AVESNES-SUR-HELPE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Nord
France
Location Information
Avesnes-sur-Helpe is a small town 50 Kms due east of Cambrai and 14 Kms due south of Maubeuge. The Cemetery is on the main road (D962) to Landrecies, on the right side of the entrance to the town.
Historical Information
For some time, Avesnes was the Headquarters of the German Eighteenth Army. It was captured by the IX Corps on 8 November 1918. The communal cemetery was used and extended by the Germans during their occupation, and German soldiers, as well as French, Italian, Russian and British prisoners of war, were buried there. The German extension has now been removed.
The cemetery now contains 82 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. Four of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties, buried in the German Extension, whose graves could not be found. There are 103 French and 5 Russian burials of the 1914-1918 war here. There are now a further 22 burials from the Second World War, most of them airmen.
Casualty Details: UK 82, Total Burials: 82 (Commonwealth only)
Dedications
2nd Corporal William Reid, 7th Field Coy. Royal Engineers, 22nd March 1918, aged 22.
Remembered by by his nieces Janette Robertson and Ann Jones
Avesnes-sur-Helpe is a small town 50 Kms due east of Cambrai and 14 Kms due south of Maubeuge. The Cemetery is on the main road (D962) to Landrecies, on the right side of the entrance to the town.
Historical Information
For some time, Avesnes was the Headquarters of the German Eighteenth Army. It was captured by the IX Corps on 8 November 1918. The communal cemetery was used and extended by the Germans during their occupation, and German soldiers, as well as French, Italian, Russian and British prisoners of war, were buried there. The German extension has now been removed.
The cemetery now contains 82 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. Four of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties, buried in the German Extension, whose graves could not be found. There are 103 French and 5 Russian burials of the 1914-1918 war here. There are now a further 22 burials from the Second World War, most of them airmen.
Casualty Details: UK 82, Total Burials: 82 (Commonwealth only)
Dedications
2nd Corporal William Reid, 7th Field Coy. Royal Engineers, 22nd March 1918, aged 22.
Remembered by by his nieces Janette Robertson and Ann Jones
160885 Gunner
Herbert Bradley
170th Siege Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
21st June 1918, aged 30.
Row D. 19.
Lived at 39 St. Anne's Street, Padiham, Lancashire.
Herbert Bradley was taken prisoner on April 5th 1918 whilst on observation duty, he was taken to Limberg camp, where he later died of dysentry as a prisoner of war, he was at one time a professional footballer and had played for clubs including Notts County, Bury and Nelson.
Details of his death were passed to his mother by a returning Burnley man who had been at the camp with Bert Bradley and had attended his burial, he also brought back Bert's necklet and tablet which he had taken from the body prior to the burial and gave them to his mother.
Herbert Bradley
170th Siege Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
21st June 1918, aged 30.
Row D. 19.
Lived at 39 St. Anne's Street, Padiham, Lancashire.
Herbert Bradley was taken prisoner on April 5th 1918 whilst on observation duty, he was taken to Limberg camp, where he later died of dysentry as a prisoner of war, he was at one time a professional footballer and had played for clubs including Notts County, Bury and Nelson.
Details of his death were passed to his mother by a returning Burnley man who had been at the camp with Bert Bradley and had attended his burial, he also brought back Bert's necklet and tablet which he had taken from the body prior to the burial and gave them to his mother.
