PERONNE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Peronne
Somme
France
General Directions: From Bapaume take the N17 to Peronne. On entering Peronne, turn right towards the hospital. On reaching the hospital, which will be on the right, take the small road opposite and the communal cemetery is at the end of this road on the left. The extension is on the south-west side of the cemetery.
Peronne was taken by the German on 24 September 1914. On 18 March
1917, the 40th and 48th Divisions captured the town, but it was recovered by
the Germans on the 23rd March 1918. It changed hands for the last time on 1
September 1918, when it was taken by the 2nd Australian Division
The cemetery extension was begun by the 48th (South Midland) Division in
March 1917, used by the Germans in 1918, and resumed by Australian units in
September 1918. At the Armistice it contained 177 graves, now in Plots I and
II. It was then enlarged when graves were brought in from the battlefields
north and east of Peronne and from the following small cemeteries in the
area:-
AIZECOURT-LE-HAUT CHURCHYARD EXTENSION, which contained the graves of 18
soldiers from the United Kingdom and two from South Africa who fell in March
1918.
CARTIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY AND GERMAN EXTENSION, which contained the graves
of 5,250 German soldiers, two from the United Kingdom and one from
Australia.
COPSE TRENCH CEMETERY, ALLAINES, between Allaines and Moislains. Here were
buried 64 soldiers from the United Kingdom (mainly 14th Black Watch and 12th
Somerset Light Infantry) who fell in September 1918.
DRIENCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY, on the South side of the village, made by the
74th (Yeomanry) Division in September 1918, and contained the graves of 20
soldiers from the United Kingdom.
LIERAMONT COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION, in which 63 soldiers from the
United Kingdom were buried by the Germans in 1916-1918 and by the 58th
(London) Division in September 1918.
MADAME MILITARY CEMETERY, Clery-sur-Somme (the origin of this name is
uncertain, but the Germans had a "Maidan Trench" opposite), near the road to
Bouchavesnes, where 56 soldiers from the United Kingdom (mainly 33rd
Division) were buried in January-March 1917 (Three of these were moved to
Serre Road Cemetery No.2, Beaumont-Hamel, and 53 to Peronne).
MOISLAINS BRITISH CEMETERY, a little South-West of the village, contained
the graves of 54 soldiers of the 47th London) Division who fell in September
1918.
MOISLAINS CHURCHYARD, which contained the graves of three soldiers from the
United Kingdom and one from Canada.
MOISLAINS GERMAN HOSPITAL CEMETERY, at the North-East end of the village,
contained the graves of 38 soldiers of the Empire, who fell in 1917 and
1918, and 281 Germans.
TEMPLEUX-LA-FOSSE GERMAN CEMETERY, on the East side of the village,
contained the graves of 34 soldiers from the United Kingdom. Of these 33
were buried by their comrades in September 1918.
VAUX WOOD BRITISH CEMETERY, VAUX-SUR-SOMME, within Eastern edge of the wood.
Here were buried, in September 1918, 25 soldiers from the United Kingdom
(mainly of the London Regiment).
There are now 1,579 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or
commemorated in the extension. 220 of the burials are unidentified but there
are special memorials to seven casualties known or believed to be buried
among them, and ten buried in other cemeteries whose graves could not be
found. The extension also contains five Second World War burials. There are
97 German war graves, 68 being unidentified.
The adjoining communal cemetery contains the grave of one airman of the
First World War, killed in August 1914.
The extension was designed by
Sir Reginald Blomfield
Victoria Cross: 1876 Corporal, Alexander Henry Buckley, VC, 54th Bn. Australian Infantry. Killed in action 01/09/1918. Plot II. C. 32. Son of James and Julia Buckley, of Homebush, New South Wales. Born at Gulargambone, New South Wales.
Citation:
An extract from "The London Gazette," dated 14th Dec., 1918, records the following:-"For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice at Peronne during the operations on the 1st/2nd Sept., 1918. After passing the first objective his half company and part of the company on the flank were held up by a machine gun nest. With one man he rushed the post shooting four of the occupants and taking 22 prisoners. Later on reaching a moat, it was found that another machine gun nest commanded the only available footbridge. Whilst this was being engaged from a flank Cpl. Buckley endeavoured to cross the bridge and rush the post, but was killed in the attempt. Throughout the advance he had displayed great initiative, resource and courage, and by his efforts to save his comrades from casualties, he set a fine example of self-sacrificing devotion to duty."
