CONNAUGHT CEMETERY
Thiepval
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.059, Longitude: 2.68065
Location Information
Thiepval is a village about 8 kilometres north-east of Albert.
The Cemetery (signposted in the village) is on the edge of Thiepval Wood near the Ulster Tower, about one kilometre north-west of Thiepval on the Thiepval-Hamel road (D73).
Historical Information
The German Army took the area around Thiepval at the end of September 1914. It then established a line through the area with troops from its 26th Reserve Division. Men from this Division were still in occupation when Commonwealth forces launched their assault on the 1 July 1916. During this attack, the 36th (Ulster) Division were detailed to attack the German positions north of Thiepval, known as the Hansa Line and the Schwaben Redoubt. Launched from Thiepval Wood, initially their assault was successful and some leading elements even reached as far as the German's second line of defence (Stuff Redoubt). However, by the end of the day, as a result of the units on either side of it failing to take their objectives (in particular the 32nd Division's failure to take Thiepval), it had been forced back to the original German front line. It would take until the 26 September 1916, before Thiepval finally fell to the 18th Division. Thiepval then remained under Allied occupation until 25 March 1918, when it was lost during the great German offensive, but it was retaken on the following 24 August by the 17th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.
Connaught Cemetery was begun during the early autumn of 1916 and at the Armistice it contained 228 burials (the whole of Plot I except 10 graves). It was then very greatly increased when graves were brought in from battlefields in the immediate area and the following small cemeteries:-
THIEPVAL VILLAGE CEMETERY, on the summit of the ridge, West of the road to Grandcourt. It contained the graves of 215 British soldiers who fell in 1916 (or in a few cases in 1918).
THIEPVAL VALLEY CEMETERY, on the South-East side of Thiepval Wood, contained 11 British graves.
QUARRY PALACE CEMETERY, THIEPVAL, close to the river and a little North-East of the hamlet of St. Pierre-Divion, contained 23 British graves of the autumn of 1916-17.
ST. PIERRE-DIVION CEMETERY No.1, THIEPVAL, a little South-East of that hamlet contained 10 British graves of November, 1916.
DIVION ROAD CEMETERY No.2, THIEPVAL, almost adjoining St. Pierre-Divion Cemetery No.1 contained 60 British graves of July, August and September, 1916.
SMALL CONNAUGHT CEMETERY, THIEPVAL, opposite Connaught Cemetery, across the road. It was made by the 11th Division in November, 1916, and contained the graves of 41 British soldiers who fell for the most part on the 1st July.
BATTERY VALLEY CEMETERY, GRANDCOURT, 800 metres South-West of that village, contained 56 British graves of November and December, 1916, and one of July, 1917.
PAISLEY HILLSIDE CEMETERY, AUTHUILE, on the South side of Thiepval Wood, alongside Paisley Avenue Cemetery, and named from the same trench. It contained 32 British graves of July and August, 1916, mainly of the 49th (West Riding) Division.
GORDON CASTLE CEMETERY, AUTHUILE, just inside the South border of Thiepval Wood. It contained 33 British graves (26 belonging to the 49th Division) of July-September, 1916 and the grave of one French soldier who fell in October, 1914.
BLUFF CEMETERY, AUTHUILE, 800 metres North of Authuile village, contained 43 British graves of July and September, 1916.
The vast majority of the burials are those of officers and men who died in the summer and autumn of 1916.
There are now 1,288 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 642 are unidentified, but special memorials commemorate two casualties believed to be buried among them and five buried in Divion Wood Cemetery No.2, whose graves could not be found on concentration.
Total Burials: 1,288.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 646.
Unidentified Casualties: 642.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield
Thiepval is a village about 8 kilometres north-east of Albert.
The Cemetery (signposted in the village) is on the edge of Thiepval Wood near the Ulster Tower, about one kilometre north-west of Thiepval on the Thiepval-Hamel road (D73).
Historical Information
The German Army took the area around Thiepval at the end of September 1914. It then established a line through the area with troops from its 26th Reserve Division. Men from this Division were still in occupation when Commonwealth forces launched their assault on the 1 July 1916. During this attack, the 36th (Ulster) Division were detailed to attack the German positions north of Thiepval, known as the Hansa Line and the Schwaben Redoubt. Launched from Thiepval Wood, initially their assault was successful and some leading elements even reached as far as the German's second line of defence (Stuff Redoubt). However, by the end of the day, as a result of the units on either side of it failing to take their objectives (in particular the 32nd Division's failure to take Thiepval), it had been forced back to the original German front line. It would take until the 26 September 1916, before Thiepval finally fell to the 18th Division. Thiepval then remained under Allied occupation until 25 March 1918, when it was lost during the great German offensive, but it was retaken on the following 24 August by the 17th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.
