LONDON CEMETERY
Neuville-Vitasse
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.25405, Longitude: 2.80612
Location Information
Neuville-Vitasse is a village in the department of the Pas-de-Calais, 5 kilometres south-east of Arras on the D5. London Cemetery stands on the west side of the road to Arras in a shallow valley.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible, but may be by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
Neuville-Vitasse was attacked by the 56th (London) Division on 7 April 1917 and captured by the same Division on 9 April. The village was almost entirely lost at the end of March 1918 but regained at the end of the following August. It was later "adopted" by the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington.
The London Cemetery was made by the 56th Division in April 1917 and greatly extended after the Armistice when graves were brought in from other burial grounds and from the battlefields between Arras, Vis-en-Artois and Croisilles.
London Cemetery contains 748 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 318 of the burials are unidentified and on a screen wall are panels bearing the names of casualties buried in the following four cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire:-
WANCOURT ROAD CEMETERY No.2, just East of NEUVILLE-VITASSE; NEUVILLE0-VITASSE MILL CEMETERY, close to a German strong point on the road to Mercatel; BEAURAINS ROAD CEMETERY No.2, just North-West of NEUVILLE-VITASSE; BEAURAINS GERMAN CEMETERY; and ERCHIN GERMAN CEMETERY (Nord).
Total Burials: 748.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 415, Canada 13, Australia 2. Total 430.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 209. Canada 10, Australia 9, Unknown 90. Total 318.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and George Hartley Goldsmith
Shot at Dawn
Private Samuel H. Cunnington, 2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment, executed for desertion 19th May 1917, aged 20. Plot 1. C. 1. Son of Mrs. Mary Ann Cunnington, of 25, Pope Street, Birmingham. His brother, David John also fell and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. In June 1916, he was sentenced to 28 days’ detention for desertion, and 6 months later went absent again as his battalion moved up for operations on the Somme. Cunnington seems to have been at large till the end of the year, but was tried only in late April 1917 — on 2 charges of desertion, perhaps because another escape precluded an earlier trial. His final court martial was notable for the appearance as a prosecution witness of a French woman, near whose house the accused had lodged — until she finally became suspicious and reported him to the authorities. (Putkowski, pp.173-174)
Neuville-Vitasse is a village in the department of the Pas-de-Calais, 5 kilometres south-east of Arras on the D5. London Cemetery stands on the west side of the road to Arras in a shallow valley.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible, but may be by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
Neuville-Vitasse was attacked by the 56th (London) Division on 7 April 1917 and captured by the same Division on 9 April. The village was almost entirely lost at the end of March 1918 but regained at the end of the following August. It was later "adopted" by the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington.
The London Cemetery was made by the 56th Division in April 1917 and greatly extended after the Armistice when graves were brought in from other burial grounds and from the battlefields between Arras, Vis-en-Artois and Croisilles.
London Cemetery contains 748 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 318 of the burials are unidentified and on a screen wall are panels bearing the names of casualties buried in the following four cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire:-
WANCOURT ROAD CEMETERY No.2, just East of NEUVILLE-VITASSE; NEUVILLE0-VITASSE MILL CEMETERY, close to a German strong point on the road to Mercatel; BEAURAINS ROAD CEMETERY No.2, just North-West of NEUVILLE-VITASSE; BEAURAINS GERMAN CEMETERY; and ERCHIN GERMAN CEMETERY (Nord).
Total Burials: 748.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 415, Canada 13, Australia 2. Total 430.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 209. Canada 10, Australia 9, Unknown 90. Total 318.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and George Hartley Goldsmith
Shot at Dawn
Private Samuel H. Cunnington, 2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment, executed for desertion 19th May 1917, aged 20. Plot 1. C. 1. Son of Mrs. Mary Ann Cunnington, of 25, Pope Street, Birmingham. His brother, David John also fell and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. In June 1916, he was sentenced to 28 days’ detention for desertion, and 6 months later went absent again as his battalion moved up for operations on the Somme. Cunnington seems to have been at large till the end of the year, but was tried only in late April 1917 — on 2 charges of desertion, perhaps because another escape precluded an earlier trial. His final court martial was notable for the appearance as a prosecution witness of a French woman, near whose house the accused had lodged — until she finally became suspicious and reported him to the authorities. (Putkowski, pp.173-174)
Cemetery images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
Second Lieutenant
Cyril Horace Askew
1st/8th Bn. Middlesex Regiment
9th April 1917.
Wancourt Road Cem. No. 2 Mem., Panel 2.
Cyril Horace Askew
1st/8th Bn. Middlesex Regiment
9th April 1917.
