HERSIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 50.44973 Longitude: 2.6541
Location Information
Hersin is a village about 5 kilometres south of Bethune and about 2 kilometres west of the main road from Bethune to Arras. The Communal Cemetery and Extension lie to the north-east of the village.
Historical Information
The extension to Hersin Communal Cemetery was begun by French troops, who made over 100 burials, and was taken over by Commonwealth troops and field ambulances in March 1916. It was used until October 1918.
The extension contains 224 Commonwealth burials of the First World War; many of the graves are of engineers, mostly from tunneling companies. All but seven of the French graves have been removed.
Total Burials: 231.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 130, Australia 55, Canada 38. Total 223.
Unidentified Casualty: Canada 1.
French Casualties: 7.
The extension was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and William Harrison Cowlishaw
2371 Sapper
John Robert Brockley
3rd Coy. Australian Tunnelling Corps
27th November 1916, aged 50.
Plot I. C. 16.
Son of Robert and Jane Brockley. Native of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
From Bendigo,Vic. An ironworker prior to enlistment, Spr Brockley embarked with the 2nd Reinforcements from Melbourne on HMAT Star of Victoria on 31st March 1916. He was killed in action on 27th November 1916, aged 50.
1232 Sapper Marlo described the incident in which John Brockley was killed;
"This man was in a party working on a mine and Fritz blew up a mine there and Sapper Brockley was buried. I was the one who pulled his body out along with 5 others. Sapper Brockley was only smashed a little about the face. He was killed, I expect, by the shock. He must have been buried close-by at a place called Hersin."
John Robert Brockley
3rd Coy. Australian Tunnelling Corps
27th November 1916, aged 50.
Plot I. C. 16.
Son of Robert and Jane Brockley. Native of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
From Bendigo,Vic. An ironworker prior to enlistment, Spr Brockley embarked with the 2nd Reinforcements from Melbourne on HMAT Star of Victoria on 31st March 1916. He was killed in action on 27th November 1916, aged 50.
1232 Sapper Marlo described the incident in which John Brockley was killed;
"This man was in a party working on a mine and Fritz blew up a mine there and Sapper Brockley was buried. I was the one who pulled his body out along with 5 others. Sapper Brockley was only smashed a little about the face. He was killed, I expect, by the shock. He must have been buried close-by at a place called Hersin."
5964 Sapper
Edward Button
3rd Company, Australian Tunnelling Corps
6th May 1917, aged 37.
Plot I. E. 19.
Inscription "In Memory, Son Of Charles & Sarah Button, Stanley, Tasmania"
Son of Charles and Sarah Button, of Stanley, Tasmania.
Edward Button
3rd Company, Australian Tunnelling Corps
6th May 1917, aged 37.
Plot I. E. 19.
Inscription "In Memory, Son Of Charles & Sarah Button, Stanley, Tasmania"
Son of Charles and Sarah Button, of Stanley, Tasmania.
Group portrait of officers of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company officers at the company's headquarters.
Identified in the second row, 7th from the left is Major Jack Leslie Coulter, D. S. O. who died on 28th June 1917, aged 26. Plot I. A. 2. Son of Irvine and Mary Coulter, of "Winmarleigh," 10, Were St., Brighton Beach, Victoria, Australia. Native of Ballarat Victoria. Australia.
Identified in the second row, 6th from the left is Lieutenant Hugh Russel, M. C. who died on 23rd January 1918, aged 45. Plot I. A. 15. Son of Thomas Clarkson Russel and Elizabeth Russel; husband of Georgina Russel, of View St., Cottesloe, Western Australia. Native of Highgate, London, England. Inscription "Until The Day Breaks And The Shadows Flee Away"
Identified in the second row, 7th from the left is Major Jack Leslie Coulter, D. S. O. who died on 28th June 1917, aged 26. Plot I. A. 2. Son of Irvine and Mary Coulter, of "Winmarleigh," 10, Were St., Brighton Beach, Victoria, Australia. Native of Ballarat Victoria. Australia.
