LONSDALE CEMETERY
Authuille
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.04003, Longitude: 2.68246
Location Information
Authuille is a village 5 kilometres north of the town of Albert on the D151 road to Grandcourt. The Cemetery (signposted in the centre of Authille) is 1 kilometre east of the village. Access to the cemetery, 500 metres from the road, is by a grass pathway (unsuitable for cars).
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this cemetery is possible, but may be by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
On 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the 32nd Division, which included the 1st Dorsets and the 11th (Lonsdale) Battalion of the Border Regt attacked the German line at this point and stormed the Leipzig Salient, but were compelled to retire later in the day. In the spring of 1917, after the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, V Corps cleared these battlefields and made a number of new cemeteries, including Lonsdale No.1 and No.2.
Lonsdale Cemetery No.1 (the present Lonsdale Cemetery) contained originally 96 graves (now in Plot I), the great majority of which were those of officers and men of the 1st Dorsets and the 11th Borders. It was enlarged after the Armistice when graves, almost all of 1916, were brought in from the surrounding battlefields and from other small burial grounds, including:-
LONSDALE CEMETERY No.2, which was about 500 metres further East. It contained the graves of 38 soldiers from the United Kingdom (31 of whom belonged to the 11th Borders) and two German soldiers.
NAB ROAD CEMETERY, Ovillers-la-Boisselle, which was on the road running up Nab Valley, about 900 metres East of Lonsdale Cemetery. It contained the graves of 27 soldiers from the United Kingdom, who fell in July, September and October 1916.
PAISLEY AVENUE and PAISLEY HILLSIDE CEMETERIES, which were on the South side of Thiepval Wood. They contained the graves of 284 soldiers and Marines from the United Kingdom (mainly of the 49th (West Riding) Division), who fell in July 1916 - February 1917, and two German soldiers.
Lonsdale Cemetery now contains 1,542 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 816 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 22 casualties known or believed to be buried among them.
Total Burials: 1,542.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 726. Total 726.
Unidentified Casualties: 816.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker and Arthur James Scott Hutton
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15888 Serjeant, James Yuill Turnbull, V. C.
17th Bn. Highland Light Infantry
killed in action on 1st July 1916 aged 32. Plot IV. G. 9.
Son of James and Elizabeth Turnbull of Glasgow.
Citation:
An extract from "The London Gazette," No. 29836, dated 24th Nov., 1916, records the following:-"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty, when, having with his party captured a post apparently of great importance to the enemy, he was subjected to severe counter-attacks, which were continuous throughout the whole day. Although his party was wiped out and replaced several times during the day, Serjeant Turnbull never wavered in his determination to hold the post, the loss of which would have been very serious. Almost, single-handed, he maintained his position, and displayed the highest degree of valour and skill in the performance of his duties. Later in the day this very gallant soldier was killed whilst bombing a counter-attack from the parados of our trench."
Image © Johan Pauwels
Captain
Colin Selwyn Brown
11th Bn. Border Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 26.
Plot II. F. 17.
Son of Colin and Adela J. Brown, of Old Meadow, South Zeal, Okehampton, Devon.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori"
Colin Selwyn Brown
11th Bn. Border Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 26.
Plot II. F. 17.
Son of Colin and Adela J. Brown, of Old Meadow, South Zeal, Okehampton, Devon.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori"
2342 Serjeant
Leonard Clarkson
1st/6th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
26th July 1916, aged 19.
Plot IX. C. 5.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Clarkson, of Kearby, Wetherby, Yorks.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Answered His Country's Call."
Leonard Clarkson
1st/6th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
26th July 1916, aged 19.
Plot IX. C. 5.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Clarkson, of Kearby, Wetherby, Yorks.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Answered His Country's Call."
Captain
H.J.L. Harris
16th Bn. attd. 14th Bn. Hampshire Regiment
6th November 1916.
Plot X. A. 9.
H.J.L. Harris
16th Bn. attd. 14th Bn. Hampshire Regiment
6th November 1916.
Plot X. A. 9.
Captain
Geoffrey Yates Heald
15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 20.
Plot V. E. 1.
Son of William and Sarah A. Heald, of Manchester.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Farewell Loved Boy, Sleep On And Rest; Your Warfare Here Is O'er." (Amended from "Soldier, Rest! Thy Warfare o’er," by Sir Walter Scott.)
Geoffrey Yates Heald
15th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 20.
Plot V. E. 1.
Son of William and Sarah A. Heald, of Manchester.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Farewell Loved Boy, Sleep On And Rest; Your Warfare Here Is O'er." (Amended from "Soldier, Rest! Thy Warfare o’er," by Sir Walter Scott.)
6/4389 Private
Willie Hewitt
1st/6th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
19th September 1916, aged 23.
Plot VI. W. 8.
Son of Jonas and Mary Hewitt, of 19, Blenheim Terrace, Leeds. Native of Cowling, Keighley, Yorks.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Ever Remembered."
Willie Hewitt
1st/6th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
19th September 1916, aged 23.
