BAPAUME COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.11101, Longitude: 2.84706
Location Information
Bapaume is a small town in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais on the main road from Paris to Arras and Douai. The Cemetery is situated to the north of the town.
Historical Information
Bapaume was occupied by German forces on the 26th September, 1914, and by the British on the 17th March, 1917; it was retaken by the Germans on the 24th March, 1918, and by the New Zealand Division on the following 29th August. It has given its name to the battles of the 24th-25th March, 1918, and the 31st August-3rd September, 1918. It was severely damaged by both sides during the War.
The 1939-45 War found Bapaume in the path of the Germans when, in May, 1940, they swept through the gap between Rethel and Hirson on the French Army's front, and across country to occupy Amiens and Abbeville as the British Expeditionary Force fought its way to the coast.
Bapaume was later "adopted" by the City of Sheffield.
There are 24, 1914-18 and 1, 1939-45 war casualty commemorated in this site. The British graves are in small Plots scattered in different parts of the cemetery.
Total Burials: 25.
World War One Casualties: Australia 19, New Zealand 4, United Kingdom 1. Total 24.
World War Two Casualties: United Kingdom 1.
World War One Burials
Images in this gallery © Thierry Grier
World War One Individual Headstones
Click on the picture of the headstone for details of the serviceman if applicable
Images © Johan Pauwels
Lieutenant
Emil John Hamilton Clarke
11th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery
15th April 1917, aged 25.
Son of Benjamin and Anna Wilhelmine Clarke, of 37, Myrtle St., Prospect, South Australia. Born at Kapunda.
His headstone bears the inscription "Loved By His Comrades"
Click on image to enlarge
Studio portrait of 1255 Private Emil John Hamilton Clarke, 3rd Light Horse Regiment who was a 23 year old bank clerk from Prospect, South Australia when he enlisted on 21 January 1915. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and embarked for overseas on 27 October 1915 aboard HMAT Benalla. After serving for six months in Egypt, he proceeded to France, where on 1 October 1916, he was promoted to Lieutenant (Lt) and transferred to 11th Field Artillery Brigade. Lt Clarke was killed in action near Bullecourt, France, on 15 April 1917 and buried in the Communal Cemetery at Bapaume, France.
Emil John Hamilton Clarke
11th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery
15th April 1917, aged 25.
Son of Benjamin and Anna Wilhelmine Clarke, of 37, Myrtle St., Prospect, South Australia. Born at Kapunda.
His headstone bears the inscription "Loved By His Comrades"
Click on image to enlarge
Studio portrait of 1255 Private Emil John Hamilton Clarke, 3rd Light Horse Regiment who was a 23 year old bank clerk from Prospect, South Australia when he enlisted on 21 January 1915. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and embarked for overseas on 27 October 1915 aboard HMAT Benalla. After serving for six months in Egypt, he proceeded to France, where on 1 October 1916, he was promoted to Lieutenant (Lt) and transferred to 11th Field Artillery Brigade. Lt Clarke was killed in action near Bullecourt, France, on 15 April 1917 and buried in the Communal Cemetery at Bapaume, France.
1338 Trooper
Joseph Colmo
1st Australian Light Horse
26th March 1917, aged 24.
Son of Annie Colmo, of Cope St., Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, and the late Joseph Colmo. Born at Dry Diggings, Daylesford, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription "Gone But Not Forgotten"
Joseph Colmo
1st Australian Light Horse
26th March 1917, aged 24.
Son of Annie Colmo, of Cope St., Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, and the late Joseph Colmo. Born at Dry Diggings, Daylesford, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription "Gone But Not Forgotten"
Major
Raymond Keith Pybus
11th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery
15th April 1917, aged 26.
Son of William Brinny Pybus and Fanny Pybus; husband of C. A. Pybus, of Trevallyn, Launceston, Tasmania. Born at Hobart.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Followed The Christ In Giving His Life As A Sacrifice"
Raymond Keith Pybus
11th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery
15th April 1917, aged 26.
Son of William Brinny Pybus and Fanny Pybus; husband of C. A. Pybus, of Trevallyn, Launceston, Tasmania. Born at Hobart.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Followed The Christ In Giving His Life As A Sacrifice"
3100 Corporal
Stanley William Taylor
11th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery
7th April 1917, aged 22.
