BERTRANCOURT MILITARY CEMETERY
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.09082, Longitude: 2.55083
Location Information
Bertrancourt is a village in the Department of the Somme.
Using the D919 from Arras to Amiens you will drive through the villages of Bucquoy, Puisieux, Serre-les-Puisieux and then Mailly-Maillet (approximately 25 kilometres south of Arras).
On leaving Mailly-Maillet, 100 metres further along the D919, turn right following the signs for Bertrancourt village (approximately 3 kilometres).
On arrival at Bertrancourt take the first turning left and continue for 300 metres. A signpost will be seen which will direct you right onto a small lane which continues straight to Bertrancourt Military Cemetery.
Historical Information
The cemetery was used by field ambulances in 1916 and 1917 and again by corps and divisional burial parties in the critical months of June, July and August 1918, when German advances brought the front line to within 8 kilometres of Bertrancourt.
There are 416 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery. Many of the graves are of Yorkshire or Lancashire regiments.
Total Burials: 419.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 384, New Zealand 26, Canada 2, Germany 2. Total 414.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 2, Unknown 3.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and John Reginald Truelove
Dedications
59713 Private Percy Humphries, 1st / 7th Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers, 17th August 1918, aged 19. Son of the late John Thomas Humphries and Emma Humphries of 9 Gloucester Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
Remembered by his great nephew, Robert Harrison
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
8545 Serjeant
Arthur Bowes
8th Bn. King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
13th November 1916, aged 29.
Plot 1. K. 4.
Husband of Mary Bowes, of 41, Parker Lane, Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription "May Thy Soul Rest In Peace"
Arthur Bowes
8th Bn. King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
13th November 1916, aged 29.
Plot 1. K. 4.
Husband of Mary Bowes, of 41, Parker Lane, Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription "May Thy Soul Rest In Peace"
Captain
Hugh Dart
13th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 34.
Plot 1. E. 15.
Son of Richard and Ellen Dart, of Liverpool. M.A. (Cantab.).
His headstone bears the inscription "M. A. Cambridge Killed In Action At The Battle Of The Somme"
Hugh Dart
13th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 34.
Plot 1. E. 15.
Son of Richard and Ellen Dart, of Liverpool. M.A. (Cantab.).
His headstone bears the inscription "M. A. Cambridge Killed In Action At The Battle Of The Somme"
15984 Serjeant
William Duckworth
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
20th June 1916, aged 20.
Plot 1. C. 13.
Son of Edward and Sarah Duckworth, of Oswaldtwistle, nr. Accrington.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
William Duckworth
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
20th June 1916, aged 20.
Plot 1. C. 13.
Son of Edward and Sarah Duckworth, of Oswaldtwistle, nr. Accrington.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
241103 Private
Arthur Edmondson
1st/5th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
8th June 1918, aged 27.
Plot 2. C. 20.
Son of James and Sarah Ann Edmondson, of Harle Syke, Burnley, Lancs. Lived at Queen Street, Harle Syke, Burnley and worked at Queen Street Mill as a weaver.
Arthur Edmondson
1st/5th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
8th June 1918, aged 27.
Plot 2. C. 20.
Son of James and Sarah Ann Edmondson, of Harle Syke, Burnley, Lancs. Lived at Queen Street, Harle Syke, Burnley and worked at Queen Street Mill as a weaver.
15932 Private
Frank Fawcett
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
23rd June 1916
Plot 1. A. 14.
Frank Fawcett
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
23rd June 1916
Plot 1. A. 14.
8198 Private
Albert Greenwood
12th Field Amb. Royal Army Medical Corps.
1st July 1916, aged 19.
Plot 1. G. 19.
Son of Joseph and Sarah A. Greenwood, of 80 Peart Street, Burnley, Lancs.
His headstone bears the inscription "To Memory Ever Dear"
Albert Greenwood
12th Field Amb. Royal Army Medical Corps.
1st July 1916, aged 19.
Plot 1. G. 19.
Son of Joseph and Sarah A. Greenwood, of 80 Peart Street, Burnley, Lancs.
His headstone bears the inscription "To Memory Ever Dear"
15760 Private
James Edward Heys
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1916, aged 35
Plot 1. D. 18.
Native of Burnley, Lancs.
