BULLY-GRENAY COMMUNAL CEMETERY - BRITISH EXTENSION
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.44698, Longitude: 2.71722
Location Information
Bully is approximately 20 kilometres north of Arras. From Arras, take the D937 towards Bethune. At Sains-en-Gohelle, turn right onto the D166E towards Bully. At the first (Casimir Beugret) roundabout, turn right into the Rue Ferdinand Marche. The Cemetery (known locally as the 'Cimetiere de Bully-les-Mines') is 200 metres down this road on the right. The Commonwealth war graves plot is reached via 'Allee 8'.
Historical Information
Bully-Grenay is the name of the railway station (on the main Hazebrouck-Arras line) serving this village and Grenay, but the double name was generally applied to the village and the communal cemetery of Bully by the troops.
The FRENCH EXTENSION was made by French troops on the west side of the communal cemetery, and Commonwealth forces, who took their place in this part of the line in June 1915, buried in it until June 1916.
The French extension contains 91 Commonwealth burials of the First World War.
The BRITISH EXTENSION, on the south-west side of the communal cemetery, was begun at the end of April 1916, and was used until October. From April 1917 to March 1918, (Plot II, Row E to the last row of Plot IV), it was very largely an artillery burial ground. At the Armistice, Plot VI, Rows A-C, had been completed, and the cemetery contained 595 graves.
After the Armistice, Plots V (D-G), VI (C and D) and VII to IX were made when graves were brough in from isolated positions and small burial grounds on the battlefields east of Grenay. Three came from Grenay Churchyard, which had been damaged by shell fire and was closed. One came from the German Extension of Sallaumines Communal Cemetery.
There are now 803 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War in the British extension. 141 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to two casualties known to have been buried at Sallaumines whose graves could not be found. The extension also contains one Second World War burial.
Total Burials: 764.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 453, Canada 169. Total 622.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 43, Canada 3, Unknown 95. Total 141.
World War Two Identified Casualty: United Kingdom 1.
The British extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and John Reginald Truelove
Dedications
G/1513 Private A. R. Dodman, 9th Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment, 31st May 1918, aged 31.
Son of George & Kate Dodman of Worthing Sussex.
Cemetery images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
904821 Private
Albert Oscar Emil Alde
10th Bn. Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment)
20th July 1917, aged 31.
Plot III. C. 7.
Albert Alde, my great-great uncle, joined up on the 27th of March 1916, in Edmonton, Ontario. Albert was the son of German immigrants and family man, with a wife and daughters. As a private in the army, Albert was originally part of the 194th Battalion – the Edmonton Highlanders. Later, he became part of the 10th Battalion (Alberta Regiment) and was killed in action on July 20th 1917, in the Loos sector.
Picture courtesy of Margaret Bonham McPhail great-granddaughter of Ada Alde McPhail
Albert Oscar Emil Alde
10th Bn. Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment)
20th July 1917, aged 31.
Plot III. C. 7.
Albert Alde, my great-great uncle, joined up on the 27th of March 1916, in Edmonton, Ontario. Albert was the son of German immigrants and family man, with a wife and daughters. As a private in the army, Albert was originally part of the 194th Battalion – the Edmonton Highlanders. Later, he became part of the 10th Battalion (Alberta Regiment) and was killed in action on July 20th 1917, in the Loos sector.
Picture courtesy of Margaret Bonham McPhail great-granddaughter of Ada Alde McPhail
238964 Sapper
Gordon Philip Morris Dakin
20th Light Railway Train Crew Company, Royal Engineers
3rd May 1917, aged 20.
Plot II. F. 5.
Son of Walter and Kate Dakin, of 47, Hawfield Lane, Winshill, Burton-on-Trent.
His headstone bears the inscription "At Rest With The Lord"
Picture courtesy of Andrew Goff, great nephew of this soldier
Gordon Philip Morris Dakin
20th Light Railway Train Crew Company, Royal Engineers
3rd May 1917, aged 20.
