Coy.
2nd Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
Killed in
action at Festubert 17/05/1915, aged 23.
Le Touret
Memorial Panel 12 & 13
Son
of Henry & Jessie Lucas of Reading, Berkshire, Sydney born in 1891 had a
twin brother William Lucas and was one
of eleven children.
Picture courtesy of Peter Thompson
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4426
Private
John Murray
1st Bn.
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
13/03/1915,
aged 20.
Son of John
and Bridget Murray, of 49, Canal Parade, Newport, Mon.
Panel 13 &
14.
Lovingly
remembered always by his family in Wales and Australia
Picture courtesy of Ali Gibbs
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6152 Private
William Avons
1st Bn. Wiltshire Regiment
26/10/1914, aged 32.
Son of F. C. and Annie Avons, of Dymott Square, Hilperton,
Trowbridge.
Panel 33 and 34.
William joined the 3rd Wilts. in 1900 and
was posted to St Helena to guard Boer prisoners, he was mobilised the
day the first world war broke out.
Picture
courtesy of John Birch, great nephew of this soldier |
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8718
Private
William
George Grinstead
2nd
Manchester Regiment
Killed in
action at the Battle of La Bassee, 29/10/1914.
Panels 34
and 35
Picture courtesy of his
granddaughter; Judy Norman |

22 Company
Quartermaster Serjeant
Joseph
Harry George Sheen
1st/24th
Bn. London Regiment
(The
Queen's)
26/05/1915,
aged 29.
Son of Mr.
and Mrs. George William Sheen, of 323, Church Rd., Merton Abbey, London;
husband of Elsie Mary Sheen, of Boughton Rd., Stoke Ferry, King's Lynn.
Panels 46
and 47
Picture courtesy of Ian White, grandson of this soldier
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1681Private
Thomas
Rawsthorne
1st/9th Bn. The
King's (Liverpool Regiment)
09/05/1915.
Panels 6 to 8
Picture courtesy of Brian Pillier, great nephew of this soldier
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5696
Private
Samuel
Welch
1st Bn.
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
16/05/1915.
Panel 13
and 14
"With
love, from your son Sam"
Picture courtesy of Roy Hughes
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7960
Private
John Thomas
Emmett
2nd Bn.
Border Regiment
25/11/1915,
aged 29.
Husband of Hannah Caroline Flood (formerly Emmett), of 5, Globe Court, Ethelred St., Kennington, London.
Plot III.
C. 9.
My grandfather John
Thomas Emmett who was known as Jack Emmett served as a regular soldier
in the Boer Wars and eventually retired after serving his full term of
service. He was recalled to the colours at the outbreak of the Great
War and was in the Border Regiment when he was killed during the First
Battle of Ypres in 1915.
He had a fine singing
voice and played the concertina. It was while entertaining his
comrades that he was shot by a sniper and died shortly afterwards.
He was very popular
and my grandmother was told his death - and the circumstances in which
it occurred - had devastated morale.
I still have some of
his things including the blood-stained cord and identity tag that he
was wearing when shot in the throat.
Picture courtesy of Stephen May, grandson of this
soldier.
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83554 Gunner
Samuel Floyd
88th Bde. Royal Field Artillery.
03/10/1915, aged 28.
Son of Richard Floyd and Mary Floyd, nee Capel.
Born in Llansamlet, South Wales.
Plot II. H.
23.
Picture courtesy of Stacey O'Brien,
Great, great granddaughter of this soldier |
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126222
Private
Cain Garrett
2nd Bn.
Worcestershire Regiment
01/08/1915
Panel 17
and 18
Picture courtesy of Bill Richards |
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