AUTHUILE MILITARY CEMETERY
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.04075, Longitude: 2.66621
Location Information
Authuile (now Authuille), is a village 5 Kms north of Albert. Authuile Military Cemetery is on the south side of the village. The Cemetery is signposted on the main road (D159) through the village.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
The village was held by British troops from the summer of 1915 to March, 1918, when it was captured in the German Offensive on the Somme; it was ruined by shell fire even before that date.
The Military Cemetery was used by Field Ambulances and fighting units from August, 1915 to December, 1916, and in 1917 and 1918 by Indian Labour Companies.
There are 473, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 37 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 18 soldiers from the United Kingdom, known or believed to be buried among them. The graves of two other German soldiers have been removed.
The cemetery covers an area of 2,650 square metres and is enclosed by a low concrete curb. The cemetery was named as Authuile Military Cemetery at the time of creation and C.W.G.C. maintain this as the historic name of the cemetery.
The cemetery was designed by Arthur James Scott Hutton
Total Burials: 473.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 417, India 14, South Africa 3, Germany 1. Total 435.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 34, India 4. Total 38.
First World War period British Army 'trench sign' from the Somme sector of the Western Front. 'Bury Avenue' was a communication trence south of Authuille which connected the site of the village with the front line, map ref. 57d SE4 W6.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
Lieutenant
Frank Robson Best
4th Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
2nd January 1916, aged 21.
Row B. 72.
Son of W. F. and Ellen A. Best, of Altadore, Ribbleton, Preston.
Frank Robson Best
4th Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
2nd January 1916, aged 21.
Row B. 72.
Son of W. F. and Ellen A. Best, of Altadore, Ribbleton, Preston.
15219 Private
Edward Convie
16th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
10th March 1916, aged 36.
Row B. 36.
Husband of Ellen Ann Wilcock (formerly Convie), of 7, Laburnum St., Seedley, Manchester.
Edward Convie
16th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
10th March 1916, aged 36.
Row B. 36.
Husband of Ellen Ann Wilcock (formerly Convie), of 7, Laburnum St., Seedley, Manchester.
12589 Serjeant
Percy Stanley Machell
16th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
10th March 1916, aged 32.
Row B. 35.
Son of Wilson Machell, of Ludlow, Salop; husband of Lily Machell, of 5, Cliff Avenue, Lower Broughton, Manchester.
Percy Stanley Machell
16th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
10th March 1916, aged 32.
Row B. 35.
Son of Wilson Machell, of Ludlow, Salop; husband of Lily Machell, of 5, Cliff Avenue, Lower Broughton, Manchester.
13890 Private
Robert Sands
"C" Coy. 9th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
8th May 1916, aged 23.
Row D. 45.
Son of William and Ellen Sands, of Urble, Coagh, Co. Tyrone.
Robert Sands
"C" Coy. 9th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
8th May 1916, aged 23.
Row D. 45.
Son of William and Ellen Sands, of Urble, Coagh, Co. Tyrone.
454 Serjeant
Andrew Wallace
1st/7th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
25th September 1915.
Row B. 39.
Son of John and Mary Wallace of Leuchars Fife
Andrew Wallace and his three brothers Charles, David and Alexander all were soldiers in the Great War. Andrew , David and Alexander joined the 7th battalion Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment in Scotland while Charles Wallace joined the 16th Battalion Australian Infantry Force. Andrew and Alexander where killed on the Western Front , while Charles was killed at Gallipoli. David survived the war settled in South Australia and was my grandfather.
Submitted by Roger Sweetman – grand nephew
Andrew Wallace
1st/7th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
25th September 1915.
Row B. 39.
Son of John and Mary Wallace of Leuchars Fife
Andrew Wallace and his three brothers Charles, David and Alexander all were soldiers in the Great War. Andrew , David and Alexander joined the 7th battalion Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment in Scotland while Charles Wallace joined the 16th Battalion Australian Infantry Force. Andrew and Alexander where killed on the Western Front , while Charles was killed at Gallipoli. David survived the war settled in South Australia and was my grandfather.
Submitted by Roger Sweetman – grand nephew
British dugouts near Authuille on the bank of the River Ancre, June 1917. © IWM (Q 6202)
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
A soldier stands in a destroyed building in Authuille, 7 August 1916. © IWM (Q 1143)
A gunner of the South African Artillery in the Staff car wrecked by shell fire at Authuille, 1916. © IWM Q 1288
