A. I. F. BURIAL GROUND
Flers
Somme
France
Location Information
A.I.F. Burial Ground is 2 Kms north of the village of Flers, in the Department of the Somme. Travel south-west of Bapaume on the D929 in the direction of Albert for 6 Kms to the village of Le Sars. Turn left eastwards on the D11 in the direction of Geudecourt for 3.5 Kms to the D74/D197 junction. Continue along the D74 in the direction of Geudecourt for 500 metres when a CWGC signpost will be seen indicating the A.I.F. Burial Ground along a track to the right.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access is possible via the main entrance.
Historical Information
Flers was captured on 15 September 1916, in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, when it was entered by the New Zealand and 41st Divisions behind tanks, the innovative new weapons that were used here for the first time. The village was lost during the German advance of March 1918 and retaken at the end of the following August by the 10th West Yorks and the 6th Dorsets of the 17th Division.
The cemetery was begun by Australian medical units, posted in the neighbouring caves, in November 1916-February 1917. These original graves are in Plot I, Rows A and B. It was very greatly enlarged after the Armistice when almost 4,000 Commonwealth and French graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme, and later from a wider area.
The following were among the burial grounds from which Commonwealth graves were taken to this cemetery:-
FACTORY CORNER, FLERS, a little West of the crossing of the roads from Eaucourt-L'Abbaye to Gueudecourt and from Flers to Ligny-Thilloy. This place, which had been a German Headquarters for Artillery and Engineers and had a German Cemetery, was taken by the 1st Canterbury Infantry Regiment on the 25th September, 1916, and again by the 7th East Yorks on the 27th August, 1918. Fifteen soldiers from the United Kingdom and 13 from Australia were buried here in October, 1916-March, 1917, and in August, 1918.
NORTH ROAD CEMETERY, FLERS, North-West of the village, at the crossing of the Eaucourt-L'Abbaye road with "North Road" (to Factory Corner). Here were buried, in the winter of 1916-17, 13 Australian soldiers and seven from the United Kingdom.
The great majority of the graves in A.I.F. Burial Ground date from the autumn of 1916, but one is from 1914, and there are others from the spring of 1917 and the spring and summer of 1918.
There are now 3,475 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 2,263 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to 23 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three casualties buried in a cemetery at Flers, whose graves could not be found. The cemetery also contains 170 French and 3 German war graves.
Casualty Details: UK 2815, Canada 67, Australia 417, New Zealand 89, South Africa 27, Unidentified 60, Germany3, France 164, Total Burials: 3580.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker
A.I.F. Burial Ground is 2 Kms north of the village of Flers, in the Department of the Somme. Travel south-west of Bapaume on the D929 in the direction of Albert for 6 Kms to the village of Le Sars. Turn left eastwards on the D11 in the direction of Geudecourt for 3.5 Kms to the D74/D197 junction. Continue along the D74 in the direction of Geudecourt for 500 metres when a CWGC signpost will be seen indicating the A.I.F. Burial Ground along a track to the right.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access is possible via the main entrance.
Historical Information
Flers was captured on 15 September 1916, in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, when it was entered by the New Zealand and 41st Divisions behind tanks, the innovative new weapons that were used here for the first time. The village was lost during the German advance of March 1918 and retaken at the end of the following August by the 10th West Yorks and the 6th Dorsets of the 17th Division.
The cemetery was begun by Australian medical units, posted in the neighbouring caves, in November 1916-February 1917. These original graves are in Plot I, Rows A and B. It was very greatly enlarged after the Armistice when almost 4,000 Commonwealth and French graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme, and later from a wider area.
The following were among the burial grounds from which Commonwealth graves were taken to this cemetery:-
FACTORY CORNER, FLERS, a little West of the crossing of the roads from Eaucourt-L'Abbaye to Gueudecourt and from Flers to Ligny-Thilloy. This place, which had been a German Headquarters for Artillery and Engineers and had a German Cemetery, was taken by the 1st Canterbury Infantry Regiment on the 25th September, 1916, and again by the 7th East Yorks on the 27th August, 1918. Fifteen soldiers from the United Kingdom and 13 from Australia were buried here in October, 1916-March, 1917, and in August, 1918.