Connaught Cemetery was begun during the early autumn of 1916 and at the Armistice it contained 228 burials (the whole of Plot I except 10 graves). It was then very greatly increased when graves were brought in from battlefields in the immediate area and the following small cemeteries:-
THIEPVAL VILLAGE CEMETERY, on the summit of the ridge, West of the road to Grandcourt. It contained the graves of 215 British soldiers who fell in 1916 (or in a few cases in 1918).
THIEPVAL VALLEY CEMETERY, on the South-East side of Thiepval Wood, contained 11 British graves.
QUARRY PALACE CEMETERY, THIEPVAL, close to the river and a little North-East of the hamlet of St. Pierre-Divion, contained 23 British graves of the autumn of 1916-17.
ST. PIERRE-DIVION CEMETERY No.1, THIEPVAL, a little South-East of that hamlet contained 10 British graves of November, 1916.
DIVION ROAD CEMETERY No.2, THIEPVAL, almost adjoining St. Pierre-Divion Cemetery No.1 contained 60 British graves of July, August and September, 1916.
SMALL CONNAUGHT CEMETERY, THIEPVAL, opposite Connaught Cemetery, across the road. It was made by the 11th Division in November, 1916, and contained the graves of 41 British soldiers who fell for the most part on the 1st July.
BATTERY VALLEY CEMETERY, GRANDCOURT, 800 metres South-West of that village, contained 56 British graves of November and December, 1916, and one of July, 1917.
PAISLEY HILLSIDE CEMETERY, AUTHUILE, on the South side of Thiepval Wood, alongside Paisley Avenue Cemetery, and named from the same trench. It contained 32 British graves of July and August, 1916, mainly of the 49th (West Riding) Division.
GORDON CASTLE CEMETERY, AUTHUILE, just inside the South border of Thiepval Wood. It contained 33 British graves (26 belonging to the 49th Division) of July-September, 1916 and the grave of one French soldier who fell in October, 1914.
BLUFF CEMETERY, AUTHUILE, 800 metres North of Authuile village, contained 43 British graves of July and September, 1916.
The vast majority of the burials are those of officers and men who died in the summer and autumn of 1916.
There are now 1,288 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 642 are unidentified, but special memorials commemorate two casualties believed to be buried among them and five buried in Divion Wood Cemetery No.2, whose graves could not be found on concentration.
Total Burials: 1,288.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 646.
Unidentified Casualties: 642.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield
18634 Serjeant
David Harkness Blakey, M. M.
11th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 26.
Plot V. A. 13.
Son of Henry and Isabella Blakey; husband of Sarah Blakey.
David Harkness Blakey, M. M.
11th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 26.
Plot V. A. 13.
Son of Henry and Isabella Blakey; husband of Sarah Blakey.
25044 Private
P. Canavan
15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 43.
Plot II. E. 4.
Husband of Bridget Canavan, of Cellar, Rosmuck, Co. Galway.
Picture courtesy of his Grandson Thomas Canavan
P. Canavan
15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 43.
Plot II. E. 4.
Husband of Bridget Canavan, of Cellar, Rosmuck, Co. Galway.
Picture courtesy of his Grandson Thomas Canavan
40221 Lance Corporal
John Dennis, M. M.
6th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
25th August 1918
Plot IX. A. 9.
John Dennis, M. M.
6th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
25th August 1918
Plot IX. A. 9.
PLY/13261 Colour Sergeant
W. A. Fowler
2nd R.M. Bn. R.N. Div. Royal Marine Light Infantry
5th February 1917.
Plot VIII. A. 6.
W. A. Fowler
2nd R.M. Bn. R.N. Div. Royal Marine Light Infantry
5th February 1917.
Plot VIII. A. 6.
22361 Private
Frederick G. Hanner
8th Bn. Norfolk Regiment
5th October 1916
Plot XI. J. 7.
Frederick G. Hanner
8th Bn. Norfolk Regiment
5th October 1916
Plot XI. J. 7.
Cemetery pictures in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
15045 Private
George Herbert Ledson
9th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 30.
Plot IV. K.6.
Son of Daniel and Mary Jane Ledson, of Liverpool; husband of Annie Ledson, of 31, Dorrington St., Everton, Liverpool.
George Herbert Ledson
9th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 30.
Plot IV. K.6.
Son of Daniel and Mary Jane Ledson, of Liverpool; husband of Annie Ledson, of 31, Dorrington St., Everton, Liverpool.
Captain
Ernest Cecil MacLaren, M. C.
15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st July 1916
Plot I. B. 22.
Ernest Cecil MacLaren, M. C.
15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st July 1916
Plot I. B. 22.
10671 Serjeant
William Mountain
15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 30.
Plot I. B. 12.
Husband of Primrose Mountain, of 17. New Strawberry Rd., Pendleton, Manchester.
Picture courtesy of great granddaughter, Tracey Binks
William Mountain
15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 30.
Plot I. B. 12.
