AVELUY WOOD CEMETERY (LANCASHIRE DUMP)
Somme
France
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
The Cemetery is about 5 Kms north of the town of Albert and situated in woodland on the eastern side of the road (D50) from Albert to Hamel. The Cemetery is signposted in the village of Aveluy, which you pass through on the way to the cemetery.
Historical Information
The cemetery was begun in an area known to the Army as 'Lancashire Dump' in June 1916, a few days before the beginning of the Battle of the Somme, and was used by fighting units and field ambulances until the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in February 1917. It then remained unused until the German advance in the spring of 1918. On the night of 26-27 March, the Germans entered Aveluy Wood and by 5 April it was mostly in their hands, in spite of the stubborn defence of the 12th (Eastern), 47th (London) and 63rd (Royal Naval) Divisions. The wood was attacked in vain by several divisions before it was finally cleared at the end of August, and in September the V Corps Burial Officer added graves of April-September 1918 to Row H of Plot I.
After the Armistice, Plots II and III were added when isolated graves were brough in from Aveluy Wood itself, and in 1923 Rows I to M of Plot I (124 graves) were added by concentrations from a wider area.
Aveluy Wood Cemetery now contains 380 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 171 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 20 casualties known to be buried among them.
Total Burials: 380.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 192, Australia 17. Total 209.
Unidentified Casualties: 171.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
The Cemetery is about 5 Kms north of the town of Albert and situated in woodland on the eastern side of the road (D50) from Albert to Hamel. The Cemetery is signposted in the village of Aveluy, which you pass through on the way to the cemetery.
Historical Information
The cemetery was begun in an area known to the Army as 'Lancashire Dump' in June 1916, a few days before the beginning of the Battle of the Somme, and was used by fighting units and field ambulances until the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in February 1917. It then remained unused until the German advance in the spring of 1918. On the night of 26-27 March, the Germans entered Aveluy Wood and by 5 April it was mostly in their hands, in spite of the stubborn defence of the 12th (Eastern), 47th (London) and 63rd (Royal Naval) Divisions. The wood was attacked in vain by several divisions before it was finally cleared at the end of August, and in September the V Corps Burial Officer added graves of April-September 1918 to Row H of Plot I.
After the Armistice, Plots II and III were added when isolated graves were brough in from Aveluy Wood itself, and in 1923 Rows I to M of Plot I (124 graves) were added by concentrations from a wider area.
Aveluy Wood Cemetery now contains 380 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 171 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 20 casualties known to be buried among them.
Total Burials: 380.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 192, Australia 17. Total 209.
Unidentified Casualties: 171.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
British soldier resting near Aveluy Wood, September 1916.© IWM (Q 1340)
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
Tyneside Z/8773 Able Seaman
Walter Dawson
Hawke Bn. R.N. Div. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
5th February 1917, aged 25.
Sp. Mem. C. 2.
Son of Samuel Beck Dawson and Fanny Dawson; husband of Lena Dawson, of 13, Hawthorne St., Silsden, Keighley, Yorks.
His headstone bears inscription; "Ever Remembered."
Walter Dawson
Hawke Bn. R.N. Div. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
5th February 1917, aged 25.
Sp. Mem. C. 2.
Son of Samuel Beck Dawson and Fanny Dawson; husband of Lena Dawson, of 13, Hawthorne St., Silsden, Keighley, Yorks.
His headstone bears inscription; "Ever Remembered."
3/7913 Company Serjeant Major
Alfred William Draper
4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
12th April 1918.
Plot III. G. 4.
Alfred William Draper
4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
12th April 1918.
Plot III. G. 4.
52532 Private
Oram Feakin
18th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st June 1918, aged 37.
Plot II. G. 3.
Husband of Ellen Jane Feakin, of 9, Lismore Circus, Gospel Oak, Kentish Town, London. Native of Desborough, Northants.
Oram Feakin
18th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st June 1918, aged 37.
Plot II. G. 3.
Husband of Ellen Jane Feakin, of 9, Lismore Circus, Gospel Oak, Kentish Town, London. Native of Desborough, Northants.
1881 Corporal
Lancelot Hallett Sweeting Hester
51st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd September 1916, aged 23.
Plot I. L. 13.
Son of Godfrey William and Mary Evangeline Hester, of Bridgetown, Western Australia.
His headstone bears inscription; "Greater Love Has No Man Than This."
Shot through the stomach during an attack on Mouquet Farm.
Lancelot Hallett Sweeting Hester
51st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd September 1916, aged 23.
Plot I. L. 13.
Son of Godfrey William and Mary Evangeline Hester, of Bridgetown, Western Australia.
His headstone bears inscription; "Greater Love Has No Man Than This."
Shot through the stomach during an attack on Mouquet Farm.
Clyde Z/7009 Able Seaman
Alexander Pert Jamieson
Howe Bn. R.N. Div. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
18th February 1917.
Sp. Mem. C. 6.