Son of William Cleghorn Taylor, of Cox St., Windsor, Brisbane, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than To Lay Down His Life For His Friends"
Stanley William Taylor
11th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery
7th April 1917, aged 22.
Son of William Cleghorn Taylor, of Cox St., Windsor, Brisbane, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than To Lay Down His Life For His Friends"
4937 Farrier
Leonard William Telford
12th Company, Australian Machine Gun Corps
5th April 1917, aged 25.
Son of William Henry and Eliza Telford, of 4, Condon St., Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Duty Nobly Done" R. I. P.
Leonard William Telford
12th Company, Australian Machine Gun Corps
5th April 1917, aged 25.
Son of William Henry and Eliza Telford, of 4, Condon St., Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Duty Nobly Done" R. I. P.
1126 Sergeant
Harold Lindsay Wilcox
23rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
17th March 1917, aged 25.
Son of Horace A. and Alice Marian Wilcox, of Marshall St., Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia. Born at Hawthorn, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful Unto Death"
Studio portrait of 1126 Private (Pte) Harold Lindsay Wilcox, 23rd Battalion, Melbourne, Vic. Pte Wilcox enlisted on 21 March 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Euripides on 8 May 1915. He subsequently served as a sergeant, and was killed in action on 17 March 1917 in France.
Harold Lindsay Wilcox
23rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
17th March 1917, aged 25.
Son of Horace A. and Alice Marian Wilcox, of Marshall St., Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia. Born at Hawthorn, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful Unto Death"
Studio portrait of 1126 Private (Pte) Harold Lindsay Wilcox, 23rd Battalion, Melbourne, Vic. Pte Wilcox enlisted on 21 March 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Euripides on 8 May 1915. He subsequently served as a sergeant, and was killed in action on 17 March 1917 in France.
1063 Warrant Officer
Thomas William Wilkinson
7th Company, Australian Army Service Corps
7th April 1917, aged 37.
Son of J. and Letitia Wilkinson; husband of E. V. Wilkinson. Born in Tasmania.
Thomas William Wilkinson
7th Company, Australian Army Service Corps
7th April 1917, aged 37.
Son of J. and Letitia Wilkinson; husband of E. V. Wilkinson. Born in Tasmania.
1301 Driver
David Williams
7th Company, Australian Army Service Corps
7th April 1917, aged 37.
Son of Thomas and Mary Williams; husband of Elsie Williams, of 20, Dartbrook Rd., Auburn, New South Wales. Born in Denbigh, Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Gave His Life For His Country"
Studio portrait of 1301 Driver David Williams, 7th Company Australian Army Service Corps of Waverley, NSW. A seaman prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Port Macquarie (A39) on 21 December 1914. He was wounded in action, on 7 April 1917, near Bapaume, France and died of his wounds, later that day, in the 4th Australian Field Ambulance, aged 37.
David Williams
7th Company, Australian Army Service Corps
7th April 1917, aged 37.
Son of Thomas and Mary Williams; husband of Elsie Williams, of 20, Dartbrook Rd., Auburn, New South Wales. Born in Denbigh, Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Gave His Life For His Country"
Studio portrait of 1301 Driver David Williams, 7th Company Australian Army Service Corps of Waverley, NSW. A seaman prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Port Macquarie (A39) on 21 December 1914. He was wounded in action, on 7 April 1917, near Bapaume, France and died of his wounds, later that day, in the 4th Australian Field Ambulance, aged 37.
24/621 Corporal
Edgar Alfred Wood
"B" Company, 2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
26th August 1918, aged 26.
Son of Thomas and Mary Wood, of Lowburn Ferry, Otago, New Zealand.
Edgar Alfred Wood
"B" Company, 2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
26th August 1918, aged 26.
Son of Thomas and Mary Wood, of Lowburn Ferry, Otago, New Zealand.
The original marker graves for Private Betts, 2nd Lieutenant Brough, Lance Corporal Gregory, Private O'Connor and Sergeant Wilcox
World War Two Burial
Images © Johan Pauwels
T/10664076 Driver Albert Henry Bussell, Royal Army Service Corps, died between 2nd September 1944 and 3rd September 1944, aged 39. Son of Henry and Emma Jane Bussell, of South Petherton, Somerset. His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This"
