WW1 Cemeteries.com - A photographic guide to over 4000 military cemeteries and memorials
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • BELGIAN MEMORIALS
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • French Memorials
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited

DIVE COPSE BRITISH CEMETERY 

Sailly-Le-Sec
​​​
Somme

​France

GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.92918, Longitude: 2.60489

Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery

​Location Information

Sailly-le-Sec is a village in the Department of the Somme, about 20 kilometres east of Amiens. The Cemetery is a little more than 1.5 kilometres north-east of Sailly church.


Historical Information

In June 1916, before the Somme offensive, the ground north of the cemetery was chosen for a concentration of field ambulances, which became the XIV Corps Main Dressing Station. Dive Copse was a small wood close by, under the Bray-Corbie road, named after the officer commanding this station. Plots I and II were filled with burials from these medical units between July and September 1916. In the spring of 1918, the cemetery was lost during the German advance; Plot III contains the graves of 77 men who died in August 1918 when it was retaken. This plot also contains graves brought in from scattered sites and small cemeteries in the neighbourhood, the most significant being:-

ESSEX CEMETERY, Sailly-le-Sec, which was 900 metres further North, on the edge of the Bray-Corbie road. It was begun by the 10th Essex Regiment in August, 1918, and it contained the graves of 30 soldiers from the United Kingdom and three from Australia.

Dive Copse Cemetery now contains 589 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 29 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 10 casualties known to be buried among them.

Total Burials: 589.

Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 494, Australia 48, South Africa 18. Total 560.

Unidentified Casualties: 29. Total 29.


The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens & Captain Wilfred Clement Von Berg, MC.
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Picture
The Australian 3rd Division Memorial at Sailly-le-Sec, the image above shows the initial groundwork and the finished Memorial. To the rear of the 'before' image is the area known to Australians in France as "Shrapnel Gully"
Picture
5292 Private
Robert Archibald
"C" Coy. 18th Bn. Australian Infantry
19th May 1918, aged 26.
Plot III. B. 4.


Son of Robert and Christina Archibald, of Avoca Rd., Canley Vale, New South Wales.

A labourer prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Wiltshire (A18) on 22 August 1916. He was killed in action on 19 May 1918, during heavy fighting in the Morlancourt area of the Ville Sur Ancre Sector, France, aged 26.

Picture
6805 Serjeant
Joseph Dan Bradshaw
6th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
8th August 1918, aged 31.
Plot III. H. 17.

Husband of Edith Bradshaw, of The Toll House, Wimblington, Cambs.



From the Cambridgeshire Times, Friday 30th August 1918.

Wimblington: The death is notified of Serjeant Joseph Bradshaw. Northamptonshire Regiment. Who was killed in action in France age 32. The deceased soldier leaves a wife and five small children, for whom great sympathy is felt.

Details of military movement’s from 6th battalion, the Northamptonshire Regiment Diary. Place: In support North of Sailly-Le-Sec. Date: 8 August 1918, Hour 01:00 am, 6th Bn, was relieved by 9th Battalion Royal Fusilier’s 12th Division A. B. & D. Company's came out to support line north of Sailly-le-Sec. C Company to gully north of Vaux, Battalion Headquarters are with C Company. 03:30pm The 6th Battalion moved to banks north of Heilly. Date 9th August 1918, Hour 02:00am The 6th Battalion moved up in support of the 12th Division and took up position along Mericourt-Vaux Road, south of Mericourt, was spent in cleaning & organising. 
Joseph Dan Bradshaw 1887 - 1918
Timeline
Birth 1887 Marshland, Norfolk to parents; Joseph Bradshaw 1858 – 1936 & Rose Margaret Carter 1859 – 1894.
1891, census, Ransonmoor, Wimblington, Cambridgeshire. Occupation Scholar.
1901, census, Newgate Doddington, Cambridgeshire. Occupation Brick layers labourer.
1907, Marriage to Edith Matilda Stuffins, Chorlton, Lancashire.
1910, Birth of daughter Elsie Bradshaw at Colchester, Essex.
1911, census, 22 Widey View, Compton, Gifford, Devon. Occupation, Hairdresser
1912, Birth of son Harry James Bradshaw at Compton, Gifford, Devon.
1914, Birth of daughter Emily Bradshaw at Farnham, Hampshire.
1916, Birth of son Cecil D Bradshaw at Wimblington, Cambridgeshire
1918, Birth of son Roy Bradshaw at Wimblington, Cambridgeshire.
Death age 31, Thursday 8th August 1918 Somme France. Killed in Action. Serjeant 6805 6th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
Buried at Dive Copse British Cemetery, Somme France. Grave III. H. 17 


Pictures and information courtesy of Andy Towning

Picture
G/17463 Private
Benjamin Cropper Bury
4th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
11th July 1916, aged 24.
Plot II. E. 19.