Wancourt Road Cem. No. 2 Mem., Panel 2.
Second Lieutenant
Rowland Edward Ernest Chaplin
7th Field Coy. Royal Engineers
22nd April 1917, aged 21.
Plot III. B. 1.
Son of Ernest M. and Gertrude Alys Chaplin, of 5, Upper Park Rd., Hampstead, London.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Of Winchester And Clare Coll. Camb. Manners Makyth Man."
Rowland Edward Ernest Chaplin
7th Field Coy. Royal Engineers
22nd April 1917, aged 21.
Plot III. B. 1.
Son of Ernest M. and Gertrude Alys Chaplin, of 5, Upper Park Rd., Hampstead, London.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Of Winchester And Clare Coll. Camb. Manners Makyth Man."
Second Lieutenant
Sydney Bailey Hurst
5th Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
26th August 1918, aged 20.
Plot III. F. 15.
Son of Walter and Sarah Ann Hurst, of 20, Moorfield Grove, Heaton Moor, Stockport.
Sydney Bailey Hurst
5th Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers
26th August 1918, aged 20.
Plot III. F. 15.
Son of Walter and Sarah Ann Hurst, of 20, Moorfield Grove, Heaton Moor, Stockport.
66255 Sergeant
Robert Ewart Gauldie Kydd
24th Bn. Canadian Infantry
11th April 1918, aged 37.
Plot II. B. 3.
Son of James and Jean Laken Guild Kydd, of Letham Mill, St. Vigeans, Arbroath, Scotland. Also served for 8 years in The Scots Guards.
Robert Ewart Gauldie Kydd
24th Bn. Canadian Infantry
11th April 1918, aged 37.
Plot II. B. 3.
Son of James and Jean Laken Guild Kydd, of Letham Mill, St. Vigeans, Arbroath, Scotland. Also served for 8 years in The Scots Guards.
5474 Private
Albert Richard Kyle
22nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd May 1917, aged 38.
Plot II. L. 15.
Son of James William Kyle and Ellen Kyle; husband of Isabella M. Kyle, of Frances St., Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia. Native of Woods Point, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription; "For Ever With The Lord, A Noble Sacrifice."
Albert Richard Kyle
22nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd May 1917, aged 38.
Plot II. L. 15.
Son of James William Kyle and Ellen Kyle; husband of Isabella M. Kyle, of Frances St., Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia. Native of Woods Point, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription; "For Ever With The Lord, A Noble Sacrifice."
R/11731 Rifleman
Harry Lee
7th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
11th May 1917.
Wancourt Road Cem. No. 2 Mem. Panel 2.
Harry Lee
7th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
11th May 1917.
Wancourt Road Cem. No. 2 Mem. Panel 2.
472578 Rifleman
Charles Frederick Blizard Marchant
12th Bn. London Regiment (The Rangers)
9th April 1917, aged 25.
Plot I. A. 34.
Son of Frederick William B. and Emily A. Blizard Marchant, of 386, Grove Green Rd., Leytonstone, London.
His headstone bears the inscription; "A New Commandment I Give Unto You That Ye Love One Another." (Biblical; John 13:34)
Charles Frederick Blizard Marchant
12th Bn. London Regiment (The Rangers)
9th April 1917, aged 25.
Plot I. A. 34.
Son of Frederick William B. and Emily A. Blizard Marchant, of 386, Grove Green Rd., Leytonstone, London.
His headstone bears the inscription; "A New Commandment I Give Unto You That Ye Love One Another." (Biblical; John 13:34)
Second Lieutenant
James Alexander Masson
38th Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
8th May 1917, aged 25.
Neuville-Vitasse Mill Cem. Mem., Panel 3.
Son of James and Elizabeth Masson, of 83, Charlotte St., Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "The Morning Shall Awaken."
James Alexander Masson
38th Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
8th May 1917, aged 25.
Neuville-Vitasse Mill Cem. Mem., Panel 3.
Son of James and Elizabeth Masson, of 83, Charlotte St., Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "The Morning Shall Awaken."
30915 Private
Frederick William Pestell
7th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
28th April 1917.
Wancourt Road Cem. No. 2 Mem. Panel 2.
Frederick William Pestell
7th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
28th April 1917.
Wancourt Road Cem. No. 2 Mem. Panel 2.
Field kitchens and British troops resting on the road between Neuville and Wancourt, 29 April 1917. © IWM (Q 5269)
Aerial reconnaissance photograph taken in the Neuville Vitasse area, and map showing precise area covered by the photograph. © IWM (HU 53508)
