BEACON CEMETERY
Sailly-Laurette
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 49.93697, Longitude: 2.61668
Location Information
Sailly-Laurette is a village 19 Kms east of Amiens and 9 Kms south-west of Albert.
Enter Bray-sur-Somme via Albert on the D329 and carry straight on into the village. Turn right in the direction of Corbie-Amiens, on the D1 heading west.
Leave Bray-sur-Somme on the D1 and carry on for 7.3 Kms. Beacon Cemetery is 500 metres after the junction with Morlancourt-Sailly Laurette, on the left hand side of the D1, in the direction of Amiens-Corbie. There are no CWGC signposts.
Historical Information
This part of the Somme did not see fighting until 26-27 March 1918, when the Third Army withdrew to a line between Albert and Sailly-le-Sec ahead of the German advance. This line was held until 4 July, when it was advanced nearly to Sailly-Laurette, and on 8 August, the first day of the Battle of Amiens, Sailly-Laurette and the road to Morlancourt were disengaged.
The cemetery (named from a brick beacon on the summit of the ridge a little south-east of the village) was made by the 18th Division Burial Officer on 15 August when the 12th (Eastern), 18th and 58th (London) Divisions attacked from the Ancre to the Somme and the Australian Corps beyond the Somme. At the Armistice, the original burials numbered 109 (now Plot III, Rows C, E, G and I), chiefly from the 12th Division, but it was then greatly increased when graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields and some smaller burial grounds, including:-
CROYDON CEMETERY, GLISY, on the South side of the Amiens-Villers Bretonneux road and a little West of the Glisy-St. Nicolas road. It contained the graves of fourteen soldiers from the United Kingdom and thirteen from Australia, who fell in May-August, 1918.
SUSSEX CEMETERY, SAILLY-LAURETTE, about 900 metres East-South-East of Beacon Cemetery. It was made by the 12th Division Burial Officer on the 16th-21st August, and it contained the graves of 43 soldiers from the United Kingdom (largely of the 7th Royal Sussex) and one from Australia, all of whom fell on the 8th August.
TAILLE WOOD CEMETERY, ETINEHEM, on the South side of the Corbie-Bray road where it passes through the wood. It contained the graves of sixteen soldiers from Australia, and two from the United Kingdom, who fell on the 13th-23rd August, 1918.
Beacon Cemetery now contains 772 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 257 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known or believed to be buried among them.
Total Burials: 772.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 376, Australia 138, Canada 1. Total 515.
Unidentified Casualties: 257.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and George Hartley Goldsmith
Sailly-Laurette is a village 19 Kms east of Amiens and 9 Kms south-west of Albert.
Enter Bray-sur-Somme via Albert on the D329 and carry straight on into the village. Turn right in the direction of Corbie-Amiens, on the D1 heading west.
Leave Bray-sur-Somme on the D1 and carry on for 7.3 Kms. Beacon Cemetery is 500 metres after the junction with Morlancourt-Sailly Laurette, on the left hand side of the D1, in the direction of Amiens-Corbie. There are no CWGC signposts.
Historical Information
This part of the Somme did not see fighting until 26-27 March 1918, when the Third Army withdrew to a line between Albert and Sailly-le-Sec ahead of the German advance. This line was held until 4 July, when it was advanced nearly to Sailly-Laurette, and on 8 August, the first day of the Battle of Amiens, Sailly-Laurette and the road to Morlancourt were disengaged.
The cemetery (named from a brick beacon on the summit of the ridge a little south-east of the village) was made by the 18th Division Burial Officer on 15 August when the 12th (Eastern), 18th and 58th (London) Divisions attacked from the Ancre to the Somme and the Australian Corps beyond the Somme. At the Armistice, the original burials numbered 109 (now Plot III, Rows C, E, G and I), chiefly from the 12th Division, but it was then greatly increased when graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields and some smaller burial grounds, including:-
CROYDON CEMETERY, GLISY, on the South side of the Amiens-Villers Bretonneux road and a little West of the Glisy-St. Nicolas road. It contained the graves of fourteen soldiers from the United Kingdom and thirteen from Australia, who fell in May-August, 1918.
SUSSEX CEMETERY, SAILLY-LAURETTE, about 900 metres East-South-East of Beacon Cemetery. It was made by the 12th Division Burial Officer on the 16th-21st August, and it contained the graves of 43 soldiers from the United Kingdom (largely of the 7th Royal Sussex) and one from Australia, all of whom fell on the 8th August.
TAILLE WOOD CEMETERY, ETINEHEM, on the South side of the Corbie-Bray road where it passes through the wood. It contained the graves of sixteen soldiers from Australia, and two from the United Kingdom, who fell on the 13th-23rd August, 1918.
Beacon Cemetery now contains 772 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 257 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known or believed to be buried among them.
Total Burials: 772.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 376, Australia 138, Canada 1. Total 515.
Unidentified Casualties: 257.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and George Hartley Goldsmith
Images in gallery below © Geerhard Joos
1210 Sergeant
Frank Roy Attiwill
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
30th July 1918, aged 24.
