LA VILLE-AUX-BOIS BRITISH CEMETERY
Aisne
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.43076, Longitude: 3.86378
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
La Ville-aux-Bois British Cemetery lies south of Laon and north of the city of Reims.
La Ville-aux-Bois British Cemetery can be reached from the direction of Laon via the N44, Laon to Reims road. After about 18 kilometres from leaving the Laon ring road, the road goes through the village of Corbeny. After a further 4 kilometres, La Ville-aux-Bois British Cemetery is visible on the right side of this busy road. A CWGC sign gives an early indication several metres before the cemetery.
Alternatively, the cemetery can be reached from Junction 14 of the A26 motorway (Berry Au Bac). Take the D925 and continue for 3 kilometres and then join the N44 and follow above instructions, but noting that the cemetery approach will be from the opposite direction.
Historical Information
La-Ville-Aux-Bois-Les-Pontavert village was captured by the French, after severe fighting, in April 1917; and on the 27th May 1918, the 50th Division was driven from the high ground behind it, in the Battle of the Aisne. The 2nd Devons and the 5th Battery, 45th Brigade, R.F.A., won the Croix de Guerre for their devoted courage on this occasion, and a granite cross, erected by the Devonshire Regiment, stands on the main road near the place where the Battalion was annihilated. The village was completely destroyed.
The British Cemetery was made after the Armistice by the addition of isolated graves from a wide area and from the following cemeteries:-
PONTAVERT GERMAN CEMETERY
SISSONNE GERMAN CEMETERY
NOTRE DAME-DE-LIESSE GERMAN CEMETERY
PROUVAIS COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION
BOUVANCOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY
One further burial was made in 1920.
There are now 565 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-18 war commemorated here, of which 413 are unidentified. There is also 2 burials of the 1939-45 war, 1 being an airman of the United Kingdom and 1 being a French Foreign National. Special memorials are erected to four United Kingdom soldiers, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 18 others, buried in certain German Cemeteries, whose graves could not be found.
The cemetery covers an area of 1,700 square metres and is enclosed on three sides by a low rubble wall.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens & John Reginald Truelove
Total Burials: 567.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 152.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 413.
World War Two Identified Casualties: France 1, United Kingdom 1.
Images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
37317 Lance Corporal
Francis Lionel Banfield
2nd Bn. South Lancashire Regiment
28th May 1918
Plot I. E. 12.
Son of George Lionel and Annie Elizabeth Banfield, of 18, Burlington Rd., Redland, Bristol.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Sweet Is The Calm Of Paradise The Blest."
Francis Lionel Banfield
2nd Bn. South Lancashire Regiment
28th May 1918
Plot I. E. 12.
Son of George Lionel and Annie Elizabeth Banfield, of 18, Burlington Rd., Redland, Bristol.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Sweet Is The Calm Of Paradise The Blest."
403932 Flying Officer (Pilot)
James Robertson Grant Bathgate, D. F. C.
161 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal New Zealand Air Force
11th December 19143, aged 23.
Plot 3. B. 1A.
Son of George Thomas Bathgate and of Eleanor Isabella Bathgate (nee Macnee), of Outram, Otago, New Zealand; husband of Dorothea Valentia Bathgate.
James Robertson Grant Bathgate, D. F. C.
161 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Royal New Zealand Air Force
11th December 19143, aged 23.
Plot 3. B. 1A.
Son of George Thomas Bathgate and of Eleanor Isabella Bathgate (nee Macnee), of Outram, Otago, New Zealand; husband of Dorothea Valentia Bathgate.
Lieutenant Colonel
Christopher Galbraith Buckle, D. S. O., M. C.
2nd Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
27th May 1918, aged 30.
Plot II. A. 10.
Son of Maj. Gen. Christopher Reginald Buckle, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. (R.A.), and Mrs. Elizabeth B. Buckle, of "Beechwood," Iffley, Oxford; husband of R. E. Buckle, of Steelbacks, Overstrand, Cromer, Norfolk.
Christopher Galbraith Buckle, D. S. O., M. C.
2nd Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
27th May 1918, aged 30.
Plot II. A. 10.
Son of Maj. Gen. Christopher Reginald Buckle, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. (R.A.), and Mrs. Elizabeth B. Buckle, of "Beechwood," Iffley, Oxford; husband of R. E. Buckle, of Steelbacks, Overstrand, Cromer, Norfolk.
British and French troops with a Renault FT-17 tank in the Bois de Reims during the Battle of Tardenois, 24 July 1918. © IWM (Q 11120)
36837 Private
George William Chafer
1st/5th Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
27th May 1918, aged 28.
Plot I. E. 20.
Son of Mary Chafer, of 24, Finkle Lane, Barton-on-Humber, Lincs., and the late Henry Chafer.
George William Chafer
1st/5th Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
27th May 1918, aged 28.
Plot I. E. 20.
Son of Mary Chafer, of 24, Finkle Lane, Barton-on-Humber, Lincs., and the late Henry Chafer.
Captain
Herbert Norman Constantine, M. C.
4th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment
27th May 1918, aged 26.
Plot I. K. 4.
Son of Mr. J. and Mrs. M. L. Constantine, of Harlsey Hall, Northallerton, Yorks.
Herbert Norman Constantine, M. C.
4th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment
27th May 1918, aged 26.
Plot I. K. 4.
Son of Mr. J. and Mrs. M. L. Constantine, of Harlsey Hall, Northallerton, Yorks.
Major
Robert Dickson, D. C. M.
7th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
27th May 1918, aged 26.
Plot I. I. 7.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Dickson, of Blyth Bridge, Dolphinton, Peebleshire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Until The Day Break."
Robert Dickson, D. C. M.
7th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
27th May 1918, aged 26.
Plot I. I. 7.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Dickson, of Blyth Bridge, Dolphinton, Peebleshire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Until The Day Break."
Battle of Tardenois. Men of the 62nd Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (62nd Division) coming back with captured German Maxim 08/15 (Spandau) machine guns, and salvaged rifles. © IWM (Q 11102)
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
Captain
Basil Conquest Pascoe, M. C.
2nd Bn. Rifle Brigade attd. as Brigade Major, 25th Inf. Bde. H.Q
27th May 1918, aged 22.
Plot I. C. 8.
Basil Conquest Pascoe, M. C.
2nd Bn. Rifle Brigade attd. as Brigade Major, 25th Inf. Bde. H.Q
27th May 1918, aged 22.
Plot I. C. 8.
Second Lieutenant
John Barnett Slack
5th Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
27th May 1918, aged 26.
Pontavert German Cem. Mem. 18.
Son of Henry Slack and the late Sarah Ann Slack, of 90, Tunstall Rd., Biddulph, Congleton, Cheshire.
John Barnett Slack
5th Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
27th May 1918, aged 26.
Pontavert German Cem. Mem. 18.
Son of Henry Slack and the late Sarah Ann Slack, of 90, Tunstall Rd., Biddulph, Congleton, Cheshire.
