MAROEUIL BRITISH CEMETERY
Pas De Calais
France
Location Information
Maroeuil is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, 6 kilometres north-west of Arras, between the roads to Houdain and Aubigny.
Maroeuil British Cemetery lies at the end of a track running north from the road to Bray and Ecoivres (C.1).
Historical Information
The cemetery was begun by the 51st (Highland) Division when Commonwealth forces took over the Arras front in March 1916 and it retained its association with that division until the summer of 1918. Almost half of the graves are those of Highland territorials and many of those remaining are of London territorials who were at Maroeuil from July to December 1916. The cemetery also contains the graves of 25 officers and men of tunnelling companies of the Royal Engineers who died in mine explosions.
The cemetery was protected from observation by the crest of the hill behind it and whenever possible, bodies were brought back to it from the front line by tramway.
Maroeuil British Cemetery contains 563 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 11 German war graves.
Casualty Details: UK 531, Canada 30, India 2, Germany 11, Total Burials: 574.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield
Maroeuil is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, 6 kilometres north-west of Arras, between the roads to Houdain and Aubigny.
Maroeuil British Cemetery lies at the end of a track running north from the road to Bray and Ecoivres (C.1).
Historical Information
The cemetery was begun by the 51st (Highland) Division when Commonwealth forces took over the Arras front in March 1916 and it retained its association with that division until the summer of 1918. Almost half of the graves are those of Highland territorials and many of those remaining are of London territorials who were at Maroeuil from July to December 1916. The cemetery also contains the graves of 25 officers and men of tunnelling companies of the Royal Engineers who died in mine explosions.
The cemetery was protected from observation by the crest of the hill behind it and whenever possible, bodies were brought back to it from the front line by tramway.
Maroeuil British Cemetery contains 563 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 11 German war graves.
Casualty Details: UK 531, Canada 30, India 2, Germany 11, Total Burials: 574.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield
Maroeuil British Cemetery, pictured around 1919. © Jeremy Gordon-Smith
Second Lieutenant
William B. Anderson, M. C.
1st/5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
7th April 1917, aged 28.
Plot IV. D. 7.
Son of Wm. and Jane Anderson, of 167, King Edward Avenue, Toronto, Canada. Born at Aberdeen.
His headstone bears the inscription; "His Cheerful Ways His Sunny Smile We Always Shall Remember."
William B. Anderson, M. C.
1st/5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
7th April 1917, aged 28.
Plot IV. D. 7.
Son of Wm. and Jane Anderson, of 167, King Edward Avenue, Toronto, Canada. Born at Aberdeen.
His headstone bears the inscription; "His Cheerful Ways His Sunny Smile We Always Shall Remember."
Captain
Edward James Blair, M. C.
Royal Army Medical Corps
11th April 1917, aged 32.
Plot IV. E. 1.
Son of John and Jessie Blair, of Markinch, Fife.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Laid On Duty's Altar, The Greatest Gift Of All, His Life."
Edward James Blair, M. C.
Royal Army Medical Corps
11th April 1917, aged 32.
Plot IV. E. 1.
Son of John and Jessie Blair, of Markinch, Fife.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Laid On Duty's Altar, The Greatest Gift Of All, His Life."
1923 Private
John Tait Buchan
1st/5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
4th June 1916, aged 25.
Plot I. G. 12.
Son of William and Christian Buchan. Native of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "To Live In Hearts We Leave Behind Is Not To Die."
John Tait Buchan
1st/5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
4th June 1916, aged 25.
Plot I. G. 12.
Son of William and Christian Buchan. Native of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.
His headstone bears the inscription; "To Live In Hearts We Leave Behind Is Not To Die."
301241 Corporal
Frederic Charles Burchell
3rd Div. Ammunition Col. Canadian Field Artillery
27th December 1916, aged 23.
Plot III. K. 10.
Killed in action in his trench mortar pit, by explosion of shell, having warned his men, who were all saved. Son of Herbert C. and Ellen B. Burchell, of Windsor, Nova Scotia. Born at St. John's, Newfoundland. Civil Engineer.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Son Of Herbert C. And Ellen B. Burchell Windsor, W.S. John 15.13." The relevant passage from John 15:13 as mentioned in the inscription is; "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."
