GEZAINCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 50.14583 Longitude: 2.32308
Location Information
Gezaincourt is a village a little south-west of the town of Doullens, halfway between the main roads from Doullens to Abbeville and Doullens to Amiens. The Communal Cemetery and Extension are on the east side of the village. There is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission signpost outside Doullens on the road towards Amiens.
Visiting Information
This cemetery is permanently open and may be visited at any time.
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
The COMMUNAL CEMETERY at Gezaincourt contains nine Commonwealth burials of the First World War, made between October 1915 and March 1916
The adjoining EXTENSION was opened in March 1916 and used until March 1917, and again from March to October 1918. In most cases, the burials were carried out from casualty clearing stations and, in June to August 1918, from the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital.
The extension contains 596 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 3 of which are unidentified, and a plot of 76 German graves. There are also six Second World War burials, all dating from the early months of the war before the German advance.
Total Burials: 678.
World War One identified Burials: United Kingdom 507, Germany 75, New Zealand 40, Canada 24, Australia 23, India 2. Total 671.
World War Two Identified Burials: United Kingdom 6, Germany 1. Total 7.
The extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and George Hartley Goldsmith
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
Captain
George Guy Hermon-Hodge
Royal Horse Artillery attached to 165th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
7th July 1916, aged 32.
Plot I. B. 12.
Son of the 1st Baron Wyfold, of Accrington, and of Baroness Wyfold, of Wyfold Court, Oxfordshire. His brother John Percival (Bay) Hermon-Hodge also fell.
George Guy Hermon-Hodge
Royal Horse Artillery attached to 165th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
7th July 1916, aged 32.
Plot I. B. 12.
Son of the 1st Baron Wyfold, of Accrington, and of Baroness Wyfold, of Wyfold Court, Oxfordshire. His brother John Percival (Bay) Hermon-Hodge also fell.
Second Lieutenant
Joseph Mitchell
70th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
5th October 1916, aged 20.
Plot I. G. 15.
Son of Thomas Wilfred Howe Mitchell and Ethel Spencer Mitchell, of Sandygate, Wath-on-Dearne, Yorks. Educated at Rugby School.
Joseph Mitchell
70th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
5th October 1916, aged 20.
Plot I. G. 15.
Son of Thomas Wilfred Howe Mitchell and Ethel Spencer Mitchell, of Sandygate, Wath-on-Dearne, Yorks. Educated at Rugby School.
Second Lieutenant
William Proudfoot Neill
6th Bn. attached to 9th Bn. Royal Scots
24th December 1916, aged 43.
Plot II. D. 16.
Son of Walter and Margaret Stewart Neill, of Edinburgh.
William Proudfoot Neill
6th Bn. attached to 9th Bn. Royal Scots
24th December 1916, aged 43.
Plot II. D. 16.
Son of Walter and Margaret Stewart Neill, of Edinburgh.
201839 Lance Corporal
John Robert Payne
2nd Bn. Royal Fusiliers
2nd July 1918, aged 27.
Plot I. N. 19.
Son of Joseph and Margaret Ann Payne, of 48, Halifax Rd., Brierfield, Burnley.
Died of wounds in the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital, France. He had been admitted with serious chest wounds which had also pierced his abdomen, he had previously been both wounded by shrapnel and gassed. Prior to enlisting on May 2nd 1916, he had worked as a plumber for Mr P. J. Quinn of Brierfield.
John Robert Payne
2nd Bn. Royal Fusiliers
2nd July 1918, aged 27.
Plot I. N. 19.
Son of Joseph and Margaret Ann Payne, of 48, Halifax Rd., Brierfield, Burnley.
Died of wounds in the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital, France. He had been admitted with serious chest wounds which had also pierced his abdomen, he had previously been both wounded by shrapnel and gassed. Prior to enlisting on May 2nd 1916, he had worked as a plumber for Mr P. J. Quinn of Brierfield.
2299 Private
James Arthur Pendrey
15th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
8th September 1916, aged 18.