Plot II. F. 5.
Son of Walter and Kate Dakin, of 47, Hawfield Lane, Winshill, Burton-on-Trent.
His headstone bears the inscription "At Rest With The Lord"
Picture courtesy of Andrew Goff, great nephew of this soldier
G/8469 Private
Richard Goldsmith
8th Bn. The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
8th April 1917, aged 32.
Plot II. D. 2.
Husband of Emily Annie Goldsmith (pictured) and father of Kathleen, of 16, Trinity Hill, Margate, Kent
Picture courtesy of Gabrielle Campshure
Click on image to enlarge
Richard Goldsmith
8th Bn. The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
8th April 1917, aged 32.
Plot II. D. 2.
Husband of Emily Annie Goldsmith (pictured) and father of Kathleen, of 16, Trinity Hill, Margate, Kent
Picture courtesy of Gabrielle Campshure
Click on image to enlarge
739241 Private
P. R. Lickers
107th Bn. Canadian Pioneers
7th August 1917.
Plot IV. D. 8.
P. R. Lickers
107th Bn. Canadian Pioneers
7th August 1917.
Plot IV. D. 8.
Second Lieutenant
Horace Arthur Link
1st Bn. Honourable Artillery Company
9th September 1916, aged 25.
Plot II. B. 6.
Younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Link, of 14, Chichester Rd., Croydon, Surrey.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died For Others Honouring Duty's Call"
Horace Arthur Link
1st Bn. Honourable Artillery Company
9th September 1916, aged 25.
Plot II. B. 6.
Younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Link, of 14, Chichester Rd., Croydon, Surrey.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died For Others Honouring Duty's Call"
Second Lieutenant
John Raymond Boscawen Savage
25th Sqdn. Royal Flying Corps
18th June 1916, aged 17.
Sallaumines Memorial.
Son of Major Arthur R.B. Savage.
John Raymond Boscawen Savage
25th Sqdn. Royal Flying Corps
18th June 1916, aged 17.
Sallaumines Memorial.
Son of Major Arthur R.B. Savage.
240927 Lance Corporal
George Startin
1st/5th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
12th May 1917.
Plot I. G. 9.
b. Stapenhill 1886. A shoe hand, resident of Earl Shilton. Son of John and Sarah Startin.
Killed by friendly fire.
"If ever a man did his duty it was your husband. He was always cheerful and cheering other men. He died like a true Englishman."
Picture courtesy of David Startin
George Startin
1st/5th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
12th May 1917.
Plot I. G. 9.
b. Stapenhill 1886. A shoe hand, resident of Earl Shilton. Son of John and Sarah Startin.
Killed by friendly fire.
"If ever a man did his duty it was your husband. He was always cheerful and cheering other men. He died like a true Englishman."
Picture courtesy of David Startin
Shot at Dawn
2506 Private John Smith, 1st Bn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, executed for desertion 2nd July 1916. Plot 2. A. 9.
He was the fourth man from his battalion to be executed in 4½ months. (Putkowski, pp. 92-93)
G/52128 Private David Stevenson, 13th Bn. Middlesex Regiment, executed for desertion 18th July 1918, aged 23. Plot 5. G. 1.
He enlisted on 17 Aug 1915. His conduct sheet listed 24 offences committed in the UK between 1 Sept 1915 & 18 Dec 1916. Most were of absence, the longest being for 74 days.
In France, between 18 Aug & 20 Dec 1917, there were 5 further offences.
On 8 Mar 1918, at Bernes, Stevenson was found missing from roll-call & was next seen at Hallencourt on 29 Apr 1918, leading a 'civilian’ pony & alleging, when questioned, employment by the Town Major. Taken to the latter’s office, he ran away, but appeared later, giving his name & regiment, but being without ID disc or pay-book, was arrested.
On 3 May, he was sent under escort to Army HQ. On 5 May, Stevenson was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station, but disappeared — to be arrested on 8 May ‘loitering about’ in Saleux.