James Edward Heys
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1916, aged 35
Plot 1. D. 18.
Native of Burnley, Lancs.
18037 Private
Ernest Kenyon
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
23rd June 1916, aged 37.
Plot 1. A. 13.
Husband of Mrs. Kenyon, of 493, Manchester Road, Baxenden, Accrington.
His headstone bears the inscription "Gone But Not Forgotten"
Ernest Kenyon
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
23rd June 1916, aged 37.
Plot 1. A. 13.
Husband of Mrs. Kenyon, of 493, Manchester Road, Baxenden, Accrington.
His headstone bears the inscription "Gone But Not Forgotten"
Troops of the 4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (29th Division) marching to the trenches; Acheux-en-Amiénois, 27 June 1916. © IWM Q 717
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
16043 Private
Arthur Nutter
"B" Coy. 11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
17th June 1916, aged 23.
Plot 1. C. 12.
Son of Albert and Elizabeth Ellen Nutter, of Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription "Worthy of Everlasting Love"
Arthur Nutter
"B" Coy. 11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
17th June 1916, aged 23.
Plot 1. C. 12.
Son of Albert and Elizabeth Ellen Nutter, of Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription "Worthy of Everlasting Love"
L/17777 Gunner
John Riding
"Z" 31st Trench Mortar Bty., Royal Field Artillery
29th June 1916, aged 36.
Plot 1. E. 7.
Brother of Mr. J. Riding, of 153, Downham Street. Blackburn.
Formerly employed on the South Lancashire Tramways, prior to enlisting he was working as a Driver for Burnley Tramways. He lived at 25 Kyan Street, Burnley.
John Riding
"Z" 31st Trench Mortar Bty., Royal Field Artillery
29th June 1916, aged 36.
Plot 1. E. 7.
Brother of Mr. J. Riding, of 153, Downham Street. Blackburn.
Formerly employed on the South Lancashire Tramways, prior to enlisting he was working as a Driver for Burnley Tramways. He lived at 25 Kyan Street, Burnley.
24175 Private
Frederick Roberts
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
22nd June 1916, aged 22.
Plot 1. B. 16.
Son of Thomas and Ellen Roberts, of Blackburn.
His headstone bears the inscription "Remembrances Of His Life Are The Sweetest Of Thoughts R. I. P."
Frederick Roberts
11th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
22nd June 1916, aged 22.
Plot 1. B. 16.
Son of Thomas and Ellen Roberts, of Blackburn.
His headstone bears the inscription "Remembrances Of His Life Are The Sweetest Of Thoughts R. I. P."
Shot at Dawn
L/11710 Private, Alfred Thomas Ansted, 4th Bn. Royal Fusiliers, executed for desertion, 15th November 1916, aged 29. Plot 1. J. 12. Son of Mary Ann and the late Henry John Ansted, of 9, Wood End Cottages, Northolt, Middlesex.
Recalled from the Reserve,he arrived in France in February 1915, but in May 1916 went absent,for which a suspended sentence was imposed. However, in August he again went absent from Guillemont on the Somme, having been warned for the trenches. Some 2 months later, he surrendered to the Military Police at Corbie; & at trial claimed to have been unnerved by shellfire. (Putkowski, pp 133-134)
251482 Private, William Murphey, 1st/5th Bn. Royal Scots, executed for desertion, 7th February 1917. Plot 2. A. 19. Son of Mrs. Jane Murphey, of Blackridge, West Lothian.
A Kitchener volunteer, he deserted during a march towards the front, though still a considerable distance from the trenches. (Putkowski, p. 161)
12384 Private, Alexander Reid, 16th Bn. Highland Light Infantry, executed for murder, 31st January 1917, aged 30. Plot 2. A. 17. (Corns, p.21)
27555 Private, John Taylor, 15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers, executed for desertion, 27th January 1917. Plot 2. A. 15. Husband of Gertrude Taylor, of 24, Mount St., Hulme, Manchester.
He was a Regular, who arrived in France on 27 Nov 1914.
In Sept 1915,he was sentenced for desertion to 5 years’ Penal Servitude, which was commuted to 2 years’ imprisonment with hard labour, suspended. On 2 June 1916, having received another sentence, in like terms, for leaving his post & disobedience, Taylor was sent to the military prison at Rouen, to serve both sentences concurrently. Following further suspension, he was returned to his unit on 11 June 1917.
