HUNTER'S CEMETERY
Beaumont-Hamel
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.07808, Longitude: 2.64946
Image © Johan Pauwels
Location Information
Beaumont-Hamel is a village in the Department of the Somme.
Using the D919 from Arras to Amiens you will drive through the villages of Bucquoy and Puisieux and then Serre-les-Puisieux (approximately 20 kilometres south of Arras). On leaving Serre-les-Puisieux, 3 kilometres further along the D919, turn left following the signs for "Newfoundland Park, Beaumont Hamel".
Hunter's Cemetery stands at the upper end of "Y" Ravine, within Newfoundland Memorial Park
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access with some difficulty.
Historical Information
Beaumont-Hamel was attacked in vain on the 1st July, 1916, and captured by the 51st (Highland) and 63rd (Royal Naval) Divisions on the following 13th November.
Hunter's Cemetery (the origin of the name may refer to a Chaplain attached to the Black Watch, the Rev. Hunter) is, in fact, a great shell-hole, in which soldiers of the 51st Division, who fell in the capture of Beaumont-Hamel, were buried after the battle.
There are 46 ,1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 41.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 5.
The cemetery was designed by Arthur James Scott Hutton
Beaumont-Hamel is a village in the Department of the Somme.
Using the D919 from Arras to Amiens you will drive through the villages of Bucquoy and Puisieux and then Serre-les-Puisieux (approximately 20 kilometres south of Arras). On leaving Serre-les-Puisieux, 3 kilometres further along the D919, turn left following the signs for "Newfoundland Park, Beaumont Hamel".
Hunter's Cemetery stands at the upper end of "Y" Ravine, within Newfoundland Memorial Park
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access with some difficulty.
Historical Information
Beaumont-Hamel was attacked in vain on the 1st July, 1916, and captured by the 51st (Highland) and 63rd (Royal Naval) Divisions on the following 13th November.
Hunter's Cemetery (the origin of the name may refer to a Chaplain attached to the Black Watch, the Rev. Hunter) is, in fact, a great shell-hole, in which soldiers of the 51st Division, who fell in the capture of Beaumont-Hamel, were buried after the battle.
There are 46 ,1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 41.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 5.
The cemetery was designed by Arthur James Scott Hutton
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
1504 Private
James Armstrong, M. M.
6th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916, aged 18.
Grave 1.
Son of William and Catherine Armstrong, of 18, South St., Perth.
His headstone bears the inscription "His Name Liveth For Evermore"
James had an older brother, William, and a younger brother, David. William senior was employed at Pullar's. James and his brother William were educated at the Southern District School. After school, James was employed as an apprentice boot repairer.
James was an enthusiastic Boy Scout and joined the Territorial Force in 1914 when barely 16 years of age, some months before war broke out. James mobilised with the Battalion and special permission had to be obtained from his parents to allow him to serve abroad. He served with the C Company of the 6th Battalion of the Black Watch in trench warfare in 1915 and early 1916. The year 1916 is best remembered for the Battle of the Somme, which lasted from July until November. The 6th Battalion, the Perthshire Territorial Battalion of The Black Watch was present as part of the 51st Highland Division.The principal actions in which the Battalion was involved were the Battle of High Wood on July 30 and the Battle of Beaumont Hamel on November 13. After the Attack on High Wood, the 6th Battalion War Diary, dated In the Trenches 18/8/1916, lists nine men who received the Military Medal for gallantry during the Attack on 30th July. The first name was 1504 Private James Armstrong, one of the youngest members of the Battalion. The news came back to Perth, not from James but from another member of the Battalion.During the battle of High Wood, the battalion lost 54 men killed in action and 206 were wounded.
After the Battle of High Wood, James and his battalion fought in appalling conditions at Beaumont Hamel on November 13, 1916. The survivors of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel described that they fought with their knees deep in the mud and thick fog during this day but the C Company succeeded in making fair progress. It was during this attack that James was killed in action on November 13, 1916, he was 18 years old. 77 of his comrades were killed on the same day and 146 were wounded.
One of James' brothers, William Armstrong, fought in the great war, he served in the Scottish Horses in Gallipoli where he was wounded and transferred to the 211th Company of the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) and was killed in action in Gaza on November 1, 1917, he was 20 years old and rests in peace in Gaza War Cemetery
Contributor: THR (48277533 Find a Grave)
James Armstrong, M. M.
6th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916, aged 18.
Grave 1.
Son of William and Catherine Armstrong, of 18, South St., Perth.
