BANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.10225, Longitude: 2.8977
Location Information
Bancourt is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais about 3.5 kilometres east of Bapaume. The Communal Cemetery is a little east of the village on the road from Fremicourt to Villers-en-Flos.
Bancourt was occupied by Commonwealth forces in March 1917. It was lost a year later during the German offensive in the spring of 1918 but recaptured by the New Zealand Division (in particular, the 2nd Auckland Battalion) on 30 August 1918. Bancourt Communal Cemetery contains the graves of six officers of the Royal Flying Corps (one of them unidentified) buried by the Germans in the autumn of 1916, and one soldier from New Zealand who died in September 1918. In addition, there is a special memorial to an Australian soldier, buried in the cemetery in April 1917, whose grave was destroyed by shell fire.
Total Burials: 8.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 5, Australia 1, New Zealand 1. Total 7.
Unidentified Casualty: United Kingdom 1.
Burial Details
1392 Driver Allan John Cameron, 4th Australian Pioneers, died 15th April 1917, aged 27. Son of Hugh Allan Cameron and Jessie Cameron, of Bourbon St., Bundaberg, Queensland. His headstone bears the inscription "The Lord Gave And The Lord Hath Taken Away"
3049 Serjeant Albert Clarkson, 11th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, died 30th September 1916, aged 22. Son of Arthur and Alice Jane Clarkson, of 56, Shaw Rd., Blackpool. His headstone bears the inscription "R. I. P."
25178 Serjeant R. S. Evans, 70th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, died 16th November 1916, aged 18. Son of Robert and Isabel Evans, of 10, Marina Crescent, Herne Bay, Kent. One of the first Serjeant Pilots in the R.F.C. His headstone bears the inscription "The Eternal God Is Our Refuge & Underneath Are The Everlasting Arms"
Second Lieutenant Arthur James Fisher, 21st Squadron, 14th Wing, Royal Flying Corps, died 25th October 1916, aged 21. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Fisher, of Clapham, London. His headstone bears the inscription "He Lies With England's Heros In The Watchful Care Of God"
Second Lieutenant Guy Hedderwick, 19th Squadron, attached to 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment, died 22nd September 1916.
Lieutenant Ernest Conway Lansdale, Pilot in 11th Squadron and Army Service Corps, died 30th September 1916. Son of Ernest F. and Minnie Lansdale, of 3, Hawthorn Villas, Grove Rd., Ilkley, Yorks. Born at Goole. His headstone bears the inscription "Worthy Of God Who Hath Called You Unto His Kingdom And Glory"
Second Lieutenant Bertram John Russell, 3rd Battery, 1st Brigade, New Zealand Field Artillery, died 2nd September 1918, aged 32. Also served at Gallipoli.
Bancourt is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais about 3.5 kilometres east of Bapaume. The Communal Cemetery is a little east of the village on the road from Fremicourt to Villers-en-Flos.
Bancourt was occupied by Commonwealth forces in March 1917. It was lost a year later during the German offensive in the spring of 1918 but recaptured by the New Zealand Division (in particular, the 2nd Auckland Battalion) on 30 August 1918. Bancourt Communal Cemetery contains the graves of six officers of the Royal Flying Corps (one of them unidentified) buried by the Germans in the autumn of 1916, and one soldier from New Zealand who died in September 1918. In addition, there is a special memorial to an Australian soldier, buried in the cemetery in April 1917, whose grave was destroyed by shell fire.
Total Burials: 8.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 5, Australia 1, New Zealand 1. Total 7.
Unidentified Casualty: United Kingdom 1.
Burial Details
1392 Driver Allan John Cameron, 4th Australian Pioneers, died 15th April 1917, aged 27. Son of Hugh Allan Cameron and Jessie Cameron, of Bourbon St., Bundaberg, Queensland. His headstone bears the inscription "The Lord Gave And The Lord Hath Taken Away"
3049 Serjeant Albert Clarkson, 11th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, died 30th September 1916, aged 22. Son of Arthur and Alice Jane Clarkson, of 56, Shaw Rd., Blackpool. His headstone bears the inscription "R. I. P."
25178 Serjeant R. S. Evans, 70th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, died 16th November 1916, aged 18. Son of Robert and Isabel Evans, of 10, Marina Crescent, Herne Bay, Kent. One of the first Serjeant Pilots in the R.F.C. His headstone bears the inscription "The Eternal God Is Our Refuge & Underneath Are The Everlasting Arms"
Second Lieutenant Arthur James Fisher, 21st Squadron, 14th Wing, Royal Flying Corps, died 25th October 1916, aged 21. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Fisher, of Clapham, London. His headstone bears the inscription "He Lies With England's Heros In The Watchful Care Of God"
Second Lieutenant Guy Hedderwick, 19th Squadron, attached to 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment, died 22nd September 1916.
Lieutenant Ernest Conway Lansdale, Pilot in 11th Squadron and Army Service Corps, died 30th September 1916. Son of Ernest F. and Minnie Lansdale, of 3, Hawthorn Villas, Grove Rd., Ilkley, Yorks. Born at Goole. His headstone bears the inscription "Worthy Of God Who Hath Called You Unto His Kingdom And Glory"
Second Lieutenant Bertram John Russell, 3rd Battery, 1st Brigade, New Zealand Field Artillery, died 2nd September 1918, aged 32. Also served at Gallipoli.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
