LE GRAND HASARD MILITARY CEMETERY
Morbecque
Nord
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.70629, Longitude: 2.51913
Picture used with the permission of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Location Information
Morebecque is a small village in the Department of the Nord, 3 kilometres south-west of Hazebrouck.
Leave the church in Morebecque and head north on the D916 towards Hazebrouck. After approximately 1 kilometre there is a Plant Nursery on the left hand side. Take the small road which goes through the nursery and Le Grand Hasard Military Cemetery will be found on the right hand side in amongst farm land.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this site is possible, but maybe by alternative entrance.
Historical Information
Le Grand Hasard Military Cemetery, begun by the 31st Division at the end of June 1918, was also used by the 40th Division. On its closure at the end of August the cemetery comprised Plots I and II, but after the Armistice Plots III and IV were added when scattered graves were brought into the cemetery from a wide area around Hazebrouck. The earliest of these graves dates from May 1915, but the majority were from the fighting of April 1918.
There are now 300 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery.
Two further plots of 138 burials were added to the cemetery during the Second World War. Among these later burials, all dating from May and June 1940, are special memorials to a number of casualties known to be buried within the cemetery whose graves could not be precisely located. 58 of the graves are unidentified.
Total Burials: 441.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 262, Australia 33, Germany 3. Total 298.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: 5.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 80.
World War Two Unidentified Casualties: 58.
The original cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker and George Hartley Goldsmith
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
3004 Lance Sergeant
George Forrest Anderson
1st Australian Pioneers
13th April 1918, aged 21.
Plot III. A. 5.
Native of Moreland, Victoria. Son of John Forrest Anderson and Jeannie Ellen Anderson, of 123, Prospect Hill Road, Canterbury, Victoria.
From Auburn, Victoria. A 21 year old picture theatre operator prior to enlisting on 20 July 1915, he embarked for overseas as a Private with the 7th Reinforcements of the 22nd Battalion from Melbourne on 26 November 1915 aboard HMAT Commonwealth. He was killed in action at the Second Battle of the Somme, France on 13 April 1918.
George Forrest Anderson
1st Australian Pioneers
13th April 1918, aged 21.
Plot III. A. 5.
Native of Moreland, Victoria. Son of John Forrest Anderson and Jeannie Ellen Anderson, of 123, Prospect Hill Road, Canterbury, Victoria.
From Auburn, Victoria. A 21 year old picture theatre operator prior to enlisting on 20 July 1915, he embarked for overseas as a Private with the 7th Reinforcements of the 22nd Battalion from Melbourne on 26 November 1915 aboard HMAT Commonwealth. He was killed in action at the Second Battle of the Somme, France on 13 April 1918.
6955 Private
Edgar Brooking
9th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
17th April 1918
Plot 4. D. 7.
Edgar Brooking
9th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
17th April 1918
Plot 4. D. 7.
913 Private
Victor James Roy Eliason (CWGC incorrectly list him as Victor James Ray)
1st Bn. Australian Machine Gun Corps
15th May 19018, aged 27.
Plot 3. B. 8.
Son of Oliver Matthew and Temena Eliason; husband of Martha Eliason of SHepperton, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "In Sad But Loving Memory Of My Dear Husband Mr. Eliason."
A labourer prior to enlisting on 18 August 1914, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Hororata (A20) on 19 October 1914. He landed at Gallipoli on 25 April and was wounded in the shoulder causing his evacuation for treatment in early May. He returned to Gallipoli on 15 August until again being wounded in action on 28 August 1915. After recovery in England, he arrived in France in June 1916 for service on the Western Front. Pte Eliason was transferred to the 2nd Machine Gun Company in May 1917 and to the 1st Machine Gun Battalion on 1 April 1918.
Victor James Roy Eliason (CWGC incorrectly list him as Victor James Ray)
1st Bn. Australian Machine Gun Corps
15th May 19018, aged 27.
Plot 3. B. 8.
Son of Oliver Matthew and Temena Eliason; husband of Martha Eliason of SHepperton, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "In Sad But Loving Memory Of My Dear Husband Mr. Eliason."
A labourer prior to enlisting on 18 August 1914, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Hororata (A20) on 19 October 1914. He landed at Gallipoli on 25 April and was wounded in the shoulder causing his evacuation for treatment in early May. He returned to Gallipoli on 15 August until again being wounded in action on 28 August 1915. After recovery in England, he arrived in France in June 1916 for service on the Western Front. Pte Eliason was transferred to the 2nd Machine Gun Company in May 1917 and to the 1st Machine Gun Battalion on 1 April 1918.
Lieutenant
Robert George Humphreys, M. M.
1st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
16th April 1918, aged 29.
Plot 4. F. 5.
Native of Wollongong, New South Wales. Son of George Bolton and Laura Humphreys, of "Lavadia," East Parade, Eastwood, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Rest In Peace Beloved One; Until We Meet Again."
Robert George Humphreys, M. M.
1st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
16th April 1918, aged 29.
Plot 4. F. 5.
Native of Wollongong, New South Wales. Son of George Bolton and Laura Humphreys, of "Lavadia," East Parade, Eastwood, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Rest In Peace Beloved One; Until We Meet Again."
168846 Gunner
William Henry Jempson
"D" Bty. 152nd Bde. Royal Field Artillery
13th April 1918, aged 22.
Plot 3. B. 10.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Jempson, of Hastings.