Frederic Charles Burchell
3rd Div. Ammunition Col. Canadian Field Artillery
27th December 1916, aged 23.
Plot III. K. 10.
Killed in action in his trench mortar pit, by explosion of shell, having warned his men, who were all saved. Son of Herbert C. and Ellen B. Burchell, of Windsor, Nova Scotia. Born at St. John's, Newfoundland. Civil Engineer.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Son Of Herbert C. And Ellen B. Burchell Windsor, W.S. John 15.13." The relevant passage from John 15:13 as mentioned in the inscription is; "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."
27281 Private
William Edward Davis
17th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) attd. 161st Tunnelling Coy,
Royal Engineers
16th April 1916, aged 37.
Plot II. B. 10.
Husband of Mrs. E. C. Davis, of 34, Kyle St., Lenton, Nottingham.
His headstone bears the inscription; "To Live In Hearts We Leave Behind Is Not To Die."
William Edward Davis
17th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) attd. 161st Tunnelling Coy,
Royal Engineers
16th April 1916, aged 37.
Plot II. B. 10.
Husband of Mrs. E. C. Davis, of 34, Kyle St., Lenton, Nottingham.
His headstone bears the inscription; "To Live In Hearts We Leave Behind Is Not To Die."
1287 Gunner
Ernest Fair
1st/1st (Essex) Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
24th April 1916, aged 19.
Plot II. C. 1.
Ernest Fair
1st/1st (Essex) Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
24th April 1916, aged 19.
Plot II. C. 1.
2284 Company Serjeant Major
Charles Neilson
1st/5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
1st June 1916, aged 26.
Plot I. F. 6.
Son of James and Christina Neilson, of 7, Station Rd., Ellon, Aberdeenshire. His brother, Rolland M. also fell and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Died For Us."
Charles Neilson
1st/5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
1st June 1916, aged 26.
Plot I. F. 6.
Son of James and Christina Neilson, of 7, Station Rd., Ellon, Aberdeenshire. His brother, Rolland M. also fell and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Died For Us."
9854 Private
David Ewing Wilkie
8th/10th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
27th June 1916, aged 32.
Plot II. H. 2.
Son of Charles and Mary Wilkie, of Aberdeen.
David Ewing Wilkie
8th/10th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
27th June 1916, aged 32.
Plot II. H. 2.
Son of Charles and Mary Wilkie, of Aberdeen.
14405 Serjeant
Alan Wilson, D. C. M.
18th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
18th February 1918, aged 22.
Plot IV. F. 9.
Son of Amos and Adella Wilson of Scarborough
Pictured with his two Brothers; Lloyd (centre) a Second Lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry Regiment, who fell and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial on 24th of March 1918, aged 21; and Howard (right), who was also severely injured on the Somme, but was repatriated to their home town of Scarborough and died of his injuries in hospital there, aged 19. He was therefore buried at home.
The second picture shows them as small boys, in the same positions.
‘In peace, children inter their parents; war violates the order of nature and causes parents to inter their children’. Herodotus (484 BC - 430 BC)
Picture courtesy of Paula Smith; their Great Niece and Granddaughter of the surviving son Stanley, who was not allowed to sign up, due to the loss the family had already suffered
Picture © Geerhard Joos
268272 Private
Joseph Wilson
1st/6th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
1st April 1917, aged 21.
Plot IV. B. 10.
Son of William and Jane Wilson, of Shivey, Sandholes, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone.
His headstone beards the inscription; "His Loving Form And Kindly Smile We'll See On Earth No More."
Joseph Wilson
1st/6th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
1st April 1917, aged 21.
Plot IV. B. 10.
Son of William and Jane Wilson, of Shivey, Sandholes, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone.
His headstone beards the inscription; "His Loving Form And Kindly Smile We'll See On Earth No More."
Pictures © Geerhard Joos
Soldiers bathing in the river at Maroeuil, near Arras, 20 May 1918. © IWM (Q 8806)
