BARLIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.46546, Longitude: 2.61675
Location Information
Barlin is a village about 11 Kms south-west of Bethune on the D188, between the Bethune-Arras and Bethune-St. Pol roads, about 6.5 Kms south-east of Bruay. The Communal Cemetery and Extension lie to the north of the village on the D171 road to Houchin.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access is possible to the cemetery extension with some difficulty - there are six steps from the road to the Cemetery Extension.
Historical Information
The extension was begun by French troops in October 1914 and when they moved south in March 1916 to be replaced by Commonwealth forces, it was used for burials by the 6th Casualty Clearing Station. In November 1917, Barlin began to be shelled and the hospital was moved back to Ruitz, but the extension was used again in March and April 1918 during the German advance on this front.
The extension contains 1,095 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 2 being unidentified. There are 63 French and 13 German burials including 2 unidentified.
Total Burials: 1,171.
Identified Casualties: Canada 679, United Kingdom 409, Germany 11, South Africa 5. Total 1,104.
Unidentified Casualties: Germany 2, United Kingdom 2. Total 4.
French Casualties: 63.
The extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and John Reginald Truelove
Dedications
38148 Private P. P. Pyefinch, 12th Labour Company, Northamptonshire Regiment, transferred to 89723 150th Labour Corps. 24th May 1917.
Remembered with honour by John Pyefinch
Barlin is a village about 11 Kms south-west of Bethune on the D188, between the Bethune-Arras and Bethune-St. Pol roads, about 6.5 Kms south-east of Bruay. The Communal Cemetery and Extension lie to the north of the village on the D171 road to Houchin.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access is possible to the cemetery extension with some difficulty - there are six steps from the road to the Cemetery Extension.
Historical Information
The extension was begun by French troops in October 1914 and when they moved south in March 1916 to be replaced by Commonwealth forces, it was used for burials by the 6th Casualty Clearing Station. In November 1917, Barlin began to be shelled and the hospital was moved back to Ruitz, but the extension was used again in March and April 1918 during the German advance on this front.
The extension contains 1,095 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 2 being unidentified. There are 63 French and 13 German burials including 2 unidentified.
Total Burials: 1,171.
Identified Casualties: Canada 679, United Kingdom 409, Germany 11, South Africa 5. Total 1,104.
Unidentified Casualties: Germany 2, United Kingdom 2. Total 4.
French Casualties: 63.
The extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and John Reginald Truelove
Dedications
38148 Private P. P. Pyefinch, 12th Labour Company, Northamptonshire Regiment, transferred to 89723 150th Labour Corps. 24th May 1917.
Remembered with honour by John Pyefinch
8916 Private John Cunningham V. C.
4th Company, 2nd Bn. Leinster Regiment
16th April 1917, aged 29.
Plot I. A. 39.
Son of Johanna and the late Joseph Cunningham, of Stradavoher St., Thurles, Co. Tipperary. The second son lost to a widowed mother in the war.
His headstone bears the inscription "Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart Pray For Him"
Citation:
An extract taken from The London Gazette, dated 8th June, 1917 records the following: "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when in command of a Lewis Gun section on the most exposed flank of the attack. His section came under heavy enfilade fire and suffered severely. Although wounded he succeeded almost alone in reaching his objective with his gun, which he got into action in spite of much opposition. When counter-attacked by a party of twenty of the enemy he exhausted his ammunition against them, then, standing in full view, he commenced throwing bombs. He was wounded again, and fell, but picked himself up and continued to fight single-handed with the enemy until his bombs were exhausted. He then made his way back to our lines with a fractured arm and other wounds. There is little doubt that the superb courage of this N.C.O. cleared up a most critical situation on the left flank of the attack. Corporal Cunningham died in hospital from the effects of his wounds."
Headstone

25269 Battery Serjeant Major
George Henry Archer
147th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
7th July 1917, aged 30.
Plot II. C. 11.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Archer, of Kent; husband of Mrs. E. B. Archer, of 23, Fredrick St., Neyland, Pembrokeshire.
We mourn his loss from two of his Great Nieces Lynda and Yvonne
Picture courtesy of Lynda Thorne
George Henry Archer
147th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
7th July 1917, aged 30.
Plot II. C. 11.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Archer, of Kent; husband of Mrs. E. B. Archer, of 23, Fredrick St., Neyland, Pembrokeshire.
We mourn his loss from two of his Great Nieces Lynda and Yvonne
Picture courtesy of Lynda Thorne

