DOUAI COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Nord
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.36448, Longitude: 3.0945
Image © Johan Pauwels
Location Information
Douai is a large town about 24 kilometres north-east of Arras and the communal cemetery is on the south-east of the town. From the town centre follow the signs for Denain and Auberchicourt. Traverse the bridge over the main railway line and the civil cemetery is located 45 metres further on to the left. The communal cemetery is located at the very rear of the civil cemetery when viewing from the entrance.
Visiting Information
cemetery opening times :
- November, December and January : from 08.00 hrs to 17.30 hrs
- February, March and October : from 08.00 hrs to 18.00 hrs
- April, May and September : from 07.30 hrs to 19.00 hrs
- June, July and August : from 07.30 hrs to 19.30 hrs
Parking is only available in the cemetery on Thursdays and Fridays between 14:00 and 17:00. At any other times, parking in the vicinity of the cemetery may be difficult.
Historical Information
Douai was occupied by French troops and the Royal Naval Air Service on the 22nd September, 1914, and captured by the Germans on the 1st October; it remained in enemy hands until the 17th October, 1918. The 42nd Casualty Clearing Station was posted in the town from the 28th October, 1918, to the 25th November, 1919.
Douai Communal Cemetery was used during the occupation years of 1914-18 by the Germans for prisoners of war and British, French, Russian, Rumanian and Italian soldiers, as well as German soldiers were buried in it.
During the 1939-45 War Douai was in British hands until the German break through in May, 1940. The 1st Corps Headquarters were at Cuincy, on the western edge of the town, from October, 1939 onwards and Douai was one of the towns from which the Allied advance into Belgium was launched early in May, 1940, only to be followed by the collapse of the French and Belgian units and the consequent withdrawal of the British element towards Dunkirk.
There are now 222 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war commemorated in this site, 19 being unidentified. There are a further 46 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here. There are also 247 French, 113 Russsian and 13 Romanian burials of the 1914-1918 war here.
Total Burials: 640.
World War One Identified Commonwealth Burials: United Kingdom 178, Canada 14, Australia 7, New Zealand 3, South Africa 1. Total 203.
World War One Unidentified Commonwealth Burials: United Kingdom 16, Unknown 3. Total 19.
World War One Other Nationalities: France 247, Russia 113, Romania 13. Total 373.
World War Two Identified Commonwealth Burials: United Kingdom 46.
The Commonwealth plot was designed by Arthur James Scott Hutton
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
Party of Royal Engineers of the 8th Division who removed the German flag from the prefecture at Douai, 18 October 1918. © IWM (Q 11818)
Second Lieutenant
Robert Edward Adeney
48th Sqdn. Royal Flying Corps and 3rd Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
11th April 1917, aged 19.
Row D. 8.
.Son of William Henry and Mary Adeney, of 16, Sackville St., Piccadilly, London.
The words "With Christ" were added to his headstone.
Robert Edward Adeney
48th Sqdn. Royal Flying Corps and 3rd Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
11th April 1917, aged 19.
Row D. 8.
.Son of William Henry and Mary Adeney, of 16, Sackville St., Piccadilly, London.
The words "With Christ" were added to his headstone.
3/13789 Company Serjeant Major
Alexander Burnett
"B" Coy. 7th Bn. Cameron Highlanders
6th October 1915, aged 37.
Row B. 12.
Son of George and Margaret Burnett; husband of Elizabeth Inglis Spratt Burnett, of "Woodview," Old Edin Rd., Dalkeith, Midlothian.
Alexander Burnett
"B" Coy. 7th Bn. Cameron Highlanders
6th October 1915, aged 37.
Row B. 12.
Son of George and Margaret Burnett; husband of Elizabeth Inglis Spratt Burnett, of "Woodview," Old Edin Rd., Dalkeith, Midlothian.
Captain
Lionel Archibald Forster
1st Bn. Cheshire Regiment
4th November 1914, aged 35.
Row B. 2.
Son of the Right Hon. William Forster, M.P., of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; husband of Ione Toms (formerly Forster), of 1, Holmesgrove Rd., Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. Served in the South African War. Born at Bamford Speke, Devon.
His family added the words "In Loving Memory" to his headstone.
Lionel Archibald Forster
1st Bn. Cheshire Regiment
4th November 1914, aged 35.
Row B. 2.
Son of the Right Hon. William Forster, M.P., of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; husband of Ione Toms (formerly Forster), of 1, Holmesgrove Rd., Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. Served in the South African War. Born at Bamford Speke, Devon.
His family added the words "In Loving Memory" to his headstone.
80212 Private
Henry King
31st Bn. Canadian Infantry
6th May 1917, aged 29.
Row H. 24.
Son of Mrs. Elizabeth King, of 1228, 5th Avenue North West, Calgary, Alberta.
His parents added the following inscription to his headstone; "Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep from which none ever wake to weep."
Henry King
31st Bn. Canadian Infantry
6th May 1917, aged 29.
Row H. 24.
Son of Mrs. Elizabeth King, of 1228, 5th Avenue North West, Calgary, Alberta.
His parents added the following inscription to his headstone; "Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep from which none ever wake to weep."
Second Lieutenant
Charles Walter Palmer
Royal Flying Corps and General List.
29th March 1916, aged 24.
Row D. 5.
Son of George A. and Annie Palmer, of Wykin, Hinckley, Leicestershire.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Did His Duty"
Charles Walter Palmer
Royal Flying Corps and General List.
29th March 1916, aged 24.
Row D. 5.
Son of George A. and Annie Palmer, of Wykin, Hinckley, Leicestershire.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Did His Duty"
Second Lieutenant
Edward Charles Ready
3rd Bn. Attached to 1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
2nd May 1917, aged 27.
Row D. 14.
Son of John A. Ready, of 132, Albany Avenue, Toronto, Canada.
Edward Charles Ready
3rd Bn. Attached to 1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
2nd May 1917, aged 27.
Row D. 14.
Son of John A. Ready, of 132, Albany Avenue, Toronto, Canada.
Captain
William Suttor Rich, Twice Mentioned in Despatches
1st Bn. Cheshire Regiment
9th November 1914, aged 35.
Row D. 1.
Son of William Morton Rich, of Mount Victoria, New South Wales, Australia.
William Suttor Rich, Twice Mentioned in Despatches
1st Bn. Cheshire Regiment
9th November 1914, aged 35.
Row D. 1.
Son of William Morton Rich, of Mount Victoria, New South Wales, Australia.
2632 Private
Thomas Rodgers
1st Bn. Newfoundland Regiment
17th April 1917, aged 18.
Row A. 15.
Son of Stephen and Annastatia Rodgers, of St. John'S, Newfoundland.
His headstone bears the inscription "How Much Light How Much Joy Is Buried With Our Dear Boy"
Thomas Rodgers
1st Bn. Newfoundland Regiment
17th April 1917, aged 18.
Row A. 15.
Son of Stephen and Annastatia Rodgers, of St. John'S, Newfoundland.
His headstone bears the inscription "How Much Light How Much Joy Is Buried With Our Dear Boy"
Lieutenant Colonel
Harold Ernest Walter
8th Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment
29th September 1915.
Row D. 2.
Harold Ernest Walter
8th Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment
29th September 1915.
Row D. 2.
21608 Lance Corporal
Frank Wear
14th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
3rd August 1917.
Joint Grave G. 13.
Frank Wear
14th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
3rd August 1917.
Joint Grave G. 13.
British officer distributing newspapers to French refugees who had returned to Douai, 25 October 1918. The city was deserted on the day of its occupation by the British 8th Division on 17 October. © IWM (Q 11406)
