VILLERS STATION CEMETERY
Villers-au-Bois
Pas de Calais
France
General Directions: Villers-au-Bois is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, 11 kilometres north-west of Arras. The Cemetery is about 2 kilometres north-west of the village along a track from the Villers-au-Bois to Servins road (D65).
This cemetery was begun by the French but was used by Commonwealth
divisions and field ambulances from the time they took over this part of the
front in July 1916 until September 1918. It is associated particularly with
the Canadian Corps whose headquarters were nearby and many of the graves in
Plots V to X date from April 1917 and the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
After the Armistice, a few graves were brought in from isolated positions in
the neighbourhood and in June 1923, the French graves were removed, the
great majority to Notre Dame-de-Lorette French National Cemetery.
Villers Station Cemetery now contains 1,208 Commonwealth burials of the
First World War and 32 German war graves.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
Shot at Dawn: 454482 Private H. G. Carter, 73rd Bn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, executed for desertion 20/04/1917. Plot 10. A. 7.
Shot at Dawn: 227098 Private E. Fairburn, 18th Bn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, executed for desertion 02/03/1918. Plot 11. B. 23.
Shot at Dawn: 718566 Private S. Fowles, 44th Bn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, executed for desertion 19/06/1918. Plot 13. B.1.
Shot at Dawn: 203313 Private F. Bateman, 1st/4th Yorks & Lancs Regiment, executed for desertion 10/09/1918. Plot 12. C. 4.
Casualty Details: UK 180, Canada 1008, South Africa 20, Total Burials: 1208
911406 Private
John Edward Lees
46th Bn. Canadian Infantry
(Saskatchewen Regiment)
03/05/1917, aged 21.
Born in Southport, Lancashire, England, on November 5, 1895, John moved to Canada at age sixteen with an elder brother and sister. He took teachers' training at Camrose Normal in Alberta and taught for a short time before joining the 196 Battalion C. E. F. on April 7, 1916. Although he was studious when necessary, he was also known to have a keen sense of humour. Under his pen, everyday happenings became cartoons. He enjoyed hunting, swimming and hiking in the great outdoors. What a shame he wasn't able to come home to share his many talents and zest for life.
Plot V. F. 11.
Picture courtesy of niece, Jane Gray
458270 Private
Michael Slattery MM
87th Bn. Canadian Infantry
(Manitoba Regiment)
14/08/1917, aged 20.
Son of Mrs. L. Slattery, of 437, Magdalen St., Point St. Charles, Montreal, and the late Patrick Slattery. Brother of Lieutenant Edward Slattery, Killed 1918 and buried at Valley Cemetery, Vis-en-Artois.
Plot VIII. F. 1.
Picture courtesy of niece, Geraldine Slattery-Ellis
1009632 Private
Damien Alary
46th Bn. Canadian Infantry
(Saskatchewan Regiment)
21/08/1917, aged 21.
Son of Omer and Praxede Alary, of Jasmin, Saskatchewan.
Plot IX. F. 16
He enlisted in Manitoba on Feb. 19, 1916 with the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, 19th Reserve. He arrived in England April 4, 1917 on the S.S. Northland and taken on strength the following day. He served with the 46th Battalion from June 6, 1917 to his death in action on August 8, 1917, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Picture courtesy of great niece, Janet Adey
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