AVESNES-SUR-HELPE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Nord
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.11883, Longitude: 3.92081
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.
Total Burials: 212.
Commonwealth World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 78.
Commonwealth World War One Unidentified Casualties: 4.
Other Nationalities World War One Casualties: France 103, Russia 5. Total 108.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 17, Australia 2, Canada 2, New Zealand 1. Total 22.
The commonwealth plot was designed by William Harrison Cowlishaw
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
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
World War One
Roll of Honour
23948 Private
Frederick William George Abbott
2nd Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
5th October 1918, aged 28.
Row A. 18.
Son of Frederick John and Sarah Jane Abbott, of Rushden, Northants.
Frederick William George Abbott
2nd Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
5th October 1918, aged 28.
Row A. 18.
Son of Frederick John and Sarah Jane Abbott, of Rushden, Northants.
241178 Lance Corporal
Violet Blanchard
1st/5th Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment
7th November 1918.
Row A. 5.
Violet Blanchard
1st/5th Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment
7th November 1918.
Row A. 5.
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.
Captain
Gordon Alexander Deane
1st Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
11th April 1918, aged 20.
Row B. 4.
Son of Charles C. and Adelaid E. Deane, of Loughgall, Co. Armagh.
Gordon Alexander Deane
1st Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
11th April 1918, aged 20.
Row B. 4.
Son of Charles C. and Adelaid E. Deane, of Loughgall, Co. Armagh.
World War Two
Roll of Honour
R/158374 Flight Sergeant
Joseph Walter Edgar
166 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 30.
Row AA. 18.
Son of Joseph Walter and Lillie May Edgar, of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "More Homelike Seems The Vast Unknown Since He Has Entered There"
Joseph Walter Edgar
166 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 30.
Row AA. 18.
Son of Joseph Walter and Lillie May Edgar, of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "More Homelike Seems The Vast Unknown Since He Has Entered There"
R/106742 Warrant Officer
John Duncan Fiddes
166 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 25.
Row AA. 15.
Son of Robert Fiddes, and of Laura E. Fiddes, of Hollyburn, British Columbia, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Life's Work Well Done"
John Duncan Fiddes
166 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 25.
Row AA. 15.
Son of Robert Fiddes, and of Laura E. Fiddes, of Hollyburn, British Columbia, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Life's Work Well Done"
404384 Flight Sergeant
Jeffrey Lewis
7 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force
6th May 1942, aged 21.
Row AA. Coll. Grave 5-8.
Son of Griffith and Alice Ethel Lewis, of Nelson, New Zealand.
Jeffrey Lewis
7 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force
6th May 1942, aged 21.
Row AA. Coll. Grave 5-8.
Son of Griffith and Alice Ethel Lewis, of Nelson, New Zealand.
