WW1 Cemeteries.com - A photographic guide to over 4000 military cemeteries and memorials
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • BELGIAN MEMORIALS
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • French Memorials
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited

HIGH TREE CEMETERY

​Montbrehain
​​​
Aisne

​France

GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.96254, Longitude: 3.36811

High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
Picture
Location Information

Montbrehain is a village situated in the north-western sector of the Department of the Aisne, 10 kilometres south-west of Bohain on the D28. 

High Tree Cemetery is 1 kilometre west of Montbrehain and is first signposted at the lower part of the village at the junction of the D28 and D283. 

Proceed some 100 metres after this first signpost along the D28 in the direction of Bohain before being directed along the D705, Fresnoy Le Grand. 500 metres along this road the third and final signpost will point directly towards the cemetery, which is invisible from the road as it lies at the bottom of a rough farm track.


Visiting Information

The location or design of this cemetery makes wheelchair access impossible. 


Historical Information

The village of Montbrehain was taken on the 3rd October, 1918, by three battalions of the Sherwood Foresters of the 46th Division, but it could not be held at the time; it was finally captured by the 21st and 24th Australian Infantry Battalions two days later. 

This cemetery contains the graves of 48 casualties of the First World War, three of which are unidentified. 

Total Burials: 48.

Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 43, Australia 2. Total 45.

Unidentified Casualties: 3.

The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
Picture
1672 Private
Charles Edmund Bateman
2nd Australian Pioneers
5th October 1918, aged 42.
Row A. 45.

Son of William George and Ann Bateman. Native of London, England.

A farmer of East Brookton, WA, he enlisted on 17 June 1915 and embarked on the HMAT Demosthenes from Fremantle, with the 28th Battalion.
 

3698 Private Alfred Preston gave these details of Charles Bateman's final moments; 
​"During the morning of October 5th 1918. Capt. Olsen advised Bateman not to go up to the lines on this occasion as he wanted him to stay back for other duties but he was most anxious to be with his mates and he persuaded the 
Capt. to allow him to go, which he did.

Bateman was killed on the tape by a shell which fell short by one of own guns. He would be buried on the field where he fell at Montbrehain."

Picture
42553 Private
Richard Brunt
9th Bn. Norfolk Regiment
8th October 1918
Row A. 34.


Picture
58319 Private
William Henry Harrison
1st Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
8th October 1918, aged 21.
Row A. 17.

Son of Herbert and Louisa Harrison, of The Woods Farm, Beckingham, Doncaster.

His headstone bears the inscription; "And With The Morn Those Angel Faces Smile." (From the hymn; "Lead, Kindly Light, Amid The Encircling Gloom," by John Henry Newman.


Picture
3656 Private
Joseph Henry Taylor
​2nd Australian Pioneers
5th October 1918, aged 32.
Row A. 1.


Son of John and Clara Jane Taylor. Native of Isis, Queensland.

​His headstone bears the inscription; "The Great White Soul That Was You Lives On."

​The circumstances of Joseph Taylor's death are still quite sketchy, a court of enquiry was set up on 8th November 1918 to give an official version of events. The court concluded that Joseph Taylor had been wounded and taken prisoner.

Later interviews with other members of his Pioneer section made it clear that Joseph had been killed in action on 5th October.

2186 Private S. R. Williams gave these details; "I did not see Taylor of "C" Company wounded (I think through body by bullet) at Montbrehain in the morning. He started out  and must have been killed on the way, as I afterwards met a D. A. C. (Divisional Ammunition Column) man I know named Private Leo Elliott, he told me that he had found and buried a man of my company named Taylor. He knew all about him and I feel sure it must have been him."

In April 1919, Leo Elliott himself gave these details; "I saw him lying dead at a cemetery just outside of Montbrehain, just alongside of the light railway line that was there in October. To look at his wounds, it looked very much like one of his own bombs which he was carrying in his 
pocket, went off and blew half his side out, that is all I can say about him."

Corporal H. E. Barrett later discovered Joe Taylor's grave when he returned to Montbrehain and re-visited the battlefield, the grave being marked by a rough cross with Joe Taylor's details on it.

Eventually he was buried in High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain, close to where he fell.

Picture
British heavy artillery guns passing through Montbrehain, France © IWM (Q 70268)

Images in this gallery © Johan Pauwels

High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain
High Tree Cemetery, Montbrehain

NEARBY CWGC CEMETERIES & MEMORIALS
​

Montbrehain British Cemetery
Brancourt-le-Grand Military Cemetery
Calvaire Cemetery, Montbrehain

World War Two Cemeteries
​

Please ask permission if you wish to use any of our images by using the contact tab above
​

Picture
Commonwealth War Graves
​Commission
Picture
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Picture
Australian War Memorial
Picture
New Zealand Online Cenotaph

​© COPYRIGHT TERENCE HEARD AND BRENT WHITTAM
​ 2005-2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
.​
Disclaimer 

The casualty numbers for each cemetery and G. P. S. Coordinates are taken from the C. W. G. C. site. We are aware that there can be discrepancies in the burial numbers quoted due to rededication burials.

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • BELGIAN MEMORIALS
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • French Memorials
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited