KNIGHTSBRIDGE CEMETERY
Mesnil-Martinsart
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.06756, Longitude: 2.64373
Location Information
The village of Mesnil is about 8 kilometres north of the town of Albert on the D129 road. The cemetery is about 2 kilometres north-east of Mesnil (signposted in the centre of Mesnil). Access is by a farm track of which 1 kilometre is tarmac and 1 kilometre is dirt track (unsuitable for cars). The cemetery is 200 metres from the track and no permanent grass pathway exists.
Historical Information
The cemetery, which is named from a communication trench, was begun at the outset of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. It was used by units fighting on that front until the German withdrawal in February 1917 and was used again by fighting units from the end of March to July 1918, when the German advance brought the front line back to the Ancre. After the Armistice, burials in Rows G, H and J were added when graves were brought in from isolated positions on the battlefields of 1916 and 1918 round Mesnil.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and Captain Wilfred Clement Von Berg M. C.
Total Burials: 548.
Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 365, Canada 23, New Zealand 18, Australia 1. Total 407.
Commonwealth Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 60, Canada 16, Unknown 65. Total 141.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
Second Lieutenant
Sydney Herbert Agate
3rd Bn. attd. 4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
13th November 1916, aged 22.
Row B. 34.
Son of Walter Golds Agate and P. Agate, of "The Oaklands," Headcorn, Kent.
Picture courtesy of great niece, Caroline Gilbert
Sydney Herbert Agate
3rd Bn. attd. 4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
13th November 1916, aged 22.
Row B. 34.
Son of Walter Golds Agate and P. Agate, of "The Oaklands," Headcorn, Kent.
Picture courtesy of great niece, Caroline Gilbert
R/2889 Able Seaman
Thomas Aspinall
Anson Bn. R. N. Division. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Formerly 7th Bn. Welsh Regt.
24th May 1918, aged 21.
Row F. 72.
He was born on 4th November 1896, the son of William and Martha Aspinall of 24 Guest Street, Leigh, Lancashire.
His headstone bears the inscription "Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him O Lord R. I. P."
He joined the 7th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment on 21st August1916. On 21st July 1917 he was transferred to the Anson Battalion, 63rd Royal Naval Division and was killed during an attack on an enemy position on 25th May 1918.
Picture courtesy of Great nephew, Patrick Maloney
Thomas Aspinall
Anson Bn. R. N. Division. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Formerly 7th Bn. Welsh Regt.
24th May 1918, aged 21.
Row F. 72.
He was born on 4th November 1896, the son of William and Martha Aspinall of 24 Guest Street, Leigh, Lancashire.
His headstone bears the inscription "Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him O Lord R. I. P."
He joined the 7th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment on 21st August1916. On 21st July 1917 he was transferred to the Anson Battalion, 63rd Royal Naval Division and was killed during an attack on an enemy position on 25th May 1918.
Picture courtesy of Great nephew, Patrick Maloney
Captain
F. G. C. Ashmead-Bartlett
4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
13th November 1916, aged 33.
Plot B. 33.
F. G. C. Ashmead-Bartlett
4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
13th November 1916, aged 33.
Plot B. 33.
11/49 Serjeant
Frank Cox
11th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment.
27th June 1916, aged 25.
Row H. 65.
Son of Alfred and Mary Jane Cox, of "Rose Ville," East Acridge, Barton-on-Humber, Lincs.
His headstone bears the inscription "On The Resurrection Morning"
The raid in which this soldier was killed is described in Michael Bilton's book "Hull Pals".
Photo courtesy of his grandson Chris Cox.
Frank Cox
11th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment.
27th June 1916, aged 25.
Row H. 65.
Son of Alfred and Mary Jane Cox, of "Rose Ville," East Acridge, Barton-on-Humber, Lincs.
His headstone bears the inscription "On The Resurrection Morning"
The raid in which this soldier was killed is described in Michael Bilton's book "Hull Pals".
Photo courtesy of his grandson Chris Cox.
20/565 Private
James Henderson
20th (Tyneside Scottish) Bn., Northumberland Fusiliers
1st July 1916.
Row J. 28.
He was reported missing July 1st 1916 when serving in France, at the Battle of the Somme. My grandmother had 3 children, my mother aged 8, her sister aged 6 and brother aged 4. She received a letter from the war office dated 7th July 1917 saying as no further news had been forthcoming, he was officially presumed dead. His name is in the regiments records at the Crypt in Edinburgh Castle. I recently found details on the War Graves records that he had a grave at Knightsbridge Cemetery in Mesnil. My husband and I made a journey to Albert in 2006, 90th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, and found the beautiful cemetery and his named grave,J27. It was a very proud moment for me, his first relative to see it. His family moved to Hull, E. Yorks in approx 1920, I would love his name to be placed on your Roll of Honour.
