CROISILLES BRITISH CEMETERY
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.19483, Longitude: 2.87739
Location Information
Croisilles is a village about 13 kilometres south-east of Arras. Croisilles British Cemetery is 300 metres along Rue Eugene Hornez, to the south west of the village centre, off the road to St. Leger (D9).
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to site possible, but may be by and alternative entrance.
Historical Information
The 7th Division attacked Croisilles in March 1917 and took it on 2 April. It was lost on 21 March 1918 and recaptured by the 56th (London) Division on the following 28 August, after heavy fighting.
Plots I and II of the cemetery, were made between April 1917 and March 1918 and the rest was formed after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and from some smaller burial grounds. The majority of the soldiers buried in the cemetery belonged to the Guards, 7th and 21st Divisions.
Croisilles British Cemetery now contains 1,171 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 647 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 14 casualties buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate casualties buried in HENDECOURT-LES-CAGNICOURT Communal Cemetery in 1917, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. The cemetery also contains the graves of six Commonwealth airmen of the Second World War and 18 German war graves.
Total Burials: 1,195
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 520, Canada 2, Germany 2, South Africa 2. Total 526.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 645, Germany 16, Australia 1, Canada 1. Total 663.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 6.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and George Hartley Goldsmith
Dedications
T/206044 Private Albert (Bertie) Prior, 2nd/4th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 4th November 1917, aged 37.
"So Brave"
Remembered by great niece, Jo Pike
2562 Guardsman George Edward Smith, 1st Coy, 4th Battalion, Guards Machine Gun Regiment, Formerly 22236
Grenadier Guards, 27th August 1918.
Remembered by Julie (great niece) and Trevor Canton
A scene of destruction in Croisilles, 25 May 1917. © IWM (Q 2254)
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
40218 Corporal
John Francis Bales
2nd Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd April 1917, aged 21.
Plot I. A. 6.
Son of Joseph and Frances Bales, of 86, St. George's Rd., Forest Gate, Essex. Born at Tottenham, London.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Farewell Till We Meet Again."
John Francis Bales
2nd Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd April 1917, aged 21.
Plot I. A. 6.
Son of Joseph and Frances Bales, of 86, St. George's Rd., Forest Gate, Essex. Born at Tottenham, London.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Farewell Till We Meet Again."
Second Lieutenant
William Arthur Barr
328 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, formerly 4th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
27th August 1918, aged 36.
Plot V. G. 29.
Son of the late Robert and Eva Barr, of "Hillhead," Woldingham, Surrey.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Love, Remembrance, Hope."
William Arthur Barr
328 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, formerly 4th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
27th August 1918, aged 36.
Plot V. G. 29.
Son of the late Robert and Eva Barr, of "Hillhead," Woldingham, Surrey.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Love, Remembrance, Hope."
36578 Private
George Clough
9th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
16th June 1917, aged 25.
Plot I. E. 25.
Son of George and Alice Clough, of 17, Hartley St., Nelson, Lancs.
His headstone bears the inscription: "At Rest, Thy Will Be Done."
George Clough
9th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
16th June 1917, aged 25.
Plot I. E. 25.
Son of George and Alice Clough, of 17, Hartley St., Nelson, Lancs.
His headstone bears the inscription: "At Rest, Thy Will Be Done."
Captain
George Chaigneau Colvill
7th (South Irish Horse) Bn. Royal Irish Regiment
30th November 1917, aged 23.
Plot II. A. 11.
Son of Robert F. S. and Sophia Colvill, of Coolock House, Coolock, Co. Dublin. Educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Underneath Are The Everlasting Arms."
George Chaigneau Colvill
7th (South Irish Horse) Bn. Royal Irish Regiment
30th November 1917, aged 23.
Plot II. A. 11.
Son of Robert F. S. and Sophia Colvill, of Coolock House, Coolock, Co. Dublin. Educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Underneath Are The Everlasting Arms."
25356 Private
Frederick N. Fletcher
6th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
20th March 1917.
Plot III. C. 26.
Frederick N. Fletcher
6th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
20th March 1917.
Plot III. C. 26.
7958 Private
R. M. Freeman
1st Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment
3rd August 1917.
Plot I. C. 23.
R. M. Freeman
1st Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment
3rd August 1917.
Plot I. C. 23.
Second Lieutenant
John Alan Harvey
11th Bn. attached to 2nd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers
20th November 1917, aged 20.
Plot II. D. 5.
Only son of the Rev. Ralph Harvey and Hannah Constance Harvey, of The Rectory, Charleville, Co. Cork.
