LE QUESNOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Nord
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.25528, Longitude: 3.63573
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.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access with some difficulty.
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 Communal Cemetery was used and extended by the Germans during their long occupation of the town; but almost all the German graves have been removed to Frasnoy German Cemetery.
There are 66, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. All but two of whom were buried by the enemy.
Total Burials: 66.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 61, Australia 2, Germany 2, Russia 1. Total 66.
Images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
241741 Private
Douglas Bissett
7th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
14th April 1918, aged 27.
Plot III. A. 3.
Son of Joseph and Elspet Massie Bisset.
His headstone bears the inscription "Rest In Peace"
Douglas Bissett
7th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
14th April 1918, aged 27.
Plot III. A. 3.
Son of Joseph and Elspet Massie Bisset.
His headstone bears the inscription "Rest In Peace"
Lieutenant
Allan Torrance Doig, M. C.
17th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
27th June 1918, aged 21.
Plot I. A. 6.
Son of Agnes Eadie Doig, of "Cooinor," Turramurra, New South Wales, and the late Alexander Evans Doig. Born at Sydney, New South Wales.
Died from heart failure resulting from wounds to pelvis, buttock and lower arm whilst a prisoner at Le Quesnoy.
Taken prisoner at Morlancourt on 23rd May 1918, an officer from a different battalion wrote to Lieutenant Doig's sister regarding the incident two days later;
"Personally I don't think he is dead, I found this out last night. Allan said he was going out to have a look at the wire, and took a man out with him. Apparently, he saw to the wire and then crawled out further. They were seen by the enemy and fired at by a machine gun. Bullets came close and this man asked Allan if he were hit, and he answered him. More bullets came along and the man came back and reported. Good men were sent out with a stretcher, and although they got to the spot where Allan was last seen, they could not find him, but tracks were seen going in the enemy's direction. It is thought that he was taken into the enemies lines. The only thing to be assumed is that he is wounded and taken prisoner. Had he been dead they would have left him there. Why he went so far is not known. The 17th Bn., had to get a prisoner and it is thought that Allan was trying to get one, so as to save a number of men running risks in a raid."
On 11th June it was confirmed that Allan had been taken prisoner and was being held at Stammlager Limburg an der Lahn in Hesse, Germany, however, a further record shows that Allan died at the German Field Hospital at Le Quesnoy and that he was buried by the German's in the local communal cemetery.
Allan Torrance Doig, M. C.
17th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
27th June 1918, aged 21.
Plot I. A. 6.
Son of Agnes Eadie Doig, of "Cooinor," Turramurra, New South Wales, and the late Alexander Evans Doig. Born at Sydney, New South Wales.
Died from heart failure resulting from wounds to pelvis, buttock and lower arm whilst a prisoner at Le Quesnoy.
Taken prisoner at Morlancourt on 23rd May 1918, an officer from a different battalion wrote to Lieutenant Doig's sister regarding the incident two days later;
"Personally I don't think he is dead, I found this out last night. Allan said he was going out to have a look at the wire, and took a man out with him. Apparently, he saw to the wire and then crawled out further. They were seen by the enemy and fired at by a machine gun. Bullets came close and this man asked Allan if he were hit, and he answered him. More bullets came along and the man came back and reported. Good men were sent out with a stretcher, and although they got to the spot where Allan was last seen, they could not find him, but tracks were seen going in the enemy's direction. It is thought that he was taken into the enemies lines. The only thing to be assumed is that he is wounded and taken prisoner. Had he been dead they would have left him there. Why he went so far is not known. The 17th Bn., had to get a prisoner and it is thought that Allan was trying to get one, so as to save a number of men running risks in a raid."
On 11th June it was confirmed that Allan had been taken prisoner and was being held at Stammlager Limburg an der Lahn in Hesse, Germany, however, a further record shows that Allan died at the German Field Hospital at Le Quesnoy and that he was buried by the German's in the local communal cemetery.
15095 Private
Eric William Dunstan
"A" Company, 2nd/5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
9th September 1918, aged 25.
Plot I. A. 2.
Son of William Edward and Fanny Dunstan, of Castle Hill, Mickleover, Derby. Enlisted Sept., 1914.
