GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
Aisne
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.78125, Longitude: 3.22007
Picture © Johan Pauwels
Location Information
Seraucourt-le-Grand is a village about 8 kilometres south west of St Quentin on the east side of the River Somme.
From the main road, D930 St Quentin-Ham, take the left turning in the direction of Seraucourt-le-Grand at a village called Roupy. The Cemetery is signposted from the D32 road on arriving in the village itself.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
II Corps passed through this neighbourhood on the Retreat from Mons in August, 1914, and it was lost in the early days of the Fifth Army retreat in March, 1918.
The Cemetery was made in 1920-26 by the concentration of graves from the battlefields and from other burial grounds, including:-
ALAINCOURT GERMAN CEMETERY.
BENAY MILITARY CEMETERY (3 British, February and March, 1918).
CHEVRESIS-MONCEAU COMMUNAL CEMETERY (116 German; 40 French; 3 British, March and April, 1918).
CILLY GERMAN CEMETERY (6 British, September, 1918).
CLASTRES NEW FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY (14 British, February and March, 1918).
CUGNY MILITARY CEMETERIES (Aisne, near Ham; the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles held out and were annihilated here 24 March 1918); used by British and Germans, it contained 88 British graves of February-June 1918.
DURY CHURCHYARD (Aisne; 5 British, March 1918).
ESSIGNY-LE-GRAND GERMAN CEMETERY (200 German and 99 British, March and April 1918, largely 36th (Ulster) Division).
FONTAINE-NORTE DAME GERMAN CEMETERY (Aisne, 900 Germans; 12 French; 2 British, March 1918).
FONTAINE-UTERTE COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (500 German; 23 British, March 1917-March 1918).
GRUGIES COMMUNAL CEMETERY (2 British, January 1918).
HIRSON COMMUNAL CEMETERY FRENCH and GERMAN EXTENSION (14 British, December 1917-October 1918).
LESDINS FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY (4 British, September 1918).
MARCY CHATEAU GERMAN CEMETERY (2 British, September 1918).
MARBLES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION (17 British, April-October 1918, besides French, Italian, Russian and Germans).
MENNEVRET COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (312 British, August 1914, March, October and November 1918).
MEZIERES-SUR-OISE GERMAN CEMETERY (200 German, 24 French, 1 British).
MONCEAU-LES-LEUPS GERMAN CEMETERY (1 British, February 1918).
MONCHY-LAGACHE CHURCHYARD (4 British, May 1917 and September 1918).
NOUVION-ET-CATILLON COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (13 British, February-August 1918).
ORIGNY-EN-THIERACHE COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (200 German; 13 French; one American; one British, October 1914).
REMIGNY FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY (33 French; 13 British, February and March 1918).
ST. MICHEL COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (Aisne; 132 German; 23 French; 6 British, August-October 1918).
SEBONCOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY (99 French; 1 British, October 1918).
SERAUCOURT-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY FRENCH EXTENSION (13 British, February and March 1918).
VERVINS GERMAN CEMETERY (390 German; 20 Italian; 15 French; 7 British, May-September 1918).
There are now over 2,000, 1914-18 and a small number of 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, almost two-thirds from the 1914-18 War are unidentified and special memorials are erected to two soldiers from the United Kingdom, known or believed to be buried here. Other special memorials record the names of 32 United Kingdom soldiers, buried by the enemy, whose graves could not be found. In Plots III, IV and V are many graves, identified collectively but not individually, which are marked by headstones superscribed: "Buried near this spot".
The British Cemetery covers an area of 4,732 square metres and is enclosed by a stone rubble wall.
The cemetery was designed by Charles Henry Holden & William Harrison Cowlishaw
Total Commonwealth Burials: 1,377.
World War One Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 477, Canada 2. Total 479.
World War Two Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 13, Australia 2, Canada 2. Total 17.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
Second Lieutenant
Edward Edmund Burnside
16th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles
21st March 1918, aged 20.
Plot I. A. 1.
Son of Mr. Ingram Burnside and Mrs. M. E. Burnside, of Greenisland, Co. Antrim.
Edward Edmund Burnside
16th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles
21st March 1918, aged 20.
Plot I. A. 1.
Son of Mr. Ingram Burnside and Mrs. M. E. Burnside, of Greenisland, Co. Antrim.
Second Lieutenant
Albert Vail Cosgrove
27th Squadron, Royal Air Force
25th September 1918, aged 24.
Plot VII. E. 3.
Son of James B. and Mary M. Cosgrove, of 30, Evanson St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Born in Canada.
Albert Vail Cosgrove
27th Squadron, Royal Air Force
25th September 1918, aged 24.
Plot VII. E. 3.
Son of James B. and Mary M. Cosgrove, of 30, Evanson St., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Born in Canada.
S/34655 Rifleman
William Alfred Curtis
"C" Coy. 8th Bn. Rifle Brigade
21st March 1918, aged 19.
Plot III. J. 14.
Son of William and Harriet Maud Curtis, of 46, Newington Causeway, London.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Through Life To Death Without Fear And Without Reproach."
William Alfred Curtis
"C" Coy. 8th Bn. Rifle Brigade
21st March 1918, aged 19.