His headstone bears inscription; "Their Glory Shall Not Be Blotted Out."
Alexander Pert Jamieson
Howe Bn. R.N. Div. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
18th February 1917.
Sp. Mem. C. 6.
His headstone bears inscription; "Their Glory Shall Not Be Blotted Out."
2230 Private
Charles W. Lewis
1st/5th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
5th July 1916.
Plot II. A. 3.
Charles W. Lewis
1st/5th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
5th July 1916.
Plot II. A. 3.
57974 Private
William McGill
13th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers
27th August 1918, aged 19.
Plot I. H. 47.
Son of James William and Sarah McGill, of 122, Stockport Rd., Levenshulme, Manchester.
His headstone bears inscription; "For Ever With The Lord."
William McGill
13th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers
27th August 1918, aged 19.
Plot I. H. 47.
Son of James William and Sarah McGill, of 122, Stockport Rd., Levenshulme, Manchester.
His headstone bears inscription; "For Ever With The Lord."
8993 Corporal
Charles Orme
15th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
22nd April 1918, aged 34.
Plot II. H. 1.
Son of Mrs. T. Orme, of Nottingham; husband of Florence Orme, of 168, Burford Rd., Hyson Green, Nottingham.
His headstone bears inscription; "Till We Meet Again."
Charles Orme
15th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
22nd April 1918, aged 34.
Plot II. H. 1.
Son of Mrs. T. Orme, of Nottingham; husband of Florence Orme, of 168, Burford Rd., Hyson Green, Nottingham.
His headstone bears inscription; "Till We Meet Again."
3121 Private
Archibald Simpson
51st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd September 1916, aged 21.
Plot I. L. 14.
Son of Alexander and Jane Simpson. Native of Dunrossness, Lerwick, Scotland.
3118 Private (Pte) Malcolm Simpson (back) and his brother 3121 Pte Archibald Simpson (front). The brothers emigrated with their family from the Shetland Islands, Scotland to Fremantle, Western Australia in 1912. Malcolm, an engineer enlisted in the 11th Battalion on 5 July 1915; his younger brother Archibald, a carpenter, enlisted twenty-two days later. They embarked together from Fremantle aboard HMAT Themistocles (A32) on 13 September 1915, joining their unit in Egypt for training in early 1916. Malcolm was promoted to Lance Corporal in January 1916, and Corporal two months later. He was killed in action on 22 July 1916 at Pozieres and has no known grave and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial. Archibald served with the 11th Battalion until early 1916, when he was transferred to the 51st Battalion as part of the 'doubling-up' of the AIF. He was killed in action on 3 September 1916 and is buried at Aveluy Wood Cemetery.
Archibald Simpson
51st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd September 1916, aged 21.
Plot I. L. 14.
Son of Alexander and Jane Simpson. Native of Dunrossness, Lerwick, Scotland.
3118 Private (Pte) Malcolm Simpson (back) and his brother 3121 Pte Archibald Simpson (front). The brothers emigrated with their family from the Shetland Islands, Scotland to Fremantle, Western Australia in 1912. Malcolm, an engineer enlisted in the 11th Battalion on 5 July 1915; his younger brother Archibald, a carpenter, enlisted twenty-two days later. They embarked together from Fremantle aboard HMAT Themistocles (A32) on 13 September 1915, joining their unit in Egypt for training in early 1916. Malcolm was promoted to Lance Corporal in January 1916, and Corporal two months later. He was killed in action on 22 July 1916 at Pozieres and has no known grave and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial. Archibald served with the 11th Battalion until early 1916, when he was transferred to the 51st Battalion as part of the 'doubling-up' of the AIF. He was killed in action on 3 September 1916 and is buried at Aveluy Wood Cemetery.
5982 Private
James Townson 1st/5th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) 3rd July 1916. Plot I. C. 7. |
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202654 Private
George Stanley Obern Vranch
14th Bn. Welsh Regiment
10th May 1918, aged 26.
Plot II. J. 5.
Son of Edwin John and Agnes Mary Vranch, of 8, Llanthewy Rd., Newport, Mon.
His headstone bears inscription; "Blessed Are The Pure In Heart For They Shall See God."
George Stanley Obern Vranch
14th Bn. Welsh Regiment
10th May 1918, aged 26.
Plot II. J. 5.
Son of Edwin John and Agnes Mary Vranch, of 8, Llanthewy Rd., Newport, Mon.
His headstone bears inscription; "Blessed Are The Pure In Heart For They Shall See God."
Men of the 4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment resting by the roadside near Aveluy, September 1916. © IWM (Q 1459)
Battle of the Ancre. British wounded at a Dressing Station. Aveluy Wood, 13 November 1916. © IWM (Q 4506)
Images in this gallery © Johan Pauwels
Group of Royal Fusiliers near Aveluy Wood after the capture of Thiepval on 26 September 1916. Men wear captured German headwear (including one numbered '180') and carry captured weapons. © IWM (Q 1398)
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