Plot VI. W. 8.
Son of Jonas and Mary Hewitt, of 19, Blenheim Terrace, Leeds. Native of Cowling, Keighley, Yorks.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Ever Remembered."
13300 Serjeant
William Stirling Hunter, M. M.
11th Bn. Border Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 36.
Plot IV. X. 3.
Son of George Hunter, of 42, George St., Peebles.
William Stirling Hunter, M. M.
11th Bn. Border Regiment
1st July 1916, aged 36.
Plot IV. X. 3.
Son of George Hunter, of 42, George St., Peebles.
13654 Serjeant
Joseph McPheat Isles
11th Bn. Border Regiment
18th November 1916, aged 25.
Plot X. J. 10.
Picture courtesy of Ron Isles
Joseph McPheat Isles
11th Bn. Border Regiment
18th November 1916, aged 25.
Plot X. J. 10.
Picture courtesy of Ron Isles
Lieutenant
James Tait Johnstone
6th Bn. Border Regiment
28th September 1916, aged 27.
Plot X. G. 2.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Tait Johnstone, of 1, Sylvan Place, Edinburgh.
His headstone bears the inscription; "In His Soul The Light Of Duty Shone Life Or Death He Left To God Alone."
James Tait Johnstone
6th Bn. Border Regiment
28th September 1916, aged 27.
Plot X. G. 2.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Tait Johnstone, of 1, Sylvan Place, Edinburgh.
His headstone bears the inscription; "In His Soul The Light Of Duty Shone Life Or Death He Left To God Alone."
15752 Lance Corporal
James MacIntyre
"B" Coy. 17th Bn. Highland Light Infantry
1st July 1916.
Plot IV. B. 7.
Son of James and Jane Macintyre, of 290, Paisley Rd. West, Glasgow.
His headstone bears the inscription; "I Shall Come Home When The Ebb Tide Flows."
James MacIntyre
"B" Coy. 17th Bn. Highland Light Infantry
1st July 1916.
Plot IV. B. 7.
Son of James and Jane Macintyre, of 290, Paisley Rd. West, Glasgow.
His headstone bears the inscription; "I Shall Come Home When The Ebb Tide Flows."
G/3364 Private
Ernest Richard Odell
"B" Coy. 12th Bn. Middlesex Regiment
26th September 1916, aged 26.
Plot VI. V. 4.
Son of Walter and Ellen Odell, of Battersea, London; husband of Lily Amelia Odell, of Dagmar House, High St., Wivenhoe, Essex. His brother Frederick Odell also fell aged 17, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
His headstone bears the inscription; "My Loving, Devoted Husband, Sadly Missed By His Lonely Wife Lily."
Ernest Richard Odell
"B" Coy. 12th Bn. Middlesex Regiment
26th September 1916, aged 26.
Plot VI. V. 4.
Son of Walter and Ellen Odell, of Battersea, London; husband of Lily Amelia Odell, of Dagmar House, High St., Wivenhoe, Essex. His brother Frederick Odell also fell aged 17, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
His headstone bears the inscription; "My Loving, Devoted Husband, Sadly Missed By His Lonely Wife Lily."
40076 Private
A. W. Payne
1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment
11th January 1917.
Plot X. J. 4.
A. W. Payne
1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regiment
11th January 1917.
Plot X. J. 4.
7772 Corporal
Harold Pollard
11th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
24th August 1916, aged 23.
Sp. Mem. 13. 3.
Lived at 6 Harling Street, Burnley, Lancashire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Their Glory Shall Not Be Blotted Out."
Harold Pollard
11th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
24th August 1916, aged 23.
Sp. Mem. 13. 3.
Lived at 6 Harling Street, Burnley, Lancashire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Their Glory Shall Not Be Blotted Out."
16963 Private
Robert Ritchie
17th Bn. Highland Light Infantry
1st July 1916, aged 32.
Plot III. F. 5.
Son of John and Jane Muir Ritchie, of 1, Townhead, Beith, Ayrshire.
Robert Ritchie
17th Bn. Highland Light Infantry
1st July 1916, aged 32.
Plot III. F. 5.
Son of John and Jane Muir Ritchie, of 1, Townhead, Beith, Ayrshire.
16/111 Lance Corporal
Henry Richard Smyth
"A" Coy. 16th Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 20.
Plot VI. S. 7.
Son of James W. and Susannah Smyth, of The Gardens, Hartford House, Bedlington, Northumberland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Father In Thy Gracious Keeping Leave We Now Our Dear One Sleeping."
Henry Richard Smyth
"A" Coy. 16th Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
1st July 1916, aged 20.
Plot VI. S. 7.
Son of James W. and Susannah Smyth, of The Gardens, Hartford House, Bedlington, Northumberland.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Father In Thy Gracious Keeping Leave We Now Our Dear One Sleeping."
British dugouts near Authuille on the bank of the River Ancre, June 1917. © IWM (Q 6202)
A soldier stands in a destroyed building in Authuille, 7 August 1916. © IWM (Q 1143)
