GOMMECOURT WOOD NEW CEMETERY
Foncquevillers
Pas De Calais
France
Location Information
Foncquevillers is a village about 18 kilometres south-west of Arras on the D3. Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery is situated a little way south-east along the D6. A CWGC signpost indicating the road is situated at the junction near the post office in Foncquevillers and the Cemetery is on the right hand side of the road just before arriving at Gommecourt.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
Foncquevillers was in British hands in 1915 and 1916. On 1 July 1916, Gommecourt Wood was attacked by the 46th (North Midland) Division, and the Southern part of the village by the 56th (London) Division. The attack met with temporary success, but could not be sustained; and Gommecourt remained a salient in the German line until 27 February 1917, when it was evacuated. It was never retaken by the Germans; at the end of their offensive of March 1918, it was just within the British lines. Gommecourt was later "adopted" by the County Borough of Wolverhampton.
Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery was made, after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from the battlefields of July 1916, March 1917, and March, April and August 1918, and from certain smaller burial grounds, including:-
BASTION CEMETERY, FONCQUEVILLERS, in the old German line North of the Wood, where 55 men (nearly all unidentified) of the 46th Division were buried.
BRETENCOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, on the West side of the bridge between Bretencourt and Blamont Mill, in the commune of RIVIERE. Here were buried 233 French soldiers and 38 from the United Kingdom; three men of the Indian Labour Corps; and one German prisoner.
GOMMECOURT CHATEAU CEMETERY, at the North-East corner of the Chateau park, begun by the Germans. Here were buried 55 soldiers from New Zealand, who fell in July and August, 1918, and 14 from the United Kingdom.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.1, or THE SAP CEMETERY, FONCQUEVILLERS, between the old front lines, in which were buried 111 men of the 46th Division, almost all unidentified.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.4, or LITTLE Z CEMETERY (from a strong point on the old German front line), FONCQUEVILLERS, which contained the graves of 22 men of the 46th Division and one other.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.5, on the North-West side of the Wood, contained the graves of 27 men of the 46th Division.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.6, close to No.5, contained the graves of 40 men, almost all of the 46th Division.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.8, FONCQUEVILLERS, between the old front lines, contained the graves of 46 men of the 46th Division.
POINT 75 BRITISH CEMETERY, FONCQUEVILLERS, on the old German front line, contained the graves of 35 men of the 46th Division.
There are now nearly 750, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly two-thirds are unidentified and special memorials are erected to ten soldiers from the United Kingdom, known or believed to be buried among them.
The cemetery covers an area of 2,690 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.
Casualty Details: UK 692, Australia 1, New Zealand 56, Total Burials: 749
Foncquevillers is a village about 18 kilometres south-west of Arras on the D3. Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery is situated a little way south-east along the D6. A CWGC signpost indicating the road is situated at the junction near the post office in Foncquevillers and the Cemetery is on the right hand side of the road just before arriving at Gommecourt.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
Foncquevillers was in British hands in 1915 and 1916. On 1 July 1916, Gommecourt Wood was attacked by the 46th (North Midland) Division, and the Southern part of the village by the 56th (London) Division. The attack met with temporary success, but could not be sustained; and Gommecourt remained a salient in the German line until 27 February 1917, when it was evacuated. It was never retaken by the Germans; at the end of their offensive of March 1918, it was just within the British lines. Gommecourt was later "adopted" by the County Borough of Wolverhampton.
Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery was made, after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from the battlefields of July 1916, March 1917, and March, April and August 1918, and from certain smaller burial grounds, including:-
BASTION CEMETERY, FONCQUEVILLERS, in the old German line North of the Wood, where 55 men (nearly all unidentified) of the 46th Division were buried.
BRETENCOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, on the West side of the bridge between Bretencourt and Blamont Mill, in the commune of RIVIERE. Here were buried 233 French soldiers and 38 from the United Kingdom; three men of the Indian Labour Corps; and one German prisoner.
