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
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.
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.
2284 Company Sergeant 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.
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.
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
Pictures © Geerhard Joos