Picture courtesy Barbara Pawson
James Henderson
20th (Tyneside Scottish) Bn., Northumberland Fusiliers
1st July 1916.
Row J. 28.
He was reported missing July 1st 1916 when serving in France, at the Battle of the Somme. My grandmother had 3 children, my mother aged 8, her sister aged 6 and brother aged 4. She received a letter from the war office dated 7th July 1917 saying as no further news had been forthcoming, he was officially presumed dead. His name is in the regiments records at the Crypt in Edinburgh Castle. I recently found details on the War Graves records that he had a grave at Knightsbridge Cemetery in Mesnil. My husband and I made a journey to Albert in 2006, 90th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, and found the beautiful cemetery and his named grave,J27. It was a very proud moment for me, his first relative to see it. His family moved to Hull, E. Yorks in approx 1920, I would love his name to be placed on your Roll of Honour.
Picture courtesy Barbara Pawson
Lieutenant
Frederick Courtney Mellor
1st Bn. Newfoundland Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 28.
Row B. 9.
Son of Thomas C. and Mary L. Mellor, of St Luke's Rectory, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada Native of Eastern Passage, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Your Life His Hid With Christ In God"
Frederick Courtney Mellor
1st Bn. Newfoundland Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 28.
Row B. 9.
Son of Thomas C. and Mary L. Mellor, of St Luke's Rectory, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada Native of Eastern Passage, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Your Life His Hid With Christ In God"
Image © Johan Pauwels. Click to Enlarge
13804 Private
Fred Palmer
"C" Coy. 9th Bn. Suffolk Regiment, attached to 71st Company, Machine Gun Corps
28th August 1916, aged 21.
Row D. 29.
Son of Fred and Georgina Palmer, of Icklingham, Mildenhall, Suffolk.
His headstone bears the inscription "At Rest God Bless Him"
Picture courtesy of nephew, Gerry Palmer
Fred Palmer
"C" Coy. 9th Bn. Suffolk Regiment, attached to 71st Company, Machine Gun Corps
28th August 1916, aged 21.
Row D. 29.
Son of Fred and Georgina Palmer, of Icklingham, Mildenhall, Suffolk.
His headstone bears the inscription "At Rest God Bless Him"
Picture courtesy of nephew, Gerry Palmer
Second Lieutenant
Robert Reid
9th Bn. attached to 1st Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers
1st July 1916, aged 26.
Row F. 53.
Son of John and Elizabeth Reid, of 5, Ferguslie Buildings, 77, Maxwellton Rd., Paisley.
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful Unto Death"
Robert Reid
9th Bn. attached to 1st Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers
1st July 1916, aged 26.
Row F. 53.
Son of John and Elizabeth Reid, of 5, Ferguslie Buildings, 77, Maxwellton Rd., Paisley.
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful Unto Death"
1392 Private
Thomas Seymour
1st Bn. Newfoundland Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 27.
Row H. 6.
Son of George and Lucy Seymour, of Gooseberry Island, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thou Art Gone But Not Forgotten Never Shall Thy Memory Fade"
Thomas Seymour
1st Bn. Newfoundland Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 27.
Row H. 6.
Son of George and Lucy Seymour, of Gooseberry Island, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thou Art Gone But Not Forgotten Never Shall Thy Memory Fade"
R/4529 Able Seaman
George Sydney Swingler
Hood Bn. Royal Naval Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
28th June 1918, aged 19.
Row E. 65.
Son of J. George and Alice Swingler, of 98, St. Saviour's Rd., Saltley, Birmingham. Native of Rushden, Northants.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away"
George Sydney Swingler
Hood Bn. Royal Naval Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
28th June 1918, aged 19.
Row E. 65.
Son of J. George and Alice Swingler, of 98, St. Saviour's Rd., Saltley, Birmingham. Native of Rushden, Northants.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away"
Second Lieutenant
John Croxton Walker
1st Bn. Cambridgeshire Regiment
3rd September 1916.
Plot A. 17.
John Croxton Walker
1st Bn. Cambridgeshire Regiment
3rd September 1916.
Plot A. 17.
7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers which had suffered severely near Mesnil during the Battle of the Ancre (5-7 May), returning from the front line. 9 May 1918. © IWM (Q 10952)
Gunners of the Royal Garrison Artillery preparing to unload the shells from the trailer and roll them up to the 15-inch howitzers. Englebelmer Wood, September 1916. © IWM (Q 4518)
