BEEHIVE CEMETERY
Willerval
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.36637, Longitude: 2.84285
Location Information
Willerval is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, 10 kilometres north-east of Arras. Beehive Cemetery is 1 kilometre north of the village and 600 metres by the footpath from the west side of the D50E road to Mericourt in a place called Lorgette.
Historical Information
The cemetery owes its name to a German machine gun emplacement known to the British troops as "The Beehive". It was made by fighting units after the occupation of Willerval in the Battles of Arras, 1917, and it was used as an advance cemetery until the following September; one grave was added in March, 1918.
There are 48, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 1 is unidentified and one, which cannot now be found, is represented by a special memorial.
The cemetery covers an area of 360 square metres and is enclosed by a concrete curb.
The cemetery was designed by William Harrison Cowlishaw
Total Burials: 48.
Identified Casualties: Canada 42, United Kingdom 5. Total 47.
Unidentified Casualty: United Kingdom 1.
Willerval is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, 10 kilometres north-east of Arras. Beehive Cemetery is 1 kilometre north of the village and 600 metres by the footpath from the west side of the D50E road to Mericourt in a place called Lorgette.
Historical Information
The cemetery owes its name to a German machine gun emplacement known to the British troops as "The Beehive". It was made by fighting units after the occupation of Willerval in the Battles of Arras, 1917, and it was used as an advance cemetery until the following September; one grave was added in March, 1918.
There are 48, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 1 is unidentified and one, which cannot now be found, is represented by a special memorial.
The cemetery covers an area of 360 square metres and is enclosed by a concrete curb.
The cemetery was designed by William Harrison Cowlishaw
Total Burials: 48.
Identified Casualties: Canada 42, United Kingdom 5. Total 47.
Unidentified Casualty: United Kingdom 1.
228347 Private
David Clements Bates
58th Bn. Canadian Infantry
14th September 1917, aged 28.
Row B. 22.
Son of Ann Jane Bates (nee Clements), of 212, Logan St., St. Lambert, Montreal, Canada, and the late William Bates. Native of Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, Ireland.
His headstone bears the inscription "What My Father Does Is Well"
David Clements Bates
58th Bn. Canadian Infantry
14th September 1917, aged 28.
Row B. 22.
Son of Ann Jane Bates (nee Clements), of 212, Logan St., St. Lambert, Montreal, Canada, and the late William Bates. Native of Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, Ireland.
His headstone bears the inscription "What My Father Does Is Well"
823655 Private
William Percy Boyce
14th Bn. Canadian Infantry
6th June 1917, aged 30.
Row B. 1.
Son of Thomas Edward and May Boyce, of Widcombe, Bath; husband of Winifred F. Boyce, of 11, Hatfield Buildings, Widcombe Hill, Bath, England.
His headstone bears the inscription "Peace Perfect Peace The Blood Of Jesus WhispersPeace Within"
William Percy Boyce
14th Bn. Canadian Infantry
6th June 1917, aged 30.
Row B. 1.
Son of Thomas Edward and May Boyce, of Widcombe, Bath; husband of Winifred F. Boyce, of 11, Hatfield Buildings, Widcombe Hill, Bath, England.
His headstone bears the inscription "Peace Perfect Peace The Blood Of Jesus WhispersPeace Within"
216375 Private
Joseph Bunyan
43rd Bn. Canadian Infantry
28th March 1918
Row C. 11.
Joseph Bunyan
43rd Bn. Canadian Infantry
28th March 1918
Row C. 11.
290 Private
George Eder
13th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
10th August 1917.
Row A. 9.
George Eder
13th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
10th August 1917.
Row A. 9.
441528 Sapper
Charles Frederick Fisher
6th Field Company, Canadian Engineers
3rd May 1917, aged 33.
Row B. 16.
Son of Charles William and Jane Fisher, of Crystal Springs, Saskatchewan. Native of England.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Loving Memory Thy Will Be Done"
Charles Frederick Fisher
6th Field Company, Canadian Engineers
3rd May 1917, aged 33.
Row B. 16.
Son of Charles William and Jane Fisher, of Crystal Springs, Saskatchewan. Native of England.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Loving Memory Thy Will Be Done"
Image © Werner Van Caneghem
25780 Private
William Ashworth Kay
14th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
7th August 1917, aged 20.
Row A. 12.
Son of Mr. W. G. and Mrs. A. E. Kay, of 68, Carsick Hill Rd., Sandygate, Sheffield.
William Ashworth Kay
14th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
7th August 1917, aged 20.
Row A. 12.
Son of Mr. W. G. and Mrs. A. E. Kay, of 68, Carsick Hill Rd., Sandygate, Sheffield.
202021 Private
Percival Nixon
20th Bn. Canadian Infantry
31st May 1917
Row B. 4.
Percival Nixon
20th Bn. Canadian Infantry
31st May 1917
Row B. 4.
104036 Private
Edwin Walter Wilkes
4th Company, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)
29th September 1917, aged 29.
Row C. 4.
Son of Richard Alfred Wilkes, of Hardy, Saskatchewan.
Edwin Walter Wilkes
4th Company, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)
29th September 1917, aged 29.
Row C. 4.
Son of Richard Alfred Wilkes, of Hardy, Saskatchewan.
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
Aerial photograph of Thelus, near Arras, looking towards north east, showing the Lille Road. Sheet 51b, A16. date 30 September 1916. © IWM (Q58376)
Canadian troops tend the graves of their comrades fallen at Vimy, June, 1917. (Library and Archives Canada)