Identified in the second row, 6th from the left is Lieutenant Hugh Russel, M. C. who died on 23rd January 1918, aged 45. Plot I. A. 15. Son of Thomas Clarkson Russel and Elizabeth Russel; husband of Georgina Russel, of View St., Cottesloe, Western Australia. Native of Highgate, London, England. Inscription "Until The Day Breaks And The Shadows Flee Away"
5136 Private
Arthur Cutts
1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters, (Notts and Derby Regiment)
14th April 1916.
Plot I. B. 6.
Arthur Cutts
1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters, (Notts and Derby Regiment)
14th April 1916.
Plot I. B. 6.
4213 Corporal
William Constantine Mayne
3rd Coy. Australian Tunnelling Corps
14th February 1917, aged 46.
Plot I. G. 14.
Son of William and Isabella Mayne; husband of Florence Mayne, of 30, Helena St., Guildford, Western Australia. Native of Christchurch. New Zealand.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Obnixe Obnixus." (These words of Latin basically translate to Obstinate, resolute or determined.)
From Belmont WA (originally of Christchurch NZ). Snow is on the ground and he is wearing a fur jacket to combat the cold. A mining engineer prior to enlistment, Cpl Mayne embarked on board HMAT Warilda (A69) on 1 June 1916. On 14 February 1917, he died of wounds received near Hersin France.
William Constantine Mayne
3rd Coy. Australian Tunnelling Corps
14th February 1917, aged 46.
Plot I. G. 14.
Son of William and Isabella Mayne; husband of Florence Mayne, of 30, Helena St., Guildford, Western Australia. Native of Christchurch. New Zealand.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Obnixe Obnixus." (These words of Latin basically translate to Obstinate, resolute or determined.)
From Belmont WA (originally of Christchurch NZ). Snow is on the ground and he is wearing a fur jacket to combat the cold. A mining engineer prior to enlistment, Cpl Mayne embarked on board HMAT Warilda (A69) on 1 June 1916. On 14 February 1917, he died of wounds received near Hersin France.
1171 Sapper
Herbert Walter Scholes
3rd Coy. Australian Tunnelling Corps
18th March 1918, aged 40.
Plot I. A. 17.
Son of Thomas and Christina Scholes; husband of Ellen J. Scholes, of Beauty Point, Tasmania.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Nothing In My Hand I Bring Simply To The Cross I Cling." (From the Hymn "Rock of Ages," by Augustus M. Toplady.)
Spr Scholes enlisted in Beaconsfield, Tasmania on 26 September 1915. He served on the Western Front and died of wounds on 18 March 1918, he was 40 years of age.
Herbert Walter Scholes
3rd Coy. Australian Tunnelling Corps
18th March 1918, aged 40.
Plot I. A. 17.
Son of Thomas and Christina Scholes; husband of Ellen J. Scholes, of Beauty Point, Tasmania.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Nothing In My Hand I Bring Simply To The Cross I Cling." (From the Hymn "Rock of Ages," by Augustus M. Toplady.)
Spr Scholes enlisted in Beaconsfield, Tasmania on 26 September 1915. He served on the Western Front and died of wounds on 18 March 1918, he was 40 years of age.
4897 Private
Edwin Shears 2nd Bn. East Lancashire Regiment 9th July 1916, aged 29. Plot I. F. 3. |
Click on obituary above to enlarge
Son of Isabella Slater (formerly Shears), of 7, Villiers St., Wood Top, Burnley, and the late John Shears. His headstone bears the inscription; "In Loving Memory Of A Dear Son; Great Shall Be His Reward In Heaven." |
187705 Private
Frank Smith
8th Bn. Canadian Infantry
23rd March 1918, aged 33.
Plot I. A. 18.
Husband of the late Nancy Walton, they emigrated to Canada in 1910. Nancy died two years later in Winnipeg where Frank was working as a Porter for Canadian Pacific.
Frank Smith
8th Bn. Canadian Infantry
23rd March 1918, aged 33.
Plot I. A. 18.
Husband of the late Nancy Walton, they emigrated to Canada in 1910. Nancy died two years later in Winnipeg where Frank was working as a Porter for Canadian Pacific.
R/12813 Rifleman
Henry Thornton
1st Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
29th April 1916
Plot I. B. 10.