NORTH ROAD CEMETERY, FLERS, North-West of the village, at the crossing of the Eaucourt-L'Abbaye road with "North Road" (to Factory Corner). Here were buried, in the winter of 1916-17, 13 Australian soldiers and seven from the United Kingdom.
The great majority of the graves in A.I.F. Burial Ground date from the autumn of 1916, but one is from 1914, and there are others from the spring of 1917 and the spring and summer of 1918.
There are now 3,475 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 2,263 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to 23 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three casualties buried in a cemetery at Flers, whose graves could not be found. The cemetery also contains 170 French and 3 German war graves.
Casualty Details: UK 2815, Canada 67, Australia 417, New Zealand 89, South Africa 27, Unidentified 60, Germany3, France 164, Total Burials: 3580.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker
Serjeant Harold Jackson, V. C.
C Company, 7th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment, killed in action on 24th August 1918, aged 26 and buried in plot XV. A. 21/30.
Son of Thomas and Mary Ann Jackson, of "Allandales", Kirton, Boston.
Citation: An extract from The "London Gazette", dated 7th May, 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Sjt. Jackson volunteered and went out through the hostile barrage and brought back valuable information regarding the enemy's movements. Later, when the enemy had established themselves in our line, this N.C.O. rushed at them, and single-handed, bombed them out into the open. Shortly afterwards, again single-handed, he stalked an enemy machine-gun, threw Mills bombs at the detachment, and put the gun out of action. On a subsequent occasion when all his officers had become casualties, this very gallant N.C.O. led his company in the attack, and, when ordered to retire, he withdrew the company successfully under heavy fire. He then went out repeatedly under heavy fire and carried in wounded."
C Company, 7th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment, killed in action on 24th August 1918, aged 26 and buried in plot XV. A. 21/30.
Son of Thomas and Mary Ann Jackson, of "Allandales", Kirton, Boston.
Citation: An extract from The "London Gazette", dated 7th May, 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Sjt. Jackson volunteered and went out through the hostile barrage and brought back valuable information regarding the enemy's movements. Later, when the enemy had established themselves in our line, this N.C.O. rushed at them, and single-handed, bombed them out into the open. Shortly afterwards, again single-handed, he stalked an enemy machine-gun, threw Mills bombs at the detachment, and put the gun out of action. On a subsequent occasion when all his officers had become casualties, this very gallant N.C.O. led his company in the attack, and, when ordered to retire, he withdrew the company successfully under heavy fire. He then went out repeatedly under heavy fire and carried in wounded."
1868 Private
Henry George Ashford
59th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
23rd November 1916, aged 18.
Plot IV. L. 25.
Son of John Oakenville Ashford and Elizabeth Ashford, of Satur, Scone, New South Wales.
Picture courtesy of Harry Willey
Henry George Ashford
59th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
23rd November 1916, aged 18.
Plot IV. L. 25.
Son of John Oakenville Ashford and Elizabeth Ashford, of Satur, Scone, New South Wales.
Picture courtesy of Harry Willey
12/3022 Private
William George Geary
16th (Waikoto) Coy. 1st Bn. Auckland Regiment. N. Z. E. F.
30th September 1916, aged 20.
Plot I. K. 30.
Son of William and Selina Geary, of Cameron Rd., Tauranga, New Zealand.
Member of Manchester U.I.O. of Oddfellows.
Picture courtesy of great, great, great niece, Hannah
William George Geary
16th (Waikoto) Coy. 1st Bn. Auckland Regiment. N. Z. E. F.
30th September 1916, aged 20.
Plot I. K. 30.
Son of William and Selina Geary, of Cameron Rd., Tauranga, New Zealand.
Member of Manchester U.I.O. of Oddfellows.
Picture courtesy of great, great, great niece, Hannah
38638 Private
J. W. Tatam
2nd Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment
28th August 1918.
Plot XI. C. 9.
Picture courtesy of granddaughter Mrs C. Miller (nee Tatum)
J. W. Tatam
2nd Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment
28th August 1918.
Plot XI. C. 9.
Picture courtesy of granddaughter Mrs C. Miller (nee Tatum)