Stevenson — who was represented at trial — testified at length. In regard to 8 March, he was told that he was for leave, but this was cancelled within minutes which ‘worried me a bit as I had some trouble at home’. He just went for a walk: ‘I do not know what came over me for the moment but I went too far from my unit so I went on & got to Mons’. On 21 March he was sent up the line by police who were dealing with stragglers but did not report to anyone during his time in the trenches. He later tried to find his unit, but was afraid of getting into trouble, so just loitered around till he was arrested. As for escaping from hospital, he said that he thought that he was free to go for a walk if he liked.
After conviction, he claimed to have had only one crime in the regiment ‘since which I have never had a chance’; & sought to prove himself as a soldier if transferred to another regiment.
Though at one stage after sentence a medical examination was proposed, no redeeming features were noted by any commander. (Corns, pp.351-353)
67882 Private Elsworth Young, D Company, 25th Bn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, executed for desertion 29th October 1916, aged 19. Plot 2. B. 14. Son of Mrs. Emma Young, of King Edward St., Glace Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
2506 Private John Smith, 1st Bn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, executed for desertion 2nd July 1916. Plot 2. A. 9.
He was the fourth man from his battalion to be executed in 4½ months. (Putkowski, pp. 92-93)
G/52128 Private David Stevenson, 13th Bn. Middlesex Regiment, executed for desertion 18th July 1918, aged 23. Plot 5. G. 1.
He enlisted on 17 Aug 1915. His conduct sheet listed 24 offences committed in the UK between 1 Sept 1915 & 18 Dec 1916. Most were of absence, the longest being for 74 days.
In France, between 18 Aug & 20 Dec 1917, there were 5 further offences.
On 8 Mar 1918, at Bernes, Stevenson was found missing from roll-call & was next seen at Hallencourt on 29 Apr 1918, leading a 'civilian’ pony & alleging, when questioned, employment by the Town Major. Taken to the latter’s office, he ran away, but appeared later, giving his name & regiment, but being without ID disc or pay-book, was arrested.
On 3 May, he was sent under escort to Army HQ. On 5 May, Stevenson was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station, but disappeared — to be arrested on 8 May ‘loitering about’ in Saleux.
Stevenson — who was represented at trial — testified at length. In regard to 8 March, he was told that he was for leave, but this was cancelled within minutes which ‘worried me a bit as I had some trouble at home’. He just went for a walk: ‘I do not know what came over me for the moment but I went too far from my unit so I went on & got to Mons’. On 21 March he was sent up the line by police who were dealing with stragglers but did not report to anyone during his time in the trenches. He later tried to find his unit, but was afraid of getting into trouble, so just loitered around till he was arrested. As for escaping from hospital, he said that he thought that he was free to go for a walk if he liked.
After conviction, he claimed to have had only one crime in the regiment ‘since which I have never had a chance’; & sought to prove himself as a soldier if transferred to another regiment.
Though at one stage after sentence a medical examination was proposed, no redeeming features were noted by any commander. (Corns, pp.351-353)
67882 Private Elsworth Young, D Company, 25th Bn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, executed for desertion 29th October 1916, aged 19. Plot 2. B. 14. Son of Mrs. Emma Young, of King Edward St., Glace Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
|
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
|
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
|
Click on above images to enlarge
Captain Macauley, R. A. M. C., in Bovril Alley, an old communication trench, very deep, camouflaged by flowers, etc., Built by the French, it ran from Bully-Grenay to the Angres Sector. 2nd R.N. Field Ambulance, R.N. Division, August 1916.
© IWM (Q 14734)
World War Two Burial
(Picture © Werner Van Caneghem)
2574348 Signalman Matthew Greenwell Gallon, Royal Corps of Signals, died 21st May 1940, aged 21. Son of William and Isabella Gallon, of Philadelphia, Co. Durham. Plot 8. D. 1. His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This. He Gave his Life For His Friends"
