BERTENACRE MILITARY CEMETERY
Flêtre
Nord
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.77789, Longitude: 2.63051
Location Information
Bertenacre Military Cemetery is situated half way between the villages of Eeke and Godewaersvelde, which are 10 kilometres north-east of Hazebrouck in the department of the Nord.
From Eeke, take the D139 and head east. Once over the motorway, which is some 2 kilometres from the village, turn immediately right onto the track leading to Bertenacre Military Cemetery.
Visiting Information
PLEASE NOTE: The rough track leading to the cemetery may be difficult under wet weather conditions, and is unsuitable for private cars during the winter months.
Wheelchair access to this site is possible with some difficulty.
Historical Information
The cemetery was made by French troops (as the Cemetery "du Calvaire de Bertenacre", from the crucifix on the main road), and used in July-September, 1918, after the Battles of the Lys, by the 36th (Ulster) Division. After the Armistice the 115 French and two German graves were removed, and British graves were brought in from the following cemetery:-
ROYAL WEST SURREY CEMETERY, Fletre, was about 460 metres to the South-East. It contained the graves of 42 soldiers from the United Kingdom killed in an enemy air raid on the 18th August, 1917 (of whom 38 belonged to the 10th Queen's), and one Canadian soldier who fell in June, 1918.
There are 111 identified 1914-18 war casualties and 32 identified 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. One grave from the 1914-18 War, destroyed by shell fire, is represented by a special memorial. Most of the burials from the 1939-45 War were men of the 5th Cinque Ports Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment.
The cemetery covers an area of 716 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.
The cemetery was designed by Arthur James Scott Hutton
Total Burials: 146.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 109, Canada 2.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 32.
Images in gallery below © Geerhard Joos
23011 Private
Peter Burkhill
10th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
18th August 1917, aged 36.
Plot II. B. 7.
Son of Samuel and Martha Burkhill, of 5, Crosses, Frodsham, Warrington; husband of Mary Agnes Burkhill, of 103, Bebington Rd., New Ferry, Port Sunlight, Birkenhead.
Peter Burkhill
10th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
18th August 1917, aged 36.
Plot II. B. 7.
Son of Samuel and Martha Burkhill, of 5, Crosses, Frodsham, Warrington; husband of Mary Agnes Burkhill, of 103, Bebington Rd., New Ferry, Port Sunlight, Birkenhead.
24101 Private
George Butchers
10th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
18th August 1917.
Plot II. C. 4.
George Butchers
10th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
18th August 1917.
Plot II. C. 4.
Second Lieutenant
John Duff
3rd Bn. attached to 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
25th August 1918.
Plot II. A. 6.
John Duff
3rd Bn. attached to 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
25th August 1918.
Plot II. A. 6.
167 Lance Corporal
David Holmes
1st Bn. Royal Irish Rifles
20th July 1918, aged 21.
Plot II. F. 3.
Son of David and Jane Holmes, of 28, William St., Ballymena, Co. Antrim.
David Holmes
1st Bn. Royal Irish Rifles
20th July 1918, aged 21.
Plot II. F. 3.
Son of David and Jane Holmes, of 28, William St., Ballymena, Co. Antrim.
Major
Robert Goodman Kerr, M. C.
7th/8th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, attached to 9th Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
11th July 1918, aged 28.
Plot II. F. 8.
Husband of Mrs. C. J. Kerr, of "Hillside", Delgany, Co. Wicklow.
Robert Goodman Kerr, M. C.
7th/8th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, attached to 9th Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
11th July 1918, aged 28.
Plot II. F. 8.
Husband of Mrs. C. J. Kerr, of "Hillside", Delgany, Co. Wicklow.
41403 Rifleman
John Edward Riddell
9th (North Irish Horse) Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
3rd August 1918, aged 21.
Plot I. C. 7.
Son of John and Mary Ann Riddell, of Dunluce St., Portrush, Co. Antrim.
His headstone bears the inscription "As I Live Ye Shall Live Also"
John Edward Riddell
9th (North Irish Horse) Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
3rd August 1918, aged 21.
Plot I. C. 7.
Son of John and Mary Ann Riddell, of Dunluce St., Portrush, Co. Antrim.
His headstone bears the inscription "As I Live Ye Shall Live Also"
13782 Private
Frank Stuart Slater
10th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
18th August 1917, aged 22.
Plot II. D. 5.
Son of Mrs. A. M. Bradley, of 4, Horne Cottages, Horne, Horley, Surrey.
His headstone bears the inscription "The Souls Of The Righteous Are In The Hand Of God & There Shall No Evil Touch Them"
Frank Stuart Slater
10th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
18th August 1917, aged 22.
Plot II. D. 5.
Son of Mrs. A. M. Bradley, of 4, Horne Cottages, Horne, Horley, Surrey.
His headstone bears the inscription "The Souls Of The Righteous Are In The Hand Of God & There Shall No Evil Touch Them"
Lieutenant
Garfield Warrington
Army Service Corps
18th August 1917.
Plot II. C. 12.
Son of Mrs. M. E. Warrington, of 39, Parkfield Rd., Princes Park, Liverpool, and the late J. T. Warrington.
Garfield Warrington
Army Service Corps
18th August 1917.
Plot II. C. 12.
Son of Mrs. M. E. Warrington, of 39, Parkfield Rd., Princes Park, Liverpool, and the late J. T. Warrington.
Images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
2nd January 1918: The 'White Guard', at the 1st Anzac Corps Headquarters, at Fletre, in Northern France, supplied by the 26th Battalion. On completion of its tour of duty the guard received a letter of congratulation from the Corps Commander, General Sir William Riddell Birdwood. Left to right: Sergeant W. Saunders; 4385 Private (Pte) H. F. Smeeton; 4333 (or 5333) Pte John Thompson Fairbanks; Hall; Cpl Holiday; 1820A Pte Richard Holmyard (killed in action 8 August 1918); 6046 Pte Thomas Charnley; R. T. Brown; ?914 Pte Morton Keating; 971 Pte John Scott; Pte P. Syms; 627 Corporal R. Ellicot