On 24 Sept 1917, when the battalion was under orders to move up into the line at Givenchy, Taylor was missing when the unit fell in. He was found in the evening of 26 Sept asleep in a billet at Gorre, arrested, & returned under escort to the battalion, then still in the line. On 28 Sept, Taylor was allowed to leave a working party to visit the latrines, but did not return. He was found on 2 Oct 1917 in a disused dugout at Le Plantin: in uniform, but without arms or equipment.
On 16 Oct 1917, now at his third court martial, T was not represented. In his defence, he said that his period of service had expired on 9 Aug; & that he had run away because he had been unjustly deprived of the expected month’s leave.
His platoon commander for the period from June to Sept said that Taylor was ‘a very good soldier in & out of the trenches, cheerfully carrying out any order given’, whom he had under consideration for promotion to Lance Corporal. (Corns, pp. 349-51)
L/11710 Private, Alfred Thomas Ansted, 4th Bn. Royal Fusiliers, executed for desertion, 15th November 1916, aged 29. Plot 1. J. 12. Son of Mary Ann and the late Henry John Ansted, of 9, Wood End Cottages, Northolt, Middlesex.
Recalled from the Reserve,he arrived in France in February 1915, but in May 1916 went absent,for which a suspended sentence was imposed. However, in August he again went absent from Guillemont on the Somme, having been warned for the trenches. Some 2 months later, he surrendered to the Military Police at Corbie; & at trial claimed to have been unnerved by shellfire. (Putkowski, pp 133-134)
251482 Private, William Murphey, 1st/5th Bn. Royal Scots, executed for desertion, 7th February 1917. Plot 2. A. 19. Son of Mrs. Jane Murphey, of Blackridge, West Lothian.
A Kitchener volunteer, he deserted during a march towards the front, though still a considerable distance from the trenches. (Putkowski, p. 161)
12384 Private, Alexander Reid, 16th Bn. Highland Light Infantry, executed for murder, 31st January 1917, aged 30. Plot 2. A. 17. (Corns, p.21)
27555 Private, John Taylor, 15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers, executed for desertion, 27th January 1917. Plot 2. A. 15. Husband of Gertrude Taylor, of 24, Mount St., Hulme, Manchester.
He was a Regular, who arrived in France on 27 Nov 1914.
In Sept 1915,he was sentenced for desertion to 5 years’ Penal Servitude, which was commuted to 2 years’ imprisonment with hard labour, suspended. On 2 June 1916, having received another sentence, in like terms, for leaving his post & disobedience, Taylor was sent to the military prison at Rouen, to serve both sentences concurrently. Following further suspension, he was returned to his unit on 11 June 1917.
On 24 Sept 1917, when the battalion was under orders to move up into the line at Givenchy, Taylor was missing when the unit fell in. He was found in the evening of 26 Sept asleep in a billet at Gorre, arrested, & returned under escort to the battalion, then still in the line. On 28 Sept, Taylor was allowed to leave a working party to visit the latrines, but did not return. He was found on 2 Oct 1917 in a disused dugout at Le Plantin: in uniform, but without arms or equipment.
On 16 Oct 1917, now at his third court martial, T was not represented. In his defence, he said that his period of service had expired on 9 Aug; & that he had run away because he had been unjustly deprived of the expected month’s leave.
His platoon commander for the period from June to Sept said that Taylor was ‘a very good soldier in & out of the trenches, cheerfully carrying out any order given’, whom he had under consideration for promotion to Lance Corporal. (Corns, pp. 349-51)
Images in gallery below © Geerhard Joos
13th April 1918; Battle of the Lys. Detachment of the Royal Army Medical Corps marching to the forward area (wheeled stretchers); Acheux-Forceville road. © IWM Q 372
Troops of the 4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (29th Division) resting, on their way to the trenches, Acheux-en-Amiénois, 27 June 1916. Note wire cutters attached to rifles and the Bois de Warnimont in the background. © IWM Q 719
Cleaning 12-inch shells near Acheux, July 1916. © IWM Q 877
1961 - ©CWGC
1961 - ©CWGC