John Alan Harvey
11th Bn. attached to 2nd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers
20th November 1917, aged 20.
Plot II. D. 5.
Only son of the Rev. Ralph Harvey and Hannah Constance Harvey, of The Rectory, Charleville, Co. Cork.
14642 Private
John Harry Holyoak
9th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
15th June 1917, aged 24.
Plot I. E. 6.
Son of William Holyoak, of Kibworth; husband of Violet Mary Needham (formerly Holyoak), of High St., Kibworth, Leicester.
His headstone bears the inscription: "At Rest."
John Harry Holyoak
9th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
15th June 1917, aged 24.
Plot I. E. 6.
Son of William Holyoak, of Kibworth; husband of Violet Mary Needham (formerly Holyoak), of High St., Kibworth, Leicester.
His headstone bears the inscription: "At Rest."
1057 Gunner
Leonard Arthur Horsfall
71st Bty. South African Heavy Artillery
23rd July 1917, aged 43.
Plot I. E. 1.
Leonard Arthur Horsfall
71st Bty. South African Heavy Artillery
23rd July 1917, aged 43.
Plot I. E. 1.
Second Lieutenant
Horatio Inwards
2nd Bn. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
15th June 1917.
Plot I. D. 15.
Horatio Inwards
2nd Bn. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
15th June 1917.
Plot I. D. 15.
6159 Private
T. W. Lewin
9th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
18th June 1917.
Plot I. E. 10.
T. W. Lewin
9th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
18th June 1917.
Plot I. E. 10.
21903 Private
William Henry Marshall
2nd Bn. Coldstream Guards
27th August 1918, aged 26.
Plot III. A. 14.
Son of Arthur and Alice Marshall, of Court Lane, Offenham, Evesham, Worcs.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Rest In Peace."
William Henry Marshall
2nd Bn. Coldstream Guards
27th August 1918, aged 26.
Plot III. A. 14.
Son of Arthur and Alice Marshall, of Court Lane, Offenham, Evesham, Worcs.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Rest In Peace."
32806 Private
F. Stacey
6th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
17th August 1917.
Plot II. B. 1.
F. Stacey
6th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
17th August 1917.
Plot II. B. 1.
31799 Private
Lester William Stunt
110th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
17th July 1917, aged 22.
Plot III. F. 20.
Lester William Stunt
110th Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
17th July 1917, aged 22.
Plot III. F. 20.
21304 Lance Corporal
Edward Walsgrove
2nd Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd April 1917, aged 28.
Plot I. A. 12.
Son of William and Ann Walsgrove, of St. Leonards, Sussex; husband of Laura Helen Walsgrove, of 75, Winchelsea Rd., Ore, Hastings.
Edward Walsgrove
2nd Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd April 1917, aged 28.
Plot I. A. 12.
Son of William and Ann Walsgrove, of St. Leonards, Sussex; husband of Laura Helen Walsgrove, of 75, Winchelsea Rd., Ore, Hastings.
Battle of Albert. British troops, blinded by gas, assisting each other to the dressing station at Croisilles, 21 August 1918. © IWM (Q 7293)
Men of the 15th Battalion, The Royal Scots, eating dinner in a trench near Croisilles, 4 January, 1918. © IWM Q 10607
A Royal Artillery FOO (Forward Observation Officer) observing from the fire step of a trench near Croisilles, 4 January 1918. His linesman stands by his side communicating by telephone with the battery. Note the notice-board marking a bomb store. © IWM Q 10610
Air Photo N. of Croisilles. © IWM Q 49748
Men of the 15th Battalion, The Royal Scots, man a Lewis gun in a trench near Croisilles, 4 January 1918. © IWM Q 10609
The Six World War Two Burials
(Pictures © Johan Pauwels)
Shot down by a Bf110 Night Fighter at Croisilles Southeast of Arras during a raid on the Valenciennes Rail Yard, the Navigator survived and evaded capture.
425771 Flight Sergeant
Ronald Bernard Spencer
514 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
16th June 1944, aged 29.
Row 7. A. 6.
Son of Cyril Robert Holtum Spencer and Evangeline Holtum Spencer.
His headstone bears the inscription "R. I. P."
Ronald Bernard Spencer
514 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
16th June 1944, aged 29.
Row 7. A. 6.
Son of Cyril Robert Holtum Spencer and Evangeline Holtum Spencer.
His headstone bears the inscription "R. I. P."
1960 - ©CWGC
1960 - ©CWGC
1960 - ©CWGC
1960 - ©CWGC
May 1970 - ©CWGC