GOMMECOURT CHATEAU CEMETERY, at the North-East corner of the Chateau park, begun by the Germans. Here were buried 55 soldiers from New Zealand, who fell in July and August, 1918, and 14 from the United Kingdom.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.1, or THE SAP CEMETERY, FONCQUEVILLERS, between the old front lines, in which were buried 111 men of the 46th Division, almost all unidentified.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.4, or LITTLE Z CEMETERY (from a strong point on the old German front line), FONCQUEVILLERS, which contained the graves of 22 men of the 46th Division and one other.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.5, on the North-West side of the Wood, contained the graves of 27 men of the 46th Division.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.6, close to No.5, contained the graves of 40 men, almost all of the 46th Division.
GOMMECOURT WOOD CEMETERY No.8, FONCQUEVILLERS, between the old front lines, contained the graves of 46 men of the 46th Division.
POINT 75 BRITISH CEMETERY, FONCQUEVILLERS, on the old German front line, contained the graves of 35 men of the 46th Division.
There are now nearly 750, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly two-thirds are unidentified and special memorials are erected to ten soldiers from the United Kingdom, known or believed to be buried among them.
The cemetery covers an area of 2,690 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.
Casualty Details: UK 692, Australia 1, New Zealand 56, Total Burials: 749
22695 Lieutenant
Frederick James Beechey
2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
25th July 1918, aged 35.
Plot III. B. 27.
Son of J. M. and Elizabeth Beechey.
Frederick James Beechey
2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
25th July 1918, aged 35.
Plot III. B. 27.
Son of J. M. and Elizabeth Beechey.
45031 Second Lieutenant
Cyril Lloyd Phipps Black
2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
30th July 1918
Plot IV. B. 1.
Cyril Lloyd Phipps Black
2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
30th July 1918
Plot IV. B. 1.
265391 Private
Herbert Peet Burman
1st/7th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
1st July 1917, aged 20.
Plot II. E. 5.
Son of Samuel and Violet Burman, of 5, Florence St., Hazel Grove, Hucknall, Notts. Native of Old Brampton, Chesterfield.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Beloved Son Of Samuel & Violet Burman. His Name Liveth For Ever."
Herbert Peet Burman
1st/7th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
1st July 1917, aged 20.
Plot II. E. 5.
Son of Samuel and Violet Burman, of 5, Florence St., Hazel Grove, Hucknall, Notts. Native of Old Brampton, Chesterfield.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Beloved Son Of Samuel & Violet Burman. His Name Liveth For Ever."
34789 Privater
Francis Joseph Butler
"D" Coy. 2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
18th July 1918, aged 24.
Plot IV. C. 15.
Son of Mrs. M. A. Butler, of Round Hill, Colac Bay, New Zealand.
Francis Joseph Butler
"D" Coy. 2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
18th July 1918, aged 24.
Plot IV. C. 15.
Son of Mrs. M. A. Butler, of Round Hill, Colac Bay, New Zealand.
51557 Private
Peter MacKay Cowan
1st Bn. Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
20th July 1918, aged 33.
Plot III. C. 5.
Son of James and Agnes Cowan, of Hunua; husband of May Cowan of Hunua, New Zealand.
Peter MacKay Cowan
1st Bn. Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
20th July 1918, aged 33.
Plot III. C. 5.
Son of James and Agnes Cowan, of Hunua; husband of May Cowan of Hunua, New Zealand.
14590 Private
Arthur Cross
1st Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
18th July 1918
Plot III. D. 3.
Arthur Cross
1st Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
18th July 1918
Plot III. D. 3.
69943 Private
Joseph Ellison
1st Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
24th July 1918, aged 26.
Plot III. C. 11.
Son of William and Jane Ellison, of Westhoughton, Lancs, England.
Joseph Ellison
1st Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
24th July 1918, aged 26.
Plot III. C. 11.
Son of William and Jane Ellison, of Westhoughton, Lancs, England.