28277 Serjeant
Thomas Walter Henry Field
137th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
19th September 1917, aged 25.
Plot II. D. 19.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Ernest Field, of Plymouth; husband of Stephanie Grace Field, of "Cricketers Cottage," Littlewick Green, nr. Maidenhead, Berks.
Thomas died when his oldest son Cecil Thomas Field (my father) was just 2 years old, and before his second son Thomas Walter Douglas Field was born, so his family never knew him.
Picture courtesy of grandaughter Jill Wilby (nee Field)
Thomas Walter Henry Field
137th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
19th September 1917, aged 25.
Plot II. D. 19.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Ernest Field, of Plymouth; husband of Stephanie Grace Field, of "Cricketers Cottage," Littlewick Green, nr. Maidenhead, Berks.
Thomas died when his oldest son Cecil Thomas Field (my father) was just 2 years old, and before his second son Thomas Walter Douglas Field was born, so his family never knew him.
Picture courtesy of grandaughter Jill Wilby (nee Field)

Tyneside Z/3461 Able Seaman
Robert Gray Mackie
Hawke Bn. R. N. Div. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
21st June 1916, aged 20.
Plot I. J. 11.
Son of Alexander and Euphemia Mackie, of South Shields, Co. Durham.
Picture courtesy of Doris Moffet Sayer nee Clark great niece of Robert Gray Mackie
Robert Gray Mackie
Hawke Bn. R. N. Div. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
21st June 1916, aged 20.
Plot I. J. 11.
Son of Alexander and Euphemia Mackie, of South Shields, Co. Durham.
Picture courtesy of Doris Moffet Sayer nee Clark great niece of Robert Gray Mackie

10962 Private
Henry Shepherd
1st Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
7th July 1916, aged 41.
Plot I. J. 39.
Son of the late John and Margaret Shepherd, of Liverpool; husband of Alice Shepherd, of 117, Mill Rd., Everton, Liverpool.
Henry left a widow Alice Shepherd and eight children the youngest aged three years, residing at 62 Heyworth Street, Liverpool.
Henry is remembered with great pride by all his descendants. Picture courtesy of Great grandson, James Henry Shepherd
Henry Shepherd
1st Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
7th July 1916, aged 41.
Plot I. J. 39.
Son of the late John and Margaret Shepherd, of Liverpool; husband of Alice Shepherd, of 117, Mill Rd., Everton, Liverpool.
Henry left a widow Alice Shepherd and eight children the youngest aged three years, residing at 62 Heyworth Street, Liverpool.
Henry is remembered with great pride by all his descendants. Picture courtesy of Great grandson, James Henry Shepherd

10189 Serjeant
A. Woolley
1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
1st June 1916.
Plot I. B. 40.
A. Woolley
1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
1st June 1916.
Plot I. B. 40.
Shot at Dawn
20726 Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Alexander, 10th Bn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, executed for desertion on 18th October 1917, aged 37. Plot II. D. 43. He had seen 15 years’ Army service in South Africa (where he had been decorated), & on his return, in the UK (where he was promoted Lance-Corporal & received his second Good Conduct Badge). Following emigration to Canada & the outbreak of war, he enlisted in the Alberta Regiment & served with credit on the Western Front. During fighting on Hill 70 near Lens, where Alexander was an acting platoon-commander, he stated that he had been wounded & handed over command to a corporal — who was soon to be killed along with the rest of the patrol. He was arrested, & examination failed to show the wound that he continued to claim. (Putkowski, pp 205-206)
20726 Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Alexander, 10th Bn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, executed for desertion on 18th October 1917, aged 37. Plot II. D. 43. He had seen 15 years’ Army service in South Africa (where he had been decorated), & on his return, in the UK (where he was promoted Lance-Corporal & received his second Good Conduct Badge). Following emigration to Canada & the outbreak of war, he enlisted in the Alberta Regiment & served with credit on the Western Front. During fighting on Hill 70 near Lens, where Alexander was an acting platoon-commander, he stated that he had been wounded & handed over command to a corporal — who was soon to be killed along with the rest of the patrol. He was arrested, & examination failed to show the wound that he continued to claim. (Putkowski, pp 205-206)