Henry Thornton
1st Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
29th April 1916
Plot I. B. 10.
A camouflaged path between Lievin and Lens which was formerly the main road, 14 May 1918. © IWM (Q 6627)
Shot at Dawn
21801 Private,
Arthur Briggs
9th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment),
Executed for desertion 19th July 1918, aged 27.
Plot III. E. 2.
Son of Harriet Briggs, of 7, Railway View, Locksford Lane, Brimington, Chesterfield.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Gone But Not Forgotten."
Arthur Briggs
9th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment),
Executed for desertion 19th July 1918, aged 27.
Plot III. E. 2.
Son of Harriet Briggs, of 7, Railway View, Locksford Lane, Brimington, Chesterfield.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Gone But Not Forgotten."
Arthur Briggs enlisted in Jan 1915, & served in Gallipoli, where he was promoted Lance Corporal (a rank seemingly taken from him at some stage, for he died a Private). Briggs was evacuated sick, & by May 1916 was in hospital in Newcastle. There he went missing for 15 days, & for another 8 days after his discharge from hospital in August. Then in November, he overstayed his leave & was arrested after a 4-day absence; & returned to his unit on 7 Feb 1917. Meanwhile his girlfriend had given birth to his child on 24 January.
A year later, on 23 Jan 1918, leave was granted, expiring on 7 Feb. Briggs failed to appear on the due date, & was arrested — in plain clothes — in Edinburgh on 11 June.
At trial, he was defended by a solicitor Captain from the battalion & a lengthy written statement was handed in. Briggs said that when he had gone home to marry the girlfriend, his parents had objected strongly. However he went ahead, & was married on 2 Feb. Receiving no reply to his request for leave to be extended, he moved to Edinburgh (walking from Sunderland) — where his wife joined him. He was there when his mother informed him that both his father & brother had been killed in action. He decided to give himself up, but was arrested before he could do so.
After conviction, his CO gave his character as a fighting man as ‘poor’, considered by his NCOs as a coward. The Brigade commander commented that since discipline in the battalion was poor, an example was needed — a view that was shared thereafter at each stage. (Corns, pp 234-236)
36224 Private, James Skone, 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment, executed for murder 10th May 1918, aged 39. Plot III. B. 1. Son of Mrs. Mary Skone, of 13, Thomas St., Orange Gardens, Pembroke.
He had been placed under arrest for a brief absence; & when in the trenches at Gorre, near Béthune, he shot & killed Lance Sergeant Edwin Williams, Skone later claiming to have done so in when in drink. His victim is buried a few kilometres away in Beuvry Communal Cemetery Extension. (Putkowski, p.242)
A year later, on 23 Jan 1918, leave was granted, expiring on 7 Feb. Briggs failed to appear on the due date, & was arrested — in plain clothes — in Edinburgh on 11 June.
At trial, he was defended by a solicitor Captain from the battalion & a lengthy written statement was handed in. Briggs said that when he had gone home to marry the girlfriend, his parents had objected strongly. However he went ahead, & was married on 2 Feb. Receiving no reply to his request for leave to be extended, he moved to Edinburgh (walking from Sunderland) — where his wife joined him. He was there when his mother informed him that both his father & brother had been killed in action. He decided to give himself up, but was arrested before he could do so.
After conviction, his CO gave his character as a fighting man as ‘poor’, considered by his NCOs as a coward. The Brigade commander commented that since discipline in the battalion was poor, an example was needed — a view that was shared thereafter at each stage. (Corns, pp 234-236)
36224 Private, James Skone, 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment, executed for murder 10th May 1918, aged 39. Plot III. B. 1. Son of Mrs. Mary Skone, of 13, Thomas St., Orange Gardens, Pembroke.
He had been placed under arrest for a brief absence; & when in the trenches at Gorre, near Béthune, he shot & killed Lance Sergeant Edwin Williams, Skone later claiming to have done so in when in drink. His victim is buried a few kilometres away in Beuvry Communal Cemetery Extension. (Putkowski, p.242)
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British soldiers by a German front line abandoned in April 1917 overgrown with weeds. Lievin, 13 June 1918. © IWM (Q 6698)
