CHAUNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY BRITISH EXTENSION
Aisne
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.62177, Longitude: 3.22103
Location Information
Chauny is a commune 35 kilometres west of Laon. Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension can be reached from the direction of Ham following the D937, Ham to Chauny road. It is necessary to cross a major road, the N32. Shortly after the junction the approach to Chauny is via a roundabout and a small industrial estate. After several hundred metres a left turn must be made at the first set of traffic lights, following the CWGC sign. Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension will be found 300 metres after the junction on the right side of the road.
Historical Information
The Extension was made after the Armistice for the burial of remains brought in from the battlefields of the Aisne and from the following smaller cemeteries in the surrounding countryside:-
CHARMES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION (Aisne), where 14 soldiers were buried by their comrades in June and July, 1918.
CHAUNY FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY (Aisne), where two British soldiers were buried in January and March, 1918.
CHAUNY GERMAN NATIONAL CEMETERY (Aisne), which contained 15 British graves of March-July, 1918.
COUCHY-LE-CHATEAU GERMAN CEMETERY (Aisne), where six British soldiers were buried in August, 1918.
CRECY-SUR-SERRE GERMAN CEMETERY (Aisne), where 53 British soldiers were buried, mainly by the Germans, in March-September, 1918.
JAULZY CHURCHYARD (Oise), where a British soldier was buried in August, 1914.
LA BOVETTE GERMAN CEMETERY, FOURDRAIN (Aisne), where one British soldier was buried in March, 1918.
LA FERE COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Aisne), which contained three British graves of August, 1914.
LANCHY CHURCHYARD (Aisne) which contained two British graves of April, 1917.
LE TROU-FOURCY GERMAN CEMETERY, SUZY (Aisne), which contained six British burials of August, 1918; two of these were moved to Grand-Seraucourt British Cemetery.
MENNESSIS COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Aisne), where one British soldier was buried in March, 1918.
PREMONTRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Aisne), which contained two British burials of July and August, 1918.
SEMPIGNY CHURCHYARD (Oise), which contained a British burial of August, 1914.
VERSIGNY GERMAN CEMETERY (Aisne), which contained three British burials of August, 1918.
VILLEQUIER-AUMONT GERMAN CEMETERY (Aisne), where six British soldiers were buried in March, 1918.
VILLEQUIER-AUMONT COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Aisne), where one British soldier was buried in a private vault.
There are just over 1,000, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. The majority of them died in 1918; most of the rest died in September, 1914. Included the total figure are 6 soldiers of the United Kingdom whose identity had been established with reasonable, but not absolute certainty and who are commemorated by special memorial headstones bearing the superscription 'Believed to be', and 26 soldiers of the United Kingdom and 5 of Canada whose graves could be identified collectively but not individually and who are commemorated by special memorial headstones bearing the superscription 'Buried near this spot'.
There are also 26 soldiers of the United Kingdom who are commemorated in the cemetery as follows: 22 who were buried at the time in MENNESSIS and PREMONTRE Communal cemeteries and in the former German cemeteries at Crecy-sur-Serre, Villequier-Aumont, Versigny, Couchy-le-Chateau, Fourdrain and Suzy and whose graves are lost are commemorated by special memorial headstones inscribed to that effect, with the additional inscription 'Their glory shall not be blotted out'; 3 are commemorated by special memorial headstones bearing the superscription 'Believed to be buried in this cemetery'; and one, whose grave is known to be in the cemetery although the exact place of burial could not be established, is commemorated by a special memorial headstone inscribed 'Buried in this cemetery'.
The Cemetery Extension covers an area of 3,729 square metres.
Total Burials: 1,008.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 424, Canada 11, Germany 2. Total 437.
Unidentified Casualties: 571.
The Cemetery Extension covers an area of 3,729 square metres and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Arthur James Scott Hutton
Dedications
242125 Private Henry Charles Brannan, 7th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 23rd March 1918, aged 29. Son of John and Esther Brannan of 8 Plot, B Section, Heathfield Estate, Hanworth Road, Hounslow, Middlesex
Remembered by great niece, Mrs S. Kent
G/10041 Private William Alfred Martin, 7th Bn. Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), 21st March 1918, aged 24. Son of Alfred John and Grace Amelia Martin, of 7 Devonshire Cottages, London Rd., Stone, Kent.