Son of Benjamin and Mary C. Bury, of 15, Byron's Lane, Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Picture courtesy of Susan Mitchell


Picture
80611 Gunner
Bert Mayhew Chapman
142nd Siege Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
2nd September 1916
Plot II. H. 7.

Picture
132 Gunner
John William Coates
158th Bty. Royal Field Artillery
20th July 1916, aged 32.
Plot II. E. 4.​
​

Husband of N. Coates, of 85, Nairne St., Burnley. 
​

Prior to enlisting, John worked as a window cleaner.


Picture












​6930 Private
John George Cornwell
11th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
29th June 1916, aged 22.

Plot II. A. 21.

Son of William John and L. Cornwell, of Silsoe, Ampthill, Beds.


Our interest in "Jack" Cornwell and his war started in October 2005 when we managed to obtain his victory medal online. We have pieced together his life prior to his enlistment in 1915 and his tragic death two days before the Battle of the Somme. We have spent many hours in the main library in Bedford going through the newspapers of the time and also engaged a genealogist who filled in many of the gaps for us. We have also spent many hours online, which at times has been more problematic due to him  having a similar name as "Jack Travers Cornwell", the boy sailor who won a Victoria cross.  This is a tribute to Jack and the thousands like him who went "to do their bit" and were tragically killed, maimed psychologically or physically during that terrible conflict. 

The biography has many photographs, but unfortunately we have been unable to locate a picture of Jack. There is a picture of Hitchin Boys School circa 1910 and he is probably in that photograph somewhere. 

John (Jack) George Cornwell was born on the 03/01/1894 at 4 Fishpond Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He was the second son of William John Cornwell and Lizzie Cornwell nee Haddow. Jack had one older brother, Archibald William Cornwell who was born in 1890. The family lived at Wrest Park Farm which was adjacent to Wrest Park near Silsoe in Bedfordshire. Wrest Park is a large stately home and was owned by the wealthy de Grey family. Lord Lucas was the owner during the early part of the twentieth century but he was killed during the Great War and the estate was subsequently sold. Jack's Grandfather Archibald Haddow was employed as the Estate Manager until 1914 when Jack succeeded him at the age of 20 years.

We have very little information of Jack during his early years, though we do know that he was given a prize at St. James church in Silsoe when he was eight years old along with his brother Archibald. The next time his name appears was on the attendance register at Hitchin boys school. The register revealed that although Jack's name first appears as an addition in pencil at the bottom of the page for 1907, he did not actually start school until 16th Jan 1908. His last entry occurs in September 1910, so he was educated at the school for two and a half years. His attendance was quite good but we understand that in one term he was absent for over fifty days which possibly suggests a long illness, but sadly the records do not provide the reason for his absence.

On the 02/09/1914 Jack's brother Archibald married Mabel Wilson at Clifton Baptist chapel and Jack was the best man at the wedding. In May 1915 Jack joined the 21st Public Schools Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and went to France in the November. The battalion disembarked on the 14/11/1915 at Calais via Folkestone on the S.S. Princess Victoria. They then went by train to Boulogne where they rested for a couple of days before marching to Bethune. The rest of the war diaries for the next couple of months shows the battalion in the Bethune and Festubert area and being involved in a few isolated skirmishes. The 21st Battalion was disbanded in April 1916 and Jack was drafted into the 11th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. The battalion was moved up to just behind the lines in Chipilly in readiness for the Somme battle on the 01/07/1916. On June 25th 1916 the battalion moved into support trenches at Carnoy, where the allied forces had already commenced their bombardment of the German lines. During the German retaliation which took place between the 25th and 30th, Jack's battalion lost eight men and forty six wounded, three men were also found to be suffering from shell shock. Jack was one of the casualties, he had been wounded in the right arm and left leg by shrapnel. He was taken to the XIV Corps Main Dressing Station and he died one day later. The local paper reported the following:
" The death of Private John George (Jack) Cornwell reported on Tuesday caused the deepest regret in Silsoe. He had lived with his Mother and Grandfather (Mr A.G. Haddow) in Wrest Park from infancy. In May 1915, he joined the Public Schools Battalion Royal Fusiliers and went to France in the following November. He was wounded by shrapnel in the right arm and left leg on June 28th, and was taken to a field dressing station but died on the following day. He succeeded his Grandfather at the Wrest Park Estate Office in May 1914 but when war broke out he was most eager to do his bit. His last letter home said he was waiting to take part in the "great push" but had a presentiment that he would not live to return to his friends. He was 22 years of age. The greatest sympathy is felt for his sorrowing Mother and heart-broken Grandfather".

