HIGHLAND CEMETERY
Roclincourt
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.33129, Longitude: 2.79653
Location Information
Roclincourt is a village a little east of the road from Arras to Lens. Take the N17 from Arras until the junction of this road and the D60. Travel along the D60 to Roclincourt village. The Cemetery is north-east of the village and is reached via a single track farm lane which is signposted from the Thélus road.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair Access is possible with some difficulty.
Historical Information
Roclincourt was just within the British lines before the Battles of Arras 1917; and it was from the village that the 51st (Highland) and 34th divisions advanced on the 9th April 1917.
Highland Cemetery was made (under the name of Roclincourt Forward Cemetery No.1) when the battlefields were cleared after the 9th April 1917, and Plot I, Rows A. and C and Plot II, Rows A and D are almost exclusively occupied by the graves of the 51st Division. Plot I, Row B and Plot II, Row C were made, after the Armistice, by the concentration of graves from the battlefields of Arras; Plot II, Row C contains graves of Canadian Field Artillery and Railway Troops brought from FOND-DE-VASE BRITISH CEMETERY, which was 1.6 kilometres East of MAROEUIL.
There are now 322, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly 43 are unidentified and a special memorial is erected to a soldier from the United Kingdom who is known to be buried among them.
The cemetery covers an area of 1,159 square metres and is enclosed by a low flint wall.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and Noel Ackroyd Rew
Total Burials: 322.
Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 230, Canada 33. South Africa 16. Total 279.
Commonwealth Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 43.
Images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
Captain
The Reverend John Spence Grant, M. C.
6th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 27.
Plot I. A. 47.
Son of George and Mary Grant, of Hillbrae Culsalmond, Insch, Aberdeenshire. Native of Leslie, Insch. B.D.
The Reverend John Spence Grant, M. C.
6th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 27.
Plot I. A. 47.
Son of George and Mary Grant, of Hillbrae Culsalmond, Insch, Aberdeenshire. Native of Leslie, Insch. B.D.
Image above © Werner Van Caneghem. Click on image to enlarge
267462 Private
John Thomas Heys (Known as Tom)
6th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 19.
Plot I. C. 22.
Son of John Thomas and Sarah Ann Heys, of 20, Cotton St., Padiham Rd., Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription "God's Will Be Done."
His family placed a tribute to him in the Burnley Express on 5th May 1917, it read;
"He has gone from us for ever and we look for him in vain. He has gone; and we shall never see his angel face again. from his parents, sister, brother and sweetheart; 20 Cotton St., Burnley."
John Thomas Heys (Known as Tom)
6th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 19.
Plot I. C. 22.
Son of John Thomas and Sarah Ann Heys, of 20, Cotton St., Padiham Rd., Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription "God's Will Be Done."
His family placed a tribute to him in the Burnley Express on 5th May 1917, it read;
"He has gone from us for ever and we look for him in vain. He has gone; and we shall never see his angel face again. from his parents, sister, brother and sweetheart; 20 Cotton St., Burnley."
241782 Private
John George MacKay
5th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 33.
Plot II. A. 25.
Son of Alexander and Janet MacKay, of Clashnastruag, Skerray; husband of Jessie MacKay, of Clashnastruag, Skerray, Thurso, Caithness.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Too Dearly Loved To Be Forgotten."
John George MacKay
5th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 33.
Plot II. A. 25.
Son of Alexander and Janet MacKay, of Clashnastruag, Skerray; husband of Jessie MacKay, of Clashnastruag, Skerray, Thurso, Caithness.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Too Dearly Loved To Be Forgotten."
Lieutenant
Alwyn Ronald Macfarlane-Grieve
1st/8th Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
17th March 1917, aged 28.
Plot II. A. 13.
Son of Florence E. Macfarlane-Grieve, of Toft Manor, Cambridge, and the late W. A. Macfarlane-Grieve.
His headstone bears the inscription "Rest Eternal Grant To Him O Lord And Let Light Perpetual Shine Upon Him"
Alwyn Ronald Macfarlane-Grieve
1st/8th Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
17th March 1917, aged 28.
Plot II. A. 13.
Son of Florence E. Macfarlane-Grieve, of Toft Manor, Cambridge, and the late W. A. Macfarlane-Grieve.
His headstone bears the inscription "Rest Eternal Grant To Him O Lord And Let Light Perpetual Shine Upon Him"
Image above © Werner Van Caneghem. Click on image to enlarge
36772 Private
Richard Pearson
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
9th April 1917, aged 32.
Plot I. B. 18.
Son of Nanny Pearson, of 12, Pollard St, Blackburn, Lancs, and the late Henry Pearson.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away."
Richard Pearson
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
9th April 1917, aged 32.
Plot I. B. 18.
Son of Nanny Pearson, of 12, Pollard St, Blackburn, Lancs, and the late Henry Pearson.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away."
Image above © Werner Van Caneghem
23659 Private
Harry Pettit
7th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
11th May 1917
Plot I. B. 33.
Brother of Mr. J. Pettit, of 50, Hawson Street, Wombwell, Barnsley, Yorks.
Harry Pettit
7th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
11th May 1917
Plot I. B. 33.
Brother of Mr. J. Pettit, of 50, Hawson Street, Wombwell, Barnsley, Yorks.
266542 Private
Charles Frederick Poole
6th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 27.
Plot I. C. 20.
Son of Richard and Elizabeth Poole, of "Cotterswood", Little Eaton, Derby.
His headstone bears the inscription "Peace Perfect Peace"
Picture courtesy of great nephew, J. Cleminson
Charles Frederick Poole
6th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 27.
Plot I. C. 20.
Son of Richard and Elizabeth Poole, of "Cotterswood", Little Eaton, Derby.
His headstone bears the inscription "Peace Perfect Peace"
Picture courtesy of great nephew, J. Cleminson
267559 Lance Corporal
Benjamin Steven
6th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 27.
Plot II. D. 52.
Husband of B. Steven, of 46, Henriette St, Wick, Caithness.
Picture courtesy of grandson, Benjamin Steven
Benjamin Steven
6th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 27.
Plot II. D. 52.
Husband of B. Steven, of 46, Henriette St, Wick, Caithness.
Picture courtesy of grandson, Benjamin Steven
Major
Howard Church Symmes, Mentioned in Despatches
2nd Regiment, South African Infantry
9th April 1917
Plot I. B. 45.
Howard Church Symmes, Mentioned in Despatches
2nd Regiment, South African Infantry
9th April 1917
Plot I. B. 45.
S/15662 Lance Corporal
James Williams Young
6th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 19.
Plot II. D. 51.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. George Young, of Upperwood, Poyntzfield, Invergordon, Ross-shire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "To Memory Ever Dear."
James Williams Young
6th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
9th April 1917, aged 19.
Plot II. D. 51.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. George Young, of Upperwood, Poyntzfield, Invergordon, Ross-shire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "To Memory Ever Dear."
Image above © Werner Van Caneghem
The RAMC officer, attached to the 12th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment (92nd Brigade, 31st Division), bandaging the face wound of a man of his battalion in the line in the Arleux sector, near Roclincourt, 9 January 1918. © IWM (Q 11545)
An officer York and Lancaster Regiment, probably 2/4th Battalion part of 187th Brigade, feeds a puppy outside a reinforced dugout in a trench near Roclincourt, on the 62nd Division front between Oppy and Gavrelle, 13 January, 1918. © IWM (Q 8439)
A wiring party of the 12th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, passing along a communication trench near Roclincourt, January 1918. © IWM (Q 10611)