Remembered by Jessica Martini
Images in this gallery © Johan Pauwels
79044 Private
Arnold Edward Archer
1st/7th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
7th September 1918.
Pot 5. E. 9.
Arnold Edward Archer
1st/7th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
7th September 1918.
Pot 5. E. 9.
Captain
John Robson Ashcroft, M. C.
4th Bn., attd. 9th Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
23rd March 1918, aged 21.
Plot 2. K. 12.
Son of the Rvd. Frank Ashcroft, D.D. and Agnes Ruston Ashcroft, of II Saxe Coburg Place, Edinburgh.
John Robson Ashcroft, M. C.
4th Bn., attd. 9th Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
23rd March 1918, aged 21.
Plot 2. K. 12.
Son of the Rvd. Frank Ashcroft, D.D. and Agnes Ruston Ashcroft, of II Saxe Coburg Place, Edinburgh.
Lieutenant
Laurence Arthur Bernard
2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
20th September 1914, aged 28.
Plot 6. C. 2.
Son of Arthur Montague and Katherine Mary Bernard, of Copdock, Ipswich, Suffolk.
Laurence Arthur Bernard
2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
20th September 1914, aged 28.
Plot 6. C. 2.
Son of Arthur Montague and Katherine Mary Bernard, of Copdock, Ipswich, Suffolk.
Captain
Robert Humphrey Binnie, M. C.
10th Bn. Essex Regiment
23rd March 1918, aged 25.
Plot I. E. 7.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Binney, of Guisnes Court. Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex.
Robert Humphrey Binnie, M. C.
10th Bn. Essex Regiment
23rd March 1918, aged 25.
Plot I. E. 7.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Binney, of Guisnes Court. Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex.
Major
George Bremner, D. S. O., M. C.
80th Field Coy. Royal Engineers
23rd March 1918, aged 24.
Plot 3. A. 14.
Son of George and Mary Bremner, of Broughty Ferry, Angus; brother of Walter S. C. Bremner, of "Rosedene", 6 Seafield Terrace, Broughty Ferry. B.Sc., (Edin.).
George Bremner, D. S. O., M. C.
80th Field Coy. Royal Engineers
23rd March 1918, aged 24.
Plot 3. A. 14.
Son of George and Mary Bremner, of Broughty Ferry, Angus; brother of Walter S. C. Bremner, of "Rosedene", 6 Seafield Terrace, Broughty Ferry. B.Sc., (Edin.).
Captain & Adjutant
William Reginald Frend
2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
21st September 1914, aged 38.
Plot 6. C. 3.
Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Frend, of Brighton, Sussex; husband of Phyllis Frend, of 71 Cheyne Court, Chelsea, London.
William Reginald Frend
2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
21st September 1914, aged 38.
Plot 6. C. 3.
Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Frend, of Brighton, Sussex; husband of Phyllis Frend, of 71 Cheyne Court, Chelsea, London.
228820 Private
William Samuel Hillman
1st Bn. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
23rd March 1918, aged 21.
Plot II. H. 11.
Son of William and Margaret Hillman, of 21 Westwell Rd., Streatham, London.
William Samuel Hillman
1st Bn. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
23rd March 1918, aged 21.
Plot II. H. 11.
Son of William and Margaret Hillman, of 21 Westwell Rd., Streatham, London.
Lieutenant
William Norman Simpson
16th Entrenching Bn., late 6th Bn. King's own Yorkshire Light Infantry
31st March 1918, aged 24.
Plot 1. F. 2.
Son of William Robert and Annie Simpson, of 197 Stamford St., Brook's' Bar, Manchester.
William Norman Simpson
16th Entrenching Bn., late 6th Bn. King's own Yorkshire Light Infantry
31st March 1918, aged 24.
Plot 1. F. 2.
Son of William Robert and Annie Simpson, of 197 Stamford St., Brook's' Bar, Manchester.
A German motor body on the roadside used as a rest hut near Chauny. 16 March 1918. © IWM (Q 8573)