Plot II. C. 8.
Son of Arthur and Mary Pendrey, of Parker St., Devonport West, Tasmania.
A fisherman with over 2 years service in the Citizens' Military Forces (CMF) prior to enlistment on 21 May 1915, Pte Pendrey embarked on 4 June from Melbourne aboard HMAT Ajana (A31) as part of the 6th Reinforcements. He served at Gallipoli from early August, before being evacuated to England in September, due to illness. He returned to the 15th Battalion in January 1916, being stationed in Egypt until May 1916 when sent to France. Pte Pendrey died of wounds accidentally received in the field on 8 September 1916 at Gezaincourt. A court of enquiry found that he "died of wounds received by accidental discharge of a bullet from a Lewis Machine Gun which was being used for instructional purposes. No blame is attributable to anyone". He was 18 years old at the time of his death.
James Arthur Pendrey
15th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
8th September 1916, aged 18.
Plot II. C. 8.
Son of Arthur and Mary Pendrey, of Parker St., Devonport West, Tasmania.
A fisherman with over 2 years service in the Citizens' Military Forces (CMF) prior to enlistment on 21 May 1915, Pte Pendrey embarked on 4 June from Melbourne aboard HMAT Ajana (A31) as part of the 6th Reinforcements. He served at Gallipoli from early August, before being evacuated to England in September, due to illness. He returned to the 15th Battalion in January 1916, being stationed in Egypt until May 1916 when sent to France. Pte Pendrey died of wounds accidentally received in the field on 8 September 1916 at Gezaincourt. A court of enquiry found that he "died of wounds received by accidental discharge of a bullet from a Lewis Machine Gun which was being used for instructional purposes. No blame is attributable to anyone". He was 18 years old at the time of his death.
Shot at Dawn
9828 Private William Edward Anderson, 5th Bn. Dorset Regiment, executed for desertion 31st March 1917, aged 21. Plot I. P. 1. Son of William Henry Anderson, of 65, Fanshawe Avenue, Barking, Essex.
In Sept 1916, he was in a party of 25 working, under continuous & heavy shell-fire, at Mouquet Farm on the Somme, but was found missing on 29 Sept at the morning roll-call. (Pte John Lewis, also missing at the same time, seems to have conspired with Anderson to desert — & was tried separately, in due course executed & buried at Forceville CCE).
Anderson was arrested in Aveluy on 13 October — & made no defence to a charge of absence, when he was later also tried for desertion, arising from a second absence on 1 Jan 1917 when his unit was near Lancashire Dump. He was arrested on 30 Jan 1917 in the UK, having been spotted in Barking. Again he made no defence, & following conviction & sentence, was executed on 31 March. (Corns, pp. 236-237)
9828 Private William Edward Anderson, 5th Bn. Dorset Regiment, executed for desertion 31st March 1917, aged 21. Plot I. P. 1. Son of William Henry Anderson, of 65, Fanshawe Avenue, Barking, Essex.
In Sept 1916, he was in a party of 25 working, under continuous & heavy shell-fire, at Mouquet Farm on the Somme, but was found missing on 29 Sept at the morning roll-call. (Pte John Lewis, also missing at the same time, seems to have conspired with Anderson to desert — & was tried separately, in due course executed & buried at Forceville CCE).
Anderson was arrested in Aveluy on 13 October — & made no defence to a charge of absence, when he was later also tried for desertion, arising from a second absence on 1 Jan 1917 when his unit was near Lancashire Dump. He was arrested on 30 Jan 1917 in the UK, having been spotted in Barking. Again he made no defence, & following conviction & sentence, was executed on 31 March. (Corns, pp. 236-237)
Picture © Geerhard Joos
c.1916; View of the camp of the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Gezaincourt
Images in this gallery © Johan Pauwels
World War Two Burials
Pictures © Johan Pauwels
Click on individual headstone for details
Johann Bachem, died 1st September 1944, German Army.