Shot at Dawn: Private W. Robinson, 1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), executed for desertion 10/04/1917. Plot III. B. 22.
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 1065, Canada 1, Australia 517, South Africa 9, Germany 97, Total Burials: 1689
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37232 Lance Corporal Wilfrid Holden 12th (West Somerset Yeomanry) Bn. Somerset Light Infantry. 02/09/1918, aged 27. Son of Edward and Catherine Holden, of "Gainsborough," Ribbleton Avenue, Preston. Plot V. B. 16 Picture courtesy of John Garlington |
1169 Corporal Clarence William Lambley 34th Bn. Australian Infantry Force. 31/08/1918, aged 29. Plot V. P. 2. Son of William and Maria Jane Lambley. Born in Australia, native of Wards River, New South Wales. Picture courtesy of Vicki Lambley great niece of Clarence Lambley |
Second Lieutenant Thomas Edward Smith 8th Bn. London Regiment (Post Office Rifles) Killed in action 05/09/1918, aged 21. Son of William Henry and Judith Ellen Smith, of 290, Lizzie St., Winnipeg, Manitoba. Plot III. I. 36.
Picture courtesy of Ken Kennedy, of Winnipeg, Canada, nephew of this soldier. |
6421 Private Charles Cephas Coley 25th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F. 02/09/1918, aged 19. Plot III. E. 26 Son of Mrs. Lucy Coley, of Brisbane St., Ipswich Rd., South Brisbane, Queensland Born at Roma, Queensland.
"Remembered" by Christine Stone
Picture courtesy of Christine Stone |
S/20121 Private
John Keith
14th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
(Fife and Forfar Yeomanry)
02/09/1918, aged 22.
Plot B. III. 33
John Wallace Keith b. 5/6/1896 in Ladybank, Fife, Scotland was the son of Robert and Jane Wallace Keith. John was unmarried and working in the ticket office of Kirkcaldy Railway Station at the time he enlisted in the Fife & Forfar Yeomanry (the Black Watch). His first posting was to Egypt, but dysentery caused him to be shipped home to recover. He returned to the war in France and was killed in an action in the fields around the village of Moislain, Somme on 2/9/1918. Those killed in the same action were buried in Moislains but at the end of the war re-interred at the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension.
John's name is shown on war memorials in Ladybank and Giffardtown, Fife and on the Railworkers National Memorial inside Edinburgh's Waverley Station. The Books of Remembrance at Edinburgh Castle show 'no known grave' but in 2001, thanks to the Commonwealth War Grave website, his burial site at Peronne was finally found. The next Spring our family, including his nephew Robert, travelled to France to honour him, placing a Saltire and British Legion cross on the grave.
The cemetery at Peronne is quiet and beautifully maintained - more a tranquil garden than a 'foreign field'.
Picture and text courtesy of A Wade.
2128 Private
John Bermingham
56th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
02/09/1918
Son of Martin and Ann Cass, and Father of Annie, Martin, Harry and Edith. Born at Young, New South Wales.
Plot I. C. 4.
Picture courtesy of great grandson Darren Bermingham
851315 Bombardier
Walter Sidney Pollard
"B" Battery, 86th Bde.
Royal Field Artillery
14/09/1918, aged 28.
Son of William and Mary Pollard. Born in Bristol
Plot III. F. 10.
His epitaph reads: "Worthy of everlasting remembrance"
Picture courtesy of Josephine Drew, great niece
345355 Lance Corporal
William Husband
14th (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry) Bn.
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
02/09/1918, aged 20.
Son of the late William Husband and of Barbara Husband, of 78, North St., St. Andrews. Fife.
Plot IV. B. 20.
Picture courtesy of great niece, Margaret McRobert
34116 Serjeant
George William Parsons
13th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment
22/03/1918, aged 33.
Son of John and Minnie Parsons, of 65, Sevier St., Bristol; husband of Lily Gertrude Parsons, of 1, Lancaster Rd., St. Werburghs, Bristol. Buried near this spot.
Plot IV. H. 7.
Picture courtesy of great nephew, Steven J. Parsons
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