His headstone bears the inscription "God Moves In A Mysterious Way. Father, Mother And Sister Cora"
Eric William Dunstan
"A" Company, 2nd/5th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
9th September 1918, aged 25.
Plot I. A. 2.
Son of William Edward and Fanny Dunstan, of Castle Hill, Mickleover, Derby. Enlisted Sept., 1914.
His headstone bears the inscription "God Moves In A Mysterious Way. Father, Mother And Sister Cora"
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)
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.
7466 Private
Edward Gilbert
1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
18th October 1914, aged 26.
Plot III. D. 4.
Son of Joseph Gilbert, of Swallowfield; husband of E. C. Gilbert, of Riseley Banks, Swallowfield, Reading.
His headstone bears the inscription "Gone And Not Forgotten, Greatly Missed"
By the time of the 1911 census Edward was serving with the Royal Berkshire Regiment in India. He married Elizabeth Fossett on the 5th April 1913 and they had two children, James and Violet. Violet was born just before Edward was killed in action on the 18th October 1914.
Son of Joseph Gilbert, of The Sun Inn, Swallowfield.
Husband of Elizabeth Caroline Gilbert (b.3-3-1892), of Riseley Banks, Swallowfield, Reading.
On the 26th.August 1914, an enquiry was by made by the Red Cross as to whether Edward was Prisoner of War of the Germans but he was simply noted as missing.
Edward was also Listed as "Missing" on the Casualty list issued by the War Office under dates September 11 and 14.
It was later discovered that The Marie had a record of Edward dying of Wounds received in September 1914 at L'Hospital, Nr.Thiers, Le Quesnoy on the 18-10-1914 and he was buried as 'An Unkown Englander' by the Germans in a coffin in a marked grave (155) with a cross.
On the 21-7-1920, Edward was exhumed and later reburied in Plot 3, Row D, Grave 3 of Le Quesnoy Communal Cemetery.
Edward Gilbert
1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
18th October 1914, aged 26.
Plot III. D. 4.
Son of Joseph Gilbert, of Swallowfield; husband of E. C. Gilbert, of Riseley Banks, Swallowfield, Reading.
His headstone bears the inscription "Gone And Not Forgotten, Greatly Missed"
By the time of the 1911 census Edward was serving with the Royal Berkshire Regiment in India. He married Elizabeth Fossett on the 5th April 1913 and they had two children, James and Violet. Violet was born just before Edward was killed in action on the 18th October 1914.
Son of Joseph Gilbert, of The Sun Inn, Swallowfield.
Husband of Elizabeth Caroline Gilbert (b.3-3-1892), of Riseley Banks, Swallowfield, Reading.
On the 26th.August 1914, an enquiry was by made by the Red Cross as to whether Edward was Prisoner of War of the Germans but he was simply noted as missing.
Edward was also Listed as "Missing" on the Casualty list issued by the War Office under dates September 11 and 14.
It was later discovered that The Marie had a record of Edward dying of Wounds received in September 1914 at L'Hospital, Nr.Thiers, Le Quesnoy on the 18-10-1914 and he was buried as 'An Unkown Englander' by the Germans in a coffin in a marked grave (155) with a cross.
On the 21-7-1920, Edward was exhumed and later reburied in Plot 3, Row D, Grave 3 of Le Quesnoy Communal Cemetery.
3402 Private
Walter Hoskins
48th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
23rd April 1918, aged 38.
Plot III. B. 2.
Son of Jeremiah and Jane Hoskins; husband of Louisa Alice Hoskins, of Glen Osmond, South Australia. Born in England.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Ever Loving Memory Of Walter, Dearly Loved Husband Of L. A. Hoskins"
Walter Hoskins
48th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
23rd April 1918, aged 38.
Plot III. B. 2.
Son of Jeremiah and Jane Hoskins; husband of Louisa Alice Hoskins, of Glen Osmond, South Australia. Born in England.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Ever Loving Memory Of Walter, Dearly Loved Husband Of L. A. Hoskins"
291258 Private
John Williams
7th Bn. Suffolk Regiment
9th August 1918.
Plot II. D. 4.
John Williams
7th Bn. Suffolk Regiment
9th August 1918.
Plot II. D. 4.
