DENAIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Nord
France
Location Information
Denain is a town in the Department of the Nord, next to Valenciennes on the road and motorway towards Cambrai.
The Communal Cemetery is situated in the north-east corner of the town approximately 1.2 kilometres from the town centre on the D40, following the route to Oisy and the Lycee A Kastler. The Cemetery will be found at the centre of a junction 20 metres from a traffic light controlled crossroads (D40 and D240). The CWGC plot will be found in the centre of the cemetery.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible via the main entrance.
Historical Information
Denain was a German hospital centre during the greater part of the War; and from the 1st November, 1918, to the 12th March, 1919, the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station was posted in the town.
The Communal Cemetery, was used by the Germans to bury their soldiers and (in 1917 and 1918) 153 British prisoners. A British plot was made at the South-East end, after the capture of the town; and after the Armistice the graves of the prisoners and other British graves were regrouped beside it.
There are now over 300, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over ten are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four United Kingdom and three Canadian soldiers, buried in the German plots, whose graves could not be found.
The British plot covers an area of 777 square metres.
Dedications
27877 Private George Edward Dobson, 15th/17th Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment, 4th May 1918.
Remembered by great nephew Gary Dobson
Casualty Details: UK 238, Canada 70, Australia 1, Total Burials: 309
Denain is a town in the Department of the Nord, next to Valenciennes on the road and motorway towards Cambrai.
The Communal Cemetery is situated in the north-east corner of the town approximately 1.2 kilometres from the town centre on the D40, following the route to Oisy and the Lycee A Kastler. The Cemetery will be found at the centre of a junction 20 metres from a traffic light controlled crossroads (D40 and D240). The CWGC plot will be found in the centre of the cemetery.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible via the main entrance.
Historical Information
Denain was a German hospital centre during the greater part of the War; and from the 1st November, 1918, to the 12th March, 1919, the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station was posted in the town.
The Communal Cemetery, was used by the Germans to bury their soldiers and (in 1917 and 1918) 153 British prisoners. A British plot was made at the South-East end, after the capture of the town; and after the Armistice the graves of the prisoners and other British graves were regrouped beside it.
There are now over 300, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over ten are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four United Kingdom and three Canadian soldiers, buried in the German plots, whose graves could not be found.
The British plot covers an area of 777 square metres.
Dedications
27877 Private George Edward Dobson, 15th/17th Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment, 4th May 1918.
Remembered by great nephew Gary Dobson
Casualty Details: UK 238, Canada 70, Australia 1, Total Burials: 309
3419 Private
Frederick Arthur Bell
16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
8th September 1917, aged 24.
Row B. 64.
Son of Frederick Arthur and Margaret Bell. Born in Victoria, Australia.
Captured at Raincourt on 11th April 1917 and later died at Denain on 8th September 1917.
His parents added the following to his headstone: "In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same."
Frederick Arthur Bell
16th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
8th September 1917, aged 24.
Row B. 64.
Son of Frederick Arthur and Margaret Bell. Born in Victoria, Australia.
Captured at Raincourt on 11th April 1917 and later died at Denain on 8th September 1917.
His parents added the following to his headstone: "In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same."
3107878 Private
Edgar George
85th Bn. Canadian Infantry
25th October 1918
Row A. 11.
Edgar George
85th Bn. Canadian Infantry
25th October 1918
Row A. 11.
P/1873 Lance Corporal
Thomas Hall
Military Foot Police, Military Police Corps
21st November 1918, aged 25.
Row B. 35.
Son of Jonathan and Agnes Hall, of 39, Kirkham Avenue, Marton, Blackpool; husband of Ada Hall, of 36, Ferguson Rd., Marton, Blackpool.
The inscription on his headstone reads: "He fought the fight the victory won we weep but say God's will be done."
Thomas Hall
Military Foot Police, Military Police Corps
21st November 1918, aged 25.
Row B. 35.
Son of Jonathan and Agnes Hall, of 39, Kirkham Avenue, Marton, Blackpool; husband of Ada Hall, of 36, Ferguson Rd., Marton, Blackpool.
The inscription on his headstone reads: "He fought the fight the victory won we weep but say God's will be done."
775075 Sergeant
Robert Stanley Hendry
38th Bn. Canadian Infantry
30th October 1918, aged 28.
Row A. 22.
Son of Francis and Lavinia Frances Hendry, of Mimico, Ontario, Canada.
Robert Stanley Hendry
38th Bn. Canadian Infantry
30th October 1918, aged 28.
Row A. 22.
Son of Francis and Lavinia Frances Hendry, of Mimico, Ontario, Canada.
878423 Private
John George Hunt
85th Bn. Canadian Infantry
25th October 1918, aged 20.
Row A. 12.
Son of Charles and Flora Hunt, of Louisburg, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
John George Hunt
85th Bn. Canadian Infantry
25th October 1918, aged 20.
Row A. 12.
Son of Charles and Flora Hunt, of Louisburg, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
202104 Gunner
G. Kitchen
121st Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
7th December 1918
Row C. 3.
G. Kitchen
121st Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
7th December 1918
Row C. 3.
267054 Private
Frank Laugher
11th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
17th September 1917
Row D. 47.
Frank Laugher
11th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
17th September 1917
Row D. 47.
86006 Corporal
J. Sampson
11th Battery, 3rd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery
30th October 1918.
Plot A. 26.
J. Sampson
11th Battery, 3rd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery
30th October 1918.
Plot A. 26.
Lieutenant
J. W. Sharples
12th Bty. 3rd Bde. Canadian Garrison Artillery
30th October1918
Row A. 27.
J. W. Sharples
12th Bty. 3rd Bde. Canadian Garrison Artillery
30th October1918
Row A. 27.
142353 Lance Corporal
Harry Watson
19th Bn. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
27th March 1918, aged 22.
Row B. 82.
Son of Catherine Watson, of 26, Pine St., Burnley, Lancs., and the late Richard Frederick Watson.
His parents added just one word to his headstone: "Remember"
Harry Watson
19th Bn. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
27th March 1918, aged 22.
Row B. 82.
Son of Catherine Watson, of 26, Pine St., Burnley, Lancs., and the late Richard Frederick Watson.
His parents added just one word to his headstone: "Remember"
Men of the 4th Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders, 51st Division, burying a Frenchwoman killed by a shell. Her daughters stand by the graveside. Near Denain, 23 October 1918. © IWM (Q 9608)