Plot III. J. 14.
Son of William and Harriet Maud Curtis, of 46, Newington Causeway, London.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Through Life To Death Without Fear And Without Reproach."
Lieutenant
Raymond George Foley, M. C.
Regimental Depot, (Eastern Ontario). Canadian Infantry attached to 27th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
8th March 1918.
Plot VI. J. 18.
Raymond George Foley, M. C.
Regimental Depot, (Eastern Ontario). Canadian Infantry attached to 27th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
8th March 1918.
Plot VI. J. 18.
Captain
William Teasdale Hall
24th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
19th May 1917, aged 24.
Plot VIII. F. 1.
Son of Fred Asa Hall and Fanny Louisa Hall, of 35, Heath St. West, Toronto, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "A Devoted Son A LOving Brother A Brave And Gallant Soldier"
William Teasdale Hall
24th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
19th May 1917, aged 24.
Plot VIII. F. 1.
Son of Fred Asa Hall and Fanny Louisa Hall, of 35, Heath St. West, Toronto, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "A Devoted Son A LOving Brother A Brave And Gallant Soldier"
Second Lieutenant
William Hyson Howard
2nd Bn. Manchester Regiment, attd. "X" 32nd T.M. Bty.
11th September 1918, aged 24.
Plot VIII. F. 2.
Son of Robert and Sarah Howard, of 34, Marchmont Rd., Edinburgh. Born at Ashton-under-Lyne.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Ever Remembered."
William Hyson Howard
2nd Bn. Manchester Regiment, attd. "X" 32nd T.M. Bty.
11th September 1918, aged 24.
Plot VIII. F. 2.
Son of Robert and Sarah Howard, of 34, Marchmont Rd., Edinburgh. Born at Ashton-under-Lyne.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Ever Remembered."
British soldiers in front of the ruins of the sugar factory at Seraucourt-le-Grand, 14 January 1918. © IWM (Q 61235)
R/14327 Rifleman
A. W. Norris
12th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
8th May 1918
Plot VI. B. 1.
A. W. Norris
12th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
8th May 1918
Plot VI. B. 1.
570 Corporal
C. V. Taylor
16th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles
14th March 1918
Plot II. B. 5.
C. V. Taylor
16th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles
14th March 1918
Plot II. B. 5.
28294 Private
John Edward Chaplin Welch
6th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
23rd March 1918
Essigny-le-Grand Com. Cem. Mem. 32.
John Edward Chaplin Welch
6th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
23rd March 1918
Essigny-le-Grand Com. Cem. Mem. 32.
33103 Private
Walter Stanley Woodward
8th Bn. East Surrey Regiment
23rd March 1918
Plot II. G. 20.
Walter Stanley Woodward
8th Bn. East Surrey Regiment
23rd March 1918
Plot II. G. 20.
World War Two Burials
Pictures © Johan Pauwels
J/14859 Flying Officer (Pilot)
William Adrian Hughes
158 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
18th April 1944, aged 31.
Plot 7. G. 8.
Son of Richard and Anthonia Hughes; husband of Annetta A. Hughes, of Hollywood, California, U.S.A.
His headstone bears the inscription; "To One Who Loved His Country And Freedom Enough To Fight And Die For Them."
William Adrian Hughes
158 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
18th April 1944, aged 31.
Plot 7. G. 8.
Son of Richard and Anthonia Hughes; husband of Annetta A. Hughes, of Hollywood, California, U.S.A.
His headstone bears the inscription; "To One Who Loved His Country And Freedom Enough To Fight And Die For Them."
412455 Warrant Officer
James Alfred Leaver
Royal Australian Air Force
18th April 1944, aged 22.
Plot 7. G. 5.
Son of Alfred Ernest and Florence Margaret Leaver, of Yenda, New South Wales, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "His Duty Nobly And Fearlessly Done."
Attached to No. 158 Squadron, RAF, of Yenda, NSW. He was a farm labourer prior to enlisting in July 1941. WO Leaver was a crew member of Halifax III LV946 which was lost on operations over Tergnier, France, on 18 April 1944. WO Leaver was 22 years of age.
James Alfred Leaver
Royal Australian Air Force
18th April 1944, aged 22.
Plot 7. G. 5.
Son of Alfred Ernest and Florence Margaret Leaver, of Yenda, New South Wales, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "His Duty Nobly And Fearlessly Done."
Attached to No. 158 Squadron, RAF, of Yenda, NSW. He was a farm labourer prior to enlisting in July 1941. WO Leaver was a crew member of Halifax III LV946 which was lost on operations over Tergnier, France, on 18 April 1944. WO Leaver was 22 years of age.
1398483 Flight Sergeant (Pilot)
Colin Shackleton
51 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
18th April 1944, aged 21.
Plot 7. G.12.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Memories Never Fade, Always Loved, Never Forgotten."
Colin Shackleton
51 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
18th April 1944, aged 21.
Plot 7. G.12.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Memories Never Fade, Always Loved, Never Forgotten."
J/25701 Flying Officer
Bertram Alfonso Trewin
158 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
18th April 1944.
Plot 7. G. 11.
Bertram Alfonso Trewin
158 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
18th April 1944.
Plot 7. G. 11.