Another tribute was also reported in the paper 
​

"In connection with the death of Private John (Jack) George Cornwell, Public Schools Battalion Royal Fusiliers, who from infancy made his home with his Mother and Grandfather (Mr A.G. Haddow) at Wrest Park. The summer number of the Hitchin Grammar School Chronicle contains the following tribute: Jack had a lovable disposition and when at school it did one good to see his frank and open face and cheerful smile. Well, we remember how at one of our prize distributions, Jack went up to receive the special prize for public spirit, for which he had been selected by his fellow scholars. The overwhelming majority by which he was chosen was a revelation of the affection with which he inspired the whole school and if there had been any doubts on that score, the ringing cheers with which he was greeted would have been sufficient to dispel them. But Jack Cornwell felt the call of his country as clearly and unmistakably as five or six years before he had felt that of the school, and he carried his public spirit with him to the end. That must be the consolation for the sorrowing Mother and brother, to whom we tender our deepest sympathy".
We have recently managed to obtain his will that he wrote just before his death. In his own writing it stated "In the event of my death I give the whole of my personal property and effects to my dear mother - (Mrs. L. Cornwell of Wrest Park Farm, Silsoe, Ampthill, Bedfordshire) to be at her disposal absolutely".  

Jack was awarded three medals, the Victory Medal, 14/15 Star and the British War Medal. His regimental number was PS/6930, the prefix refers to Public Schools.

Picture
Pictures of the various Public Schools battalions of the Royal Fusiliers in training
Picture
15241 Private
Arthur Shaw Damsell
1st Coy. 17th Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
11th July 1916, aged 21.
Plot II. E. 23.

Son of Arthur and Mary Elizabeth Damsell, of "Holmfield," Victoria Park, Wavertree, Liverpool.



Picture
4695 Private
Angas Lawrence Day
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
21st June 1918, aged 26.
Special Memorial 2. South of War Stone.

Son of John and Mary Augusta Day, of Inglewood, South Australia. Native of Houghton, South Australia.

The inscription on his headstone reads; "While you lie in peaceful sleep, your memory we will always keep."

A labourer of Inglewood, SA, prior to enlistment, he embarked with the 12th Reinforcements of the 27th Battalion on 11 April 1916, leaving on HMAT Aeneas from Adelaide. He later transferred to the 32nd Battalion. Pte Day was killed in action on 21 June 1918 in France. He has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Special Memorial 2 at the Dive Copse British Cemetery.

Picture
22531 Private
Harry Evans
8th Bn. Suffolk Regiment
20th July 1916
Plot II. E. 10



Picture courtesy of granddaughter's, Constance Curzon and Marjory Edwards


Picture

​38781 Gunner William Flipping, "D" Battery, 83rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, died 19th July 1916.

Remembered by his Great Grandson, Paul Richardson
Picture
Lieutenant
James Cameron Forster-Brown
12th Bn. The Rifle Brigade
27th August 1916, aged 22.
Plot II. G. 23.


Brother of Mrs. Doris T. Ashley Smith, of "Mesylls," Chiddingfold, Godalming.


Picture
1970 Private
Edmund William Henry Greenway
4th Regt. South African Infantry
17th July 1916, aged 21.
Plot II. B. 17.
​

Died of wounds suffered at Delville Wood


Picture courtesy of Stuart Burgess

Picture
7069 Private
Sidney Harold Lister
17th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
14th May 1918.
Plot III. G. 12.

Son of Thomas Sydney Lister and Emily Australia Lister, of 32, Day St., Marrickville, New South Wales. Native of Orange, New South Wales.




Picture
2417 Private
Randolph Spencer Loibl
24th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
28th July 1916, aged 21.
P
lot II. C. 36.

Son of Emil and Emma Loibl.


Picture courtesy of Lindsey Besley, (Great niece)

Images in this gallery © Johan Pauwels

Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Picture
1720 Lance Corporal
Leslie Gordon Meston
18th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
19th May 1918, aged 29.
Plot III. G. 15.