His headstone bears the inscription "His Name Liveth For Evermore"
James had an older brother, William, and a younger brother, David. William senior was employed at Pullar's. James and his brother William were educated at the Southern District School. After school, James was employed as an apprentice boot repairer.
James was an enthusiastic Boy Scout and joined the Territorial Force in 1914 when barely 16 years of age, some months before war broke out. James mobilised with the Battalion and special permission had to be obtained from his parents to allow him to serve abroad. He served with the C Company of the 6th Battalion of the Black Watch in trench warfare in 1915 and early 1916. The year 1916 is best remembered for the Battle of the Somme, which lasted from July until November. The 6th Battalion, the Perthshire Territorial Battalion of The Black Watch was present as part of the 51st Highland Division.The principal actions in which the Battalion was involved were the Battle of High Wood on July 30 and the Battle of Beaumont Hamel on November 13. After the Attack on High Wood, the 6th Battalion War Diary, dated In the Trenches 18/8/1916, lists nine men who received the Military Medal for gallantry during the Attack on 30th July. The first name was 1504 Private James Armstrong, one of the youngest members of the Battalion. The news came back to Perth, not from James but from another member of the Battalion.During the battle of High Wood, the battalion lost 54 men killed in action and 206 were wounded.
After the Battle of High Wood, James and his battalion fought in appalling conditions at Beaumont Hamel on November 13, 1916. The survivors of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel described that they fought with their knees deep in the mud and thick fog during this day but the C Company succeeded in making fair progress. It was during this attack that James was killed in action on November 13, 1916, he was 18 years old. 77 of his comrades were killed on the same day and 146 were wounded.
One of James' brothers, William Armstrong, fought in the great war, he served in the Scottish Horses in Gallipoli where he was wounded and transferred to the 211th Company of the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) and was killed in action in Gaza on November 1, 1917, he was 20 years old and rests in peace in Gaza War Cemetery
Contributor: THR (48277533 Find a Grave)
2904 Private
Donald McCallum
6th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916, aged 19.
Grave 19.
Son of James and Emma McCallum, of Canford, Wimborne, Dorset. Native of Comrie, Perthshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "God Is Our Refuse And Strength A Very Present Help In Trouble
Image of Donald's grave in first gallery above
Donald McCallum
6th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916, aged 19.
Grave 19.
Son of James and Emma McCallum, of Canford, Wimborne, Dorset. Native of Comrie, Perthshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "God Is Our Refuse And Strength A Very Present Help In Trouble
Image of Donald's grave in first gallery above
3105 Private
William Dawson Robbie
7th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
13th November 1916, aged 18.
Grave 27.
Son of John and Mary Ann Robbie, of Manse Cottage, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "One Of The Best Drumoak"
William Dawson Robbie
7th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
13th November 1916, aged 18.
Grave 27.
Son of John and Mary Ann Robbie, of Manse Cottage, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "One Of The Best Drumoak"
6834 Private
John Alexander Wilson
7th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916, aged 23.
Grave 8.
Son of Alexander and Mary Wilson, of 3, Balmore St., Dundee.
His headstone bears the inscription "Father In Heaven We Bow To Thy Will But O For A Sound Of A Voice That Is Still"
John Alexander Wilson
7th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
13th November 1916, aged 23.
Grave 8.
Son of Alexander and Mary Wilson, of 3, Balmore St., Dundee.
His headstone bears the inscription "Father In Heaven We Bow To Thy Will But O For A Sound Of A Voice That Is Still"
Images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
Battle of Albert. The mine under German front line positions at Hawthorn Redoubt is fired 10 minutes before the assault at Beaumont Hamel on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. 45,000 pounds of ammonal exploded. The mine caused a crater 130 feet across by 58 feet deep. © IWM (Q 754)
Plotting reference: 57D Q 10b Key features: German Frontline West and Central Beaumont Hamel - Hawthorn Ridge, Hawthorn Redoubt, Y Ravine. © IWM (BOX 214B-511-15C-57D-1916)
Working parties of British troops in the Hawthorn Ridge Crater near Beaumont Hamel, November 1916. This mine was exploded in the German front line on 1st July, and formed a crater 150 yards long, 100 yards wide and 80 feet deep. Beaumont Hamel was not captured until 13th November. © IWM (Q 2005)
Plotting reference: 57D Q 10 11 Key feature: German and British Frontline Central, South and West of Beaumont Hamel - Y Ravine, Hawthorn Ridge and Hawthorn Redoubt. © IWM (BOX 227-7754-25I-29M-1918)