Plot IV. D. 6.
Son of Frank and Lucy Attiwill, of Jackson St., North Fremantle, Western Australia. Native of Naracoorte, South Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Beloved Son Of Lucy & The Late Frank Attiwill. Thy Will Be Done"
Frank Roy Attiwill
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
30th July 1918, aged 24.
Plot IV. D. 6.
Son of Frank and Lucy Attiwill, of Jackson St., North Fremantle, Western Australia. Native of Naracoorte, South Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Beloved Son Of Lucy & The Late Frank Attiwill. Thy Will Be Done"
3625 Private
Thomas Chapman
50th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
16th August 1918, aged 33
Plot IV. B. 6.
Son of James and Lucy Chapman, of Clarendon, South Australia.
Thomas Chapman
50th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
16th August 1918, aged 33
Plot IV. B. 6.
Son of James and Lucy Chapman, of Clarendon, South Australia.
7051 Private
James Henry Crowe 34th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F. 22nd August 1918, aged 20. Plot I. A. 8. Son of Robert Daniel and Emily Elizabeth Crowe, of Beethong St., Cootamundra, New South Wales. Native of Bethungra. His headstone bears the inscription "Gone But Not Forgotten" c. 1919. A re-used wooden cross marks the grave of 7051 Private (Pte) James Henry Crowe, 34th Battalion, at Beacon Cemetery at Sailly-Laurette, France. A pastry cook before enlisting in January 1918, Pte James Crowe had previously served in the 44th (Werriwa) Infantry, Citizens' Military Forces (CMF), and left Australia for England with the 21st Reinforcements of the 19th Battalion in February 1918. He was transferred to the 45th Battalion before arriving in France for service on the Western Front in June 1918, and after a few days transferred again to the 34th Battalion. He was killed by German artillery fire along the Bray-Corbie Road on 22 August 1918, aged 20. Pte Crowe had originally been buried at Taille Wood British Cemetery, but was relocated to Beacon Cemetery at Sailly-Laurette sometime in 1919. |
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7572 Sergeant
George Henry Gates, M. M.
34th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
20th August 1918, aged 24.
Plot VI. G. 8.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Memory Of George Eldest Son Of Mr. & Mrs. Gates Of Hurstville"
Son of Arthur Henry and Elizabeth Temperance Gates, of "Arlington," Greenacre Rd., Hurstville, New South Wales. Native of Petersham.
Studio portrait of 7572 Sergeant George Henry Gates, 34th Battalion, of Petersham, NSW. A plumber prior to enlisting on 16 February 1917, he embarked aboard HMAT Marathon from Sydney, NSW on 10 May 1917. He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for his part in the operations on Accroche Wood, near Somme, France on 8 August 1918. He was killed in action on 20 August 1918, aged 24. His brother, 2410 Private Frank Johnston Gates was also killed in action, approximately one month later, on 19 September 1918 and is buried in Templeux-le-Guérard British Cemetery in France.
George Henry Gates, M. M.
34th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
20th August 1918, aged 24.
Plot VI. G. 8.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Memory Of George Eldest Son Of Mr. & Mrs. Gates Of Hurstville"
Son of Arthur Henry and Elizabeth Temperance Gates, of "Arlington," Greenacre Rd., Hurstville, New South Wales. Native of Petersham.
Studio portrait of 7572 Sergeant George Henry Gates, 34th Battalion, of Petersham, NSW. A plumber prior to enlisting on 16 February 1917, he embarked aboard HMAT Marathon from Sydney, NSW on 10 May 1917. He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for his part in the operations on Accroche Wood, near Somme, France on 8 August 1918. He was killed in action on 20 August 1918, aged 24. His brother, 2410 Private Frank Johnston Gates was also killed in action, approximately one month later, on 19 September 1918 and is buried in Templeux-le-Guérard British Cemetery in France.
7010 Private
Frederick Alfred Warren Hastings
28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
10th June 1918.
Plot II. B. 8.
A contractor of Perth, WA, formerly of Adelaide.
Frederick Alfred Warren Hastings
28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
10th June 1918.
Plot II. B. 8.
A contractor of Perth, WA, formerly of Adelaide.
1287 Corporal
Frank Vernon Hill
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
31st July 1918, aged 24.
Plot IV. D. 8.
Son of James and Maria Hill, of Berry Brow, Baker's Hill, Western Australia. Native of Abbots Bromley, Staffs, England.
His headstone bears the inscription "Third Son Of James & Maria Hill, Berry Brow, Western Australia"
Frank Vernon Hill
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
31st July 1918, aged 24.
Plot IV. D. 8.
Son of James and Maria Hill, of Berry Brow, Baker's Hill, Western Australia. Native of Abbots Bromley, Staffs, England.
His headstone bears the inscription "Third Son Of James & Maria Hill, Berry Brow, Western Australia"
1190 Private
Matthew Matthews
29th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
29th July 1918, aged 25.
Plot I. H. 8.
