CHAPELLE-D'ARMENTIÈRES OLD MILITARY CEMETERY
Nord
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.67082, Longitude: 2.90214
Picture © Geerhard Joos
Location Information
La Chapelle-d'Armentieres is a village 1.5 kilometres to the west of Armentieres, a large town in the north of France.
From the Mairie in La Chapelle-d'Armentieres turn left onto the main road. The Old Military Cemetery will be found 500 metres along on the left.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access with some difficulty.
Historical Information
The village of La Chapelle-d'Armentieres was in the hands of Commonwealth forces from October 1914 until the fall of Armentieres on 10 April 1918. It was retaken in the following October. During the Allied occupation, the village was very close to the front line and its cemeteries were made by fighting units and field ambulances in the earlier days of trench warfare. Chapelle-d'Armentieres Old Military Cemetery was begun in October 1914 by units of the 6th Division and used until October 1915.
The cemetery contains 103 First World War burials three of them unidentified.
Total Burials: 103.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 100.
Unidentified Casualties: 3.
The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw
Cemetery pictures in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
Shot at Dawn
8014 Lance Corporal Alfred Atkinson, 1st Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), executed for desertion 2nd March 1915, aged 24. Row B. 8. He won a sum of money gambling, & after a drinking-bout deserted from his battalion when it was under orders to proceed to the front. Atkinson was arrested 3 weeks later. At trial, evidence was given that he was a good soldier, hence his sentence had carried a recommendation to mercy (Putkowski, p. 35)
14780 Acting Corporal Alexander Chisholm, Mentioned in Despatches, 20th Army Troop Company, Royal Engineers, executed for murder 17th May 1915, aged 31. Row B. 27. Son of James and Hannah Taylor Chisholm, of Heaton, Newcastle-on-Tyne; husband of Janet Chisholm, of Moline, Manitoba, Canada. When in charge of a small work-force at an aerodrome, he had a serious falling-out with one of its carpenter members, Lance Corporal Lewis. The quarrel festered, Chisholm being accused of being responsible for the loss of their billet, & of falsifying pay records. Soon after when in Bailleul, Chisholm shot Lewis — who died 24 hours later. The murderer was sentenced to be hanged, but his death certificate indicates that he was shot. (Putkowski, pp. 42-43)
7981 Private Ernest Kirk, 1st Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) executed for desertion 6th March 1915. Row B. 9.
Pictures of S. A. D. © Geerhard Joos
8014 Lance Corporal Alfred Atkinson, 1st Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), executed for desertion 2nd March 1915, aged 24. Row B. 8. He won a sum of money gambling, & after a drinking-bout deserted from his battalion when it was under orders to proceed to the front. Atkinson was arrested 3 weeks later. At trial, evidence was given that he was a good soldier, hence his sentence had carried a recommendation to mercy (Putkowski, p. 35)
14780 Acting Corporal Alexander Chisholm, Mentioned in Despatches, 20th Army Troop Company, Royal Engineers, executed for murder 17th May 1915, aged 31. Row B. 27. Son of James and Hannah Taylor Chisholm, of Heaton, Newcastle-on-Tyne; husband of Janet Chisholm, of Moline, Manitoba, Canada. When in charge of a small work-force at an aerodrome, he had a serious falling-out with one of its carpenter members, Lance Corporal Lewis. The quarrel festered, Chisholm being accused of being responsible for the loss of their billet, & of falsifying pay records. Soon after when in Bailleul, Chisholm shot Lewis — who died 24 hours later. The murderer was sentenced to be hanged, but his death certificate indicates that he was shot. (Putkowski, pp. 42-43)
7981 Private Ernest Kirk, 1st Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) executed for desertion 6th March 1915. Row B. 9.
Pictures of S. A. D. © Geerhard Joos
Lieutenant
Jay Crawford-Kehrmann
3rd Bn. Rifle Brigade, attd. 1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment
24th January 1915, aged 28.
Row A. 19.
Son of Mr and Mrs E. Crawford-Kehrmann, of Bailey's Hotel, London S.W.
Jay Crawford-Kehrmann
3rd Bn. Rifle Brigade, attd. 1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment
24th January 1915, aged 28.
Row A. 19.
Son of Mr and Mrs E. Crawford-Kehrmann, of Bailey's Hotel, London S.W.
Second Lieutenant
Robert Percy Harker
1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
20th March 1915, aged 42.
Row B. 15.
Son of William Harker, of Pateley Bridge, Yorks. Enlisted in Hon. Artillery Company Aug., 1914.
Robert Percy Harker
1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
20th March 1915, aged 42.
Row B. 15.
Son of William Harker, of Pateley Bridge, Yorks. Enlisted in Hon. Artillery Company Aug., 1914.
Captain
George Harvey Hume-Kelly
1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
20th October 1914, aged 34.
Row A. 7.
Son of Gertrude Rouse (formerly Hume-Kelly), of Keswick Lodge, East Putney, London, and the late Maj. Hume-Kelly.
George Harvey Hume-Kelly
1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
20th October 1914, aged 34.
Row A. 7.
Son of Gertrude Rouse (formerly Hume-Kelly), of Keswick Lodge, East Putney, London, and the late Maj. Hume-Kelly.
Images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
Captain
Norman Jerome Beauchamp Leslie, Mentioned in Despatches
3rd Bn. Rifle Brigade
19th October 1914, aged 28.
Row A. 8.
Son of Sir John Leslie, 2nd Bart., and Lady Leslie, of Glaslough, Co. Monaghan.
Norman Jerome Beauchamp Leslie, Mentioned in Despatches
3rd Bn. Rifle Brigade
19th October 1914, aged 28.
Row A. 8.
Son of Sir John Leslie, 2nd Bart., and Lady Leslie, of Glaslough, Co. Monaghan.
Second Lieutenant
Frederick Christmas Mann
1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
12th March 1915, aged 24.
Row B. 13.
Son of Mrs. Ellen Mann, of "Glaisdale," 47, Woodstock Rd., Golder's Green, London.
Frederick Christmas Mann
1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
12th March 1915, aged 24.
Row B. 13.
Son of Mrs. Ellen Mann, of "Glaisdale," 47, Woodstock Rd., Golder's Green, London.
Lieutenant
Sidney Arthur Meakin
4th Bn. attd.1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
18th December 1914, aged 20.
Row A. 3.
Sidney Arthur Meakin
4th Bn. attd.1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
18th December 1914, aged 20.
Row A. 3.
Captain
Eric Bruce Reid
1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
20th October 1914, aged 34.
Row A. 6.
Third son of Maj. Gen. A. T. Reid (Bombay Staff Corps).
Eric Bruce Reid
1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
20th October 1914, aged 34.
Row A. 6.
Third son of Maj. Gen. A. T. Reid (Bombay Staff Corps).
The Crown Prince Chateau, at Chapelle Armentieres, where the headquarters of the 10th Australian Infantry Brigade was located.