27876 Private
William Walter Garbett
1st Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
25th July 1918, aged 24.
Plot III. C. 8.
Son of Thomas and Harriett Mary Garbett.
William Walter Garbett
1st Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
25th July 1918, aged 24.
Plot III. C. 8.
Son of Thomas and Harriett Mary Garbett.
52191 Private
Richard Gates
1st Bn. Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
20th July 1918, aged 22.
Plot III. C. 3.
Son of George Gates, of Totara North, New Zealand.
Richard Gates
1st Bn. Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
20th July 1918, aged 22.
Plot III. C. 3.
Son of George Gates, of Totara North, New Zealand.
240535 Private
Joseph Hayes
6th Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 22.
Plot II. D. 27.
Son of Richard and Ellen Hayes, of 10, Short St., Uttoxeter.
Joseph Hayes
6th Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 22.
Plot II. D. 27.
Son of Richard and Ellen Hayes, of 10, Short St., Uttoxeter.
8830 Serjeant
Sydney Hibbett
5th Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 22.
Sp. Mem. B. 5.
Son of Arthur and Mary Neal Hibbett, of "Cotlands," Foden Rd., Walsall.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Thy Will Be Done."
Sydney Hibbett
5th Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 22.
Sp. Mem. B. 5.
Son of Arthur and Mary Neal Hibbett, of "Cotlands," Foden Rd., Walsall.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Thy Will Be Done."
6/4064 Lance Corporal
David Howatson
2nd Bn. Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
17th July 1918
Plot III. D. 1.
David Howatson
2nd Bn. Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
17th July 1918
Plot III. D. 1.
British 9.45-inch Heavy Trench Mortar and its crew in an old German trench in Pigeon Wood. It is snowing, and one of the men has placed a cover over the end of the barrel to protect it from the weather. Gommecourt, March 1917. © IWM (Q 4922)
Second Lieutenant
John Reginald Lilly Hunt
5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
1st July 1916, aged 19.
Plot II. E. 4.
Son of John Aspinall Hunt and Minnie Beatrice Hunt, of Woodstock, Shalford, Surrey.
John Reginald Lilly Hunt
5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
1st July 1916, aged 19.
Plot II. E. 4.
Son of John Aspinall Hunt and Minnie Beatrice Hunt, of Woodstock, Shalford, Surrey.
60127 Private
Robert Hutchinson
1st Bn. Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
15th August 1918
Plot III. B. 24.
Robert Hutchinson
1st Bn. Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
15th August 1918
Plot III. B. 24.
5774 Private
Reginald Thomas Lawrence
14th Bn. London Regiment (London Scottish)
1st July 1916
Plot IV. B. 15.
Reginald Thomas Lawrence
14th Bn. London Regiment (London Scottish)
1st July 1916
Plot IV. B. 15.
313375 Sapper
Augustus George Walters
1st Tank Brigade, Signal Section, Royal Engineers
22nd August 1918, aged 32.
Plot II. E. 19.
INSCRIPTION. UNTIL WE MEET.
Husband of Elizabeth Emily Walters, of 23, Second Avenue, Hoe St., Walthamstow, London.
Picture courtesy of Colin Matthews (Grandson)
Click in Image to enlarge
Augustus George Walters
1st Tank Brigade, Signal Section, Royal Engineers
22nd August 1918, aged 32.
Plot II. E. 19.
INSCRIPTION. UNTIL WE MEET.
Husband of Elizabeth Emily Walters, of 23, Second Avenue, Hoe St., Walthamstow, London.
Picture courtesy of Colin Matthews (Grandson)
Click in Image to enlarge
1714 Corporal Sidney Robert Walton 1st/6th Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment 1st July 1916, aged 25. Plot II. J. 11. Son of Robert and Annie Walton, of 27, Kettlebrook Rd., Tamworth. |
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British soldiers house-breaking in the ruins of Gommecourt. The bricks are used for making roads, March 1917. © IWM (Q 4924)