Son of Robert and Winifred Matthews, of Brimpaen, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
Matthew Matthews
29th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
29th July 1918, aged 25.
Plot I. H. 8.
Son of Robert and Winifred Matthews, of Brimpaen, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
5061 Private
Charles Edwin Mold
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
20th June 1918, aged 27.
Plot II. G. 6.
Son of Edwin James and Anna Mold, of Jacob St., Gawler, South Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Breaks Sweetly Resting Forever With The Lord"
Charles Edwin Mold
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
20th June 1918, aged 27.
Plot II. G. 6.
Son of Edwin James and Anna Mold, of Jacob St., Gawler, South Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Breaks Sweetly Resting Forever With The Lord"
3190 Private
Frederick John Ward
37th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
13th June 1918, aged 22.
Plot II. F. 5.
Son of Stephen William and Susannah Ward, of Carpendeit, Victoria, Australia. Native of Cobden.
His headstone bears the inscription "Have Mercy Upon Him Lord And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him"
H
Frederick John Ward
37th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
13th June 1918, aged 22.
Plot II. F. 5.
Son of Stephen William and Susannah Ward, of Carpendeit, Victoria, Australia. Native of Cobden.
His headstone bears the inscription "Have Mercy Upon Him Lord And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him"
H
Australian brothers killed on the same day
4782 Lance Sergeant
Frederick Alexander White
25th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
10th June 1918, aged 37.
Plot IV. C. 8.
Son of James and Angelina Elizabeth White. Native of North Pine, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man"
4785 Private
Albert White
25th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
10th June 1918, aged 26.
Plot IV. I. 5.
Son of James and Catherine White, of Petrie, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Memory Of The Dearly Beloved Son Of Mrs. C. White Of North Pine"
Studio portrait of two brothers, both of the 25th Battalion. 4782 Private (Pte) Frederick Alexander White, of Rockhampton, Qld, left, and 4785 Pte Albert White of North Pine, Qld. The brothers enlisted in September 1915 and embarked together with the 12th Reinforcements from Sydney on board RMS Mooltan on 12 April 1916. Frederick White was appointed Acting Corporal for the duration of the voyage, reverting to the rank of Private in July 1916. The brothers arrived in France for service on the Western Front on 11 September 1916. For Frederick White several periods as Acting Corporal followed until being permanently promoted in March 1917. In September he was appointed Lance Sergeant. Both brothers were wounded in action in November 1916 and March 1917. Frederick, aged 37, and Albert, aged 26, were killed in action at Morlancourt, France, on 10 June 1918.
Frederick Alexander White
25th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
10th June 1918, aged 37.
Plot IV. C. 8.
Son of James and Angelina Elizabeth White. Native of North Pine, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man"
4785 Private
Albert White
25th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
10th June 1918, aged 26.
Plot IV. I. 5.
Son of James and Catherine White, of Petrie, Queensland.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Memory Of The Dearly Beloved Son Of Mrs. C. White Of North Pine"
Studio portrait of two brothers, both of the 25th Battalion. 4782 Private (Pte) Frederick Alexander White, of Rockhampton, Qld, left, and 4785 Pte Albert White of North Pine, Qld. The brothers enlisted in September 1915 and embarked together with the 12th Reinforcements from Sydney on board RMS Mooltan on 12 April 1916. Frederick White was appointed Acting Corporal for the duration of the voyage, reverting to the rank of Private in July 1916. The brothers arrived in France for service on the Western Front on 11 September 1916. For Frederick White several periods as Acting Corporal followed until being permanently promoted in March 1917. In September he was appointed Lance Sergeant. Both brothers were wounded in action in November 1916 and March 1917. Frederick, aged 37, and Albert, aged 26, were killed in action at Morlancourt, France, on 10 June 1918.
Picture © Geerhard Joos
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Picture © Geerhard Joos
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Images in this gallery © Thierry Grier
Wireless apparatus on a French Caudron G IV bomber-reconnaissance biplane (serial number C 1533) at the Sailly-Laurette aerodrome, 30 August 1916. © IWM Q 67039
Battle of Amiens. German prisoners marching following the capture of Sailly Laurette, 8 August 1918. © IWM Q 6915
Battle of Amiens. Two soldiers giving a drink to a wounded man of the 2/10th Battalion, London Regiment (Hackney), 58th Division, near Sailly Laurette, 8 August 1918. © IWM Q 6910
Battle of Amiens. Germans prisoners bringing in one of their wounded in Sailly Laurette, 8 August 1918. © IWM Q 6909
Battle of Amiens. German prisoners are shown marching back through the ruins of Sailly Laurette, whilst Royal Army Medical Corps stretcher bearers face the camera, 8 August 1918. © IWM Q 6913
Battle of Amiens. Three German stretcher bearers and German casualty outside the cellar in which they were found by Lieutenant John Warwick Brooke (Official Photographer), and then captured by the 10th Battalion, London Regiment (Hackney), Sailly Laurette, 8 August 1918. © IWM Q 6907