Husband of Primrose Mountain, of 17. New Strawberry Rd., Pendleton, Manchester.
Picture courtesy of great granddaughter, Tracey Binks
Post war view of countryside from the Pozieres Windmill (left) to Thiepval (right), taken from the north looking southward. In the background (centre right) is a grave and barbed wire entanglements.
Captain
William Newcombe
1st Royal Dragoons, attd. 8th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment
3rd July 1916, aged 44.
Plot XII. M. 4.
Husband of Alice Newcombe of 24 Mornington Rd., Regents Park, London. Twenty three and a half years service in Royal Horse Guards (Blue).
Picture courtesy of Richard Tompkins, great-grandson of Captain Newcombe
William Newcombe
1st Royal Dragoons, attd. 8th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment
3rd July 1916, aged 44.
Plot XII. M. 4.
Husband of Alice Newcombe of 24 Mornington Rd., Regents Park, London. Twenty three and a half years service in Royal Horse Guards (Blue).
Picture courtesy of Richard Tompkins, great-grandson of Captain Newcombe
1690 Private
William Edward Oldham
6th Bn. Cheshire Regiment
13th November 1916, aged 20.
Plot IX. F. 10.
Only Son of William E. and Ellen Oldham, of 116, Short St., Heaton Norris, Stockport.
On November 13, 1916, he died of wounds received while bombing a German trench.
Picture courtesy of Geraldine Chase, Ontario, Canada.
William Edward Oldham
6th Bn. Cheshire Regiment
13th November 1916, aged 20.
Plot IX. F. 10.
Only Son of William E. and Ellen Oldham, of 116, Short St., Heaton Norris, Stockport.
On November 13, 1916, he died of wounds received while bombing a German trench.
Picture courtesy of Geraldine Chase, Ontario, Canada.
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
15515 Private
John Thomas Plant
8th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment
3rd July 1916, aged 24.
Plot XII. C. 2.
Son of Job and Lydia Plant (stepmother), of 40, Anchor Rd., Longton, Staffs. Native of Cheadle, Staffs.
John Thomas Plant
8th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment
3rd July 1916, aged 24.
Plot XII. C. 2.
Son of Job and Lydia Plant (stepmother), of 40, Anchor Rd., Longton, Staffs. Native of Cheadle, Staffs.
Second Lieutenant
Walter Talbot Senior
6th Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
3rd September 1916, aged 22.
Plot II. K. 4.
Son of Arthur Senior, of Manygates Park, Sandal, Wakefield, Yorks.
Walter Talbot Senior
6th Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
3rd September 1916, aged 22.
Plot II. K. 4.
Son of Arthur Senior, of Manygates Park, Sandal, Wakefield, Yorks.
Aerial photograph of Mouquet Farm, a German strongpoint on the Somme near Thiepval, taken prior to 1 July 1916. © IWM (Q 27637)
Aerial photograph of Mouquet Farm a German strongpoint near Thiepval, taken during September 1916, showing the effects of artillery fire during the Battle of the Somme. © IWM (Q 27639)
The Chateau at Thiepval pre-war and as it looked on 28th September 1916
The village of Thiepval pre-war and as it looked on 30th June 1917
5th October 1916: Fourth Army Front: vertical aerial reconnaissance showing German trenches north of Thiepval. The firing-line, and supporting trenches, are at lower left, connected by four communications trenches ('Fiennes Street', unnamed, 'Price Street' and 'Market Trench') to the third-line trench and the Schwaben Redoubt at upper right. © IWM (HU 91107)
Salvaged battlefield signs from the vicinity of Thiepval
Directional rectangular sign painted in white on black. "To Pozieres"
Rectangular sign painted in black on bare wood
Martins Lane was a communication trench north of Thiepval leading to Maxwell Trench (map ref. 57d.R.25.b.).
Rectangular sign with pointed ends, painted in black on bare wood.
Maxwell Trench (map ref. 57d SE2 R25d) was a reserve trench running through the site of Thiepval village.
Square wooden sign painted in red/brown on plain wood.
From map ref 57D SE2 R33b. Mouquet farm was situated about 1 mile east of Thiepval and was the scene of heavy fighting from August to November 1916, involving Australian troops.
Images in this gallery © Johan Pauwels
Temporary cookhouse near Thiepval Wood, September 1916. © IWM Q 1094
Troops of the Border Regiment resting in a front line trench in Thiepval Wood, August 1916. © IWM Q 871
1930's image of Connaught Cemetery with the Thiepval Memorial in the background. ©CWGC
June 1954 - Connaught Cemetery with the Ulster Tower in the background. ©CWGC
June 1954; ©CWGC
July 1964; Connaught Cemetery with the Thiepval Memorial in the distance. ©CWGC
1964; The Thiepval Memorial with Connaught Cemetery in the right foreground, taken from the top of the Ulster Tower. ©CWGC