His headstone bears the inscription; "While Friendship Says "Stay" But Duty Is The Word "I Must Obey."
William Henry Jempson
"D" Bty. 152nd Bde. Royal Field Artillery
13th April 1918, aged 22.
Plot 3. B. 10.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Jempson, of Hastings.
His headstone bears the inscription; "While Friendship Says "Stay" But Duty Is The Word "I Must Obey."
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S/8 Gunner
Harold Alexander Triggs 1st Siege Bty. Australian Field Artillery 5th July 1918, aged 21. Plot II. A. 2. Son of John James and Florence Eliza Triggs, of Ipswich Rd., Brisbane, Queensland. A camouflaged 8 inch No. 2 gun of the 1st Australian Siege Battery, at Birr Cross Roads. S/8 Gunner Harold Alexander Triggs (later killed in action on 5 July 1918, near Lamotte in Nieppe Forest and buried at Le Grand Hasard Military Cemetery, Morbecque) is standing by, awaiting the order to fire, during the ranging of the battery on 26 September 1917, prior to the attack carried out on Polygon Wood on 28 September 1917. The dial sight has been removed in order to save damage on shock of discharge. |
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Shot at Dawn
15437 Private, Charles William Knight, 10th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers, executed for murder 15th November 1915, aged 28. Son of Mrs. Eliza Knight, of 25, Filton Street, Fulham, London. Plot 3. B. 9.
On 3 Nov 1915, at about 2015, he returned to his billet in a barn, staggering & apparently drunk. Knight soon began to parry at the wall with his rifle, & thereafter began shooting wildly. Despite efforts to disarm him, Knight succeeded in shooting dead Pte Edwards, &, with 4 shots, wounding Pte Poffley. The CSM charged the barn & managed to overpower Knight. There were found 25 empty cartridge cases on the straw where Knight had been standing, 5 rounds in the magazine (the rifle was red-hot to the touch), & 125 live rounds nearby.
Several witnesses thought Knight had been drunk, though the Major who arrested him did not agree. The doctor — who saw Knight semi-conscious in the guard-room at 2245 — said that Knight’s mental condition, due to drink, was not normal, though Knight was quite sensible the next morning.
At trial —where Knight acted without a prisoner’s friend — he made a statement saying that he had earlier felt strange, with a rattling noise in his head; that he had returned to the barn, ate & tried to sleep; & that he had gone for a walk, met friends & had a few drinks. When his head got worse, he returned to the billet & lay down. After about 10-15 minutes, he saw shadows on the wall, which he attacked with something, & remembered almost nothing till the next morning.
After the finding against him, on the basis that he had failed to prove that he was not responsible for his actions, his conduct sheet revealed 5 charges of drunkenness in his 14 months of service.
His CO said that Knight was ‘of apparently very low origin, though of considerable personality….who had great influence amongst the men, & on more than one occasion had been recommended to me for promotion’. Knight was ‘a man addicted to drink & when under its influence appeared to lose control of his actions’.
The formation commanders all took the view that execution was merited for a murder in such circumstances. (Corns, pp.361-364) Knight’s victim is buried in Eecke Churchyard, Nord, France.
15437 Private, Charles William Knight, 10th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers, executed for murder 15th November 1915, aged 28. Son of Mrs. Eliza Knight, of 25, Filton Street, Fulham, London. Plot 3. B. 9.
On 3 Nov 1915, at about 2015, he returned to his billet in a barn, staggering & apparently drunk. Knight soon began to parry at the wall with his rifle, & thereafter began shooting wildly. Despite efforts to disarm him, Knight succeeded in shooting dead Pte Edwards, &, with 4 shots, wounding Pte Poffley. The CSM charged the barn & managed to overpower Knight. There were found 25 empty cartridge cases on the straw where Knight had been standing, 5 rounds in the magazine (the rifle was red-hot to the touch), & 125 live rounds nearby.
Several witnesses thought Knight had been drunk, though the Major who arrested him did not agree. The doctor — who saw Knight semi-conscious in the guard-room at 2245 — said that Knight’s mental condition, due to drink, was not normal, though Knight was quite sensible the next morning.
At trial —where Knight acted without a prisoner’s friend — he made a statement saying that he had earlier felt strange, with a rattling noise in his head; that he had returned to the barn, ate & tried to sleep; & that he had gone for a walk, met friends & had a few drinks. When his head got worse, he returned to the billet & lay down. After about 10-15 minutes, he saw shadows on the wall, which he attacked with something, & remembered almost nothing till the next morning.
After the finding against him, on the basis that he had failed to prove that he was not responsible for his actions, his conduct sheet revealed 5 charges of drunkenness in his 14 months of service.
His CO said that Knight was ‘of apparently very low origin, though of considerable personality….who had great influence amongst the men, & on more than one occasion had been recommended to me for promotion’. Knight was ‘a man addicted to drink & when under its influence appeared to lose control of his actions’.
The formation commanders all took the view that execution was merited for a murder in such circumstances. (Corns, pp.361-364) Knight’s victim is buried in Eecke Churchyard, Nord, France.
Picture © Geerhard Joos
31st August 1917, Australian troops watching British soldiers manning an anti-aircraft gun at Morbecque. © IWM (E(AUS) 757)
Battle of Hazebrouck. An artillery subaltern preparing motorcycle and side car in which he fixed a Lewis gun and covered the withdrawal of his artillery guns. Near Merris, 12 April 1918. © IWM (Q 8691)
