LE QUESNOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Nord
France
Location Information
Le Quesnoy is an old town in the Department of the Nord, 15 kilometres south-east of Valenciennes on the road to Le Cateau and Avesnes. The Extension adjoins that part of the Communal Cemetery where British graves are placed.
Historical Information
Le Quesnoy was captured by the New Zealand Division, without bombardment, on the 4th November, 1918; and a sculptured panel let into the town wall, linked with the Place d'Armes by a memorial avenue, recalls this exploit.
The Cemetery Extension adjoins that part of the Communal Cemetery where the British graves are placed. It was begun by the New Zealand Division after the capture of the town, and used later by the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. Twenty-four graves were brought in from the German Extension.
There are now over 100, 1914-18 and a small number of 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 10 from the 1914-18 War are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 19 soldiers from the United Kingdom who died as Prisoners of War, of whom ten are buried here and nine at VALENCIENNES COMMUNAL CEMETERY, none of whom could be individually identified, hence all are commemorated at both sites. Another Special Memorial is erected to one United Kingdom soldier, buried in MECQUIGNIES GERMAN CEMETERY, whose grave could not be found.
The Extension covers an area of 560 square metres.
Casualty Details: UK 87, New Zealand 50, Total Burials: 137
Le Quesnoy is an old town in the Department of the Nord, 15 kilometres south-east of Valenciennes on the road to Le Cateau and Avesnes. The Extension adjoins that part of the Communal Cemetery where British graves are placed.
Historical Information
Le Quesnoy was captured by the New Zealand Division, without bombardment, on the 4th November, 1918; and a sculptured panel let into the town wall, linked with the Place d'Armes by a memorial avenue, recalls this exploit.
The Cemetery Extension adjoins that part of the Communal Cemetery where the British graves are placed. It was begun by the New Zealand Division after the capture of the town, and used later by the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. Twenty-four graves were brought in from the German Extension.
There are now over 100, 1914-18 and a small number of 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 10 from the 1914-18 War are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 19 soldiers from the United Kingdom who died as Prisoners of War, of whom ten are buried here and nine at VALENCIENNES COMMUNAL CEMETERY, none of whom could be individually identified, hence all are commemorated at both sites. Another Special Memorial is erected to one United Kingdom soldier, buried in MECQUIGNIES GERMAN CEMETERY, whose grave could not be found.
The Extension covers an area of 560 square metres.
Casualty Details: UK 87, New Zealand 50, Total Burials: 137
24/345 Second Lieutenant
George Ronald Bates, D. C. M.
2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
4th November 1918, aged 21.
Plot I. A. 22.
Son of John Holman Bates and Annie Amelia Bates, of 27, Brighton St., Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand. Also served at Samoa.
George Ronald Bates, D. C. M.
2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
4th November 1918, aged 21.
Plot I. A. 22.
Son of John Holman Bates and Annie Amelia Bates, of 27, Brighton St., Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand. Also served at Samoa.
23070 Captain
Arthur Reginald Blennerhassett, Mentioned in Despatches
Adjt. 1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
4th November 1918, aged 28.
Plot I. B. 22.
Son of Annie Blennerhassett, of 23, River Bank, Wanganui, New Zealand, and the late Thomas William Blennerhassett. Born at Nelson.
Arthur Reginald Blennerhassett, Mentioned in Despatches
Adjt. 1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
4th November 1918, aged 28.
Plot I. B. 22.
Son of Annie Blennerhassett, of 23, River Bank, Wanganui, New Zealand, and the late Thomas William Blennerhassett. Born at Nelson.
46984 Private
Robert Alexander Ferris
1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
4th November 1918.
Plot I. B. 19.
Son of Mrs. J. Ferris, of 37, Rintoul St., Wellington, New Zealand.
Robert Alexander Ferris
1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
4th November 1918.
Plot I. B. 19.
Son of Mrs. J. Ferris, of 37, Rintoul St., Wellington, New Zealand.
1/557 Captain
Sydney Allan Murrell
2nd Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
4th November 1918, aged 26.
Plot I. B. 23.
Son of John M. and Lilian M. Murrell, of 85, Rongatai Terrace, Rongatai, Wellington, New Zealand. Also served at Samoa. Born at Hobart, Tasmania.
Sydney Allan Murrell
2nd Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
4th November 1918, aged 26.
Plot I. B. 23.
Son of John M. and Lilian M. Murrell, of 85, Rongatai Terrace, Rongatai, Wellington, New Zealand. Also served at Samoa. Born at Hobart, Tasmania.
12/3453 Second Lieutenant
Thomas Handley Rae
"B" Coy. 2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
4th November 1918, aged 26.
Plot I. A. 23.
Son of Thos. and Anne Rae, of Beresford St., Pukekohe, New Zealand. Also served in Egypt with New Zealand Engineers. Born at Herekin.
Thomas Handley Rae
"B" Coy. 2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
4th November 1918, aged 26.
Plot I. A. 23.
Son of Thos. and Anne Rae, of Beresford St., Pukekohe, New Zealand. Also served in Egypt with New Zealand Engineers. Born at Herekin.
72427 Rifleman
Andrew James Sinclair
2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
4th November 1918, aged 29.
Plot I. A. 7.
Son of John and Elizabeth Sinclair, of Mulberry St., Kaikorai Valley, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Andrew James Sinclair
2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
4th November 1918, aged 29.
Plot I. A. 7.
Son of John and Elizabeth Sinclair, of Mulberry St., Kaikorai Valley, Dunedin, New Zealand.
c.1918; The walls of Le Quesnoy, which the New Zealanders had to scale when capturing the town, one of their most notable feats of the war.
Troops of No. 1 Platoon, A Company, 10th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI) breakfasting on their way to the line. Near Le Quesnoy, 27 October 1918. © IWM (Q 7154)