Son of Alexander and Janet Louisa Meston, of 73, Victoria St., Lewisham, Sydney, New South Wales.

His headstone has the following inscription; "He sleeps among the honoured dead, his duty nobly done."


A 26 year old dairyman prior to enlisting on 17 May 1915, he embarked for overseas with the 2nd Reinforcements from Sydney on 19 June 1915 aboard HMAT Kanowna. After joining the battalion in France, he was wounded in action at Pozieres and at Bullecourt, and on each occasion recovered to rejoin his battalion. L Cpl Meston was killed in action at Morlancourt on 19 May 1918 and is buried in the Dive Copse British Cemetery, Sailly-le-Sec, France. His younger brother, 1394 Private Harold Victor Meston was accidentally killed in France on 4 April 1916 and buried at Salmaise Communal Cemetery.

4441 Corporal Hackett, witnessed the death of Leslie Meston: "I saw him lying dead in No Man's Land at Morlancourt. He was brought in and buried but I can't say where, I knew him, he was in the same platoon and was well liked among the men. He was hit by a M. G. (Machine Gun) bullet when trying to get through the wires when we were attacking."


Picture
756A Private
Frederick Leslie Midgley
"A" Coy. 18th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
19th May 1918, aged 24.
Plot III. B. 7.

Son of Richard Samuel Midgley and Fanny Midgley, of Menai, New South Wales.

His parents added the following inscription to his headstone; "Greater love hath no man than he that gave his life for his friends."

A 24 year old plasterer prior to enlisting on 28 August 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 7th Reinforcements of the Australian Cyclists Corps from Sydney on 6 November 1916 aboard HMAT Benalla. On arrival in England, he transferred to the 18th Battalion and proceeded to France where he was wounded in action. On recovery, he served in Belgium and France where he was killed in action at Morlancourt on 19 May 1918.

Picture
Lieutenant Colonel
William Digby Oswald, D. S. O.
5th Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) and 12th Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
16th July 1916, aged 36.
Plot II. B. 25.


Son of Thomas Ridley Oswald and Wilhelmina Catherine Oswald; husband of Catherine Mary Oswald, of St. Winning, Weymouth, Dorset.



Picture
6876 Private
​Frederick Thomas Pether
22nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
12th May 1918, aged 20.
Plot III. H. 21.

Originally from Camden Town, England, Pte Pether was a labourer from Wangoom, Victoria prior to enlistment and embarked with the 19th Reinforcements, 22nd Battalion from Melbourne on HMAT Ascanius on 11 May 1917. Initially reported as missing in action it was later determined that on 12 May 1918, aged 20, he was killed in action. His remains were subsequently recovered and re-interred in the Dive Copse British Cemetery, Sailly-le-Sec, France.


Picture
1405 Private
William G. Saw
7th Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
3rd July 1916, aged 22.
Plot II. B. 2.


Son of Albert and Maria Saw, of 3, Richmond Rd., Beddington, Croydon, Surrey.

Picture
551 Private
Thomas Tulip
19th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
18th July 1916, aged 29.
Plot II. C. 14.


Son of Elizabeth Tulip Young, of 14, Brecon Hill, Fence Houses, Co. Durham.

Also pictured with his brother, Ladas, who survived the war


Pictures courtesy of great nephew Barrie Forbes

Picture
Battle of Amiens. German prisoners about to carry British wounded on the stretchers. Sailly-le-Sec, the limit of the German advance on the northern bank of the Somme, 8 August 1918. © IWM (Q 7927)
Picture
Battle of Amiens. German prisoners about to carry British wounded on the stretchers. Sailly-le-Sec, the limit of the German advance on the northern bank of the Somme, 8 August 1918. © IWM (Q 7949)
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery
Dive Copse Cemetery

NEARBY CWGC CEMETERIES & MEMORIALS
​

beacon cemetery
morlancourt british cemetery, no. 1
morlancourt british cemetery, no. 2

World War Two Cemeteries
​

Please ask permission if you wish to use any of our images by using the contact tab above
​

Picture
Commonwealth War Graves
​Commission
Picture
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Picture
Australian War Memorial
Picture
New Zealand Online Cenotaph

​© COPYRIGHT TERENCE HEARD AND BRENT WHITTAM
​ 2005-2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
.​
Disclaimer 

The casualty numbers for each cemetery and G. P. S. Coordinates are taken from the C. W. G. C. site. We are aware that there can be discrepancies in the burial numbers quoted due to rededication burials.

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • BELGIAN MEMORIALS
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • French Memorials
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited