MARTINPUICH BRITISH CEMETERY
Somme
France
Location Information
Martinpuich is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais and is located 9 kilometres south-west of Bapaume, 1 kilometre off the D929. On exiting the village in the direction of Longueval, D6, a CWGC signpost indicates the direction of Martinpuich British Cemetery, situated 100 metres off the road to the right.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access is possible with some difficulty.
Historical Information
Martinpuich was captured by the 15th (Scottish) Division on 15 September 1916, lost in April 1918, and retaken in August 1918.
Martinpuich British Cemetery was begun in November 1916 and used by fighting units and field ambulances until June 1917, and again at the end of August 1918. In 1931 the bodies of ten soldiers buried by the Germans were found in the communal cemetery, and moved into the British Cemetery.
The cemetery now contains 115 burials and commemorations of the First World War. Nine of the burials are unidentified and four graves destroyed by shell fire in 1918 are represented by special memorials.
Casualty Details: UK 80, Canada 1, Australia 34, Total Burials: 115.
Martinpuich is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais and is located 9 kilometres south-west of Bapaume, 1 kilometre off the D929. On exiting the village in the direction of Longueval, D6, a CWGC signpost indicates the direction of Martinpuich British Cemetery, situated 100 metres off the road to the right.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access is possible with some difficulty.
Historical Information
Martinpuich was captured by the 15th (Scottish) Division on 15 September 1916, lost in April 1918, and retaken in August 1918.
Martinpuich British Cemetery was begun in November 1916 and used by fighting units and field ambulances until June 1917, and again at the end of August 1918. In 1931 the bodies of ten soldiers buried by the Germans were found in the communal cemetery, and moved into the British Cemetery.
The cemetery now contains 115 burials and commemorations of the First World War. Nine of the burials are unidentified and four graves destroyed by shell fire in 1918 are represented by special memorials.
Casualty Details: UK 80, Canada 1, Australia 34, Total Burials: 115.
Lieutenant
Reginald St. George Lake
4th Bn. Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
17th November 1916, aged 28.
Row D. 14.
Son of Reginald John and Mary Beatrice Lake, of "St. Edmunds," Langley Rd., Watford.
His headstone bears the inscription; "His Servants Shall Do Him Service."
Pictures courtesy of Alex Noel-Tod
Reginald St. George Lake
4th Bn. Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
17th November 1916, aged 28.
Row D. 14.
Son of Reginald John and Mary Beatrice Lake, of "St. Edmunds," Langley Rd., Watford.
His headstone bears the inscription; "His Servants Shall Do Him Service."
Pictures courtesy of Alex Noel-Tod
2786 Private
George Forrester Rowland
28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
12th March 1917, aged 25.
Row A. 8.
Son of William Arthur and Amy Rachel Rowland, of Irwin, Western Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Heavenly Father In Thy Keeping Leave We Now Our Dear One Sleeping."
George Forrester Rowland
28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
12th March 1917, aged 25.
Row A. 8.
Son of William Arthur and Amy Rachel Rowland, of Irwin, Western Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Heavenly Father In Thy Keeping Leave We Now Our Dear One Sleeping."
5305 Private
Farquhar Hugh Arpafeelie Smith
28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
1st March 1917, aged 23.
Row E. 27.
Son of William Alexander Smith and Jessie Smith, of "Arpafeelie," Blencowe St., West Leederville, Western Australia. Native of Newtown, Sydney, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "A Dutiful Son And Brother God Bless Him His Duty Nobly Done R.I.P."
A 27 year old accountant prior to enlisting on 22 March 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 14th Reinforcements from Fremantle, Western Australia on 7 August 1916 aboard HMAT Miltiades. While undergoing further training in England he was promoted to Corporal but then reverted to Private shortly after joining his Battalion in France in November 1916. Pte Smith was wounded in action on 1 March 1917 and died of wounds that same day.
Farquhar Hugh Arpafeelie Smith
28th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
1st March 1917, aged 23.
Row E. 27.
Son of William Alexander Smith and Jessie Smith, of "Arpafeelie," Blencowe St., West Leederville, Western Australia. Native of Newtown, Sydney, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "A Dutiful Son And Brother God Bless Him His Duty Nobly Done R.I.P."
A 27 year old accountant prior to enlisting on 22 March 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 14th Reinforcements from Fremantle, Western Australia on 7 August 1916 aboard HMAT Miltiades. While undergoing further training in England he was promoted to Corporal but then reverted to Private shortly after joining his Battalion in France in November 1916. Pte Smith was wounded in action on 1 March 1917 and died of wounds that same day.
4540 Lance Corporal
Reuben Smith
25th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd February 1917, aged 24.
Row C. 15.
Son of George and Eliza Jane Smith. Native of Pretty Gully, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Dear Brother Sweetly Rest They Miss You Most Who Loved You Best."
A farmer prior to enlisting in October 1915, Pte Smith embarked from Sydney on board HMAT Star of Victoria (A16) on 31 March 1916. Following further training in Egypt and France, Pte Smith began service at the front on 3 August 1916. He was promoted to Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) on 24 November 1916. L/Cpl Smith was killed in action in France, probably near Flers, on 3 February 1917. He was 24 years of age.
Reuben Smith
25th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd February 1917, aged 24.
Row C. 15.
Son of George and Eliza Jane Smith. Native of Pretty Gully, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Dear Brother Sweetly Rest They Miss You Most Who Loved You Best."
A farmer prior to enlisting in October 1915, Pte Smith embarked from Sydney on board HMAT Star of Victoria (A16) on 31 March 1916. Following further training in Egypt and France, Pte Smith began service at the front on 3 August 1916. He was promoted to Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) on 24 November 1916. L/Cpl Smith was killed in action in France, probably near Flers, on 3 February 1917. He was 24 years of age.
7295 Gunner
Jeffrey Frederick Raoul Ulcoq
5th Bde. Australian Field Artillery
5th March 1917, aged 21.
Row B. 1.
Son of Anthony Francois and Maud Francis Ulcoq. Native of Brisbane, Queensland.
From Yeronga, Qld. A clerk prior to enlisting in July 1915, Gnr Ulcoq embarked with the 13th Battery from Sydney on board HMAT Persic (A34) on 18 November 1915. After further training in Egypt, he arrived in France for service on the Western Front on 25 March 1916. On 5 March 1917, Gnr Ulcoq died of wounds received in an accidental explosion at La Sars, France. He was 21 years of age. Gnr Ulcoq was one of three brothers who enlisted: Lieutenant (Lt) Oliver Eugene Ulcoq, 46th Battalion, returned to Australia in 1919; Lt Rene Anthony Ulcoq, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, also returned to Australia in 1919, and was awarded the Military Cross in 1920.
Jeffrey Frederick Raoul Ulcoq
5th Bde. Australian Field Artillery
5th March 1917, aged 21.
Row B. 1.
Son of Anthony Francois and Maud Francis Ulcoq. Native of Brisbane, Queensland.
From Yeronga, Qld. A clerk prior to enlisting in July 1915, Gnr Ulcoq embarked with the 13th Battery from Sydney on board HMAT Persic (A34) on 18 November 1915. After further training in Egypt, he arrived in France for service on the Western Front on 25 March 1916. On 5 March 1917, Gnr Ulcoq died of wounds received in an accidental explosion at La Sars, France. He was 21 years of age. Gnr Ulcoq was one of three brothers who enlisted: Lieutenant (Lt) Oliver Eugene Ulcoq, 46th Battalion, returned to Australia in 1919; Lt Rene Anthony Ulcoq, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, also returned to Australia in 1919, and was awarded the Military Cross in 1920.
5663 Private
Frederick Wray
17th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
27th February 1917, aged 42.
Row B. 5.
Son of George Albert and Anna Maria Wray; husband of Florence Marion Wray, of John St., East Maitland, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Died As He Lived, A Man."
A stock and station agent prior to enlisting on 25 February 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 15th Reinforcements from Sydney on 9 September 1916 aboard HMAT Euripides. After joining the 17th Battalion in France on 24 January 1917, he was wounded in action at Fricourt on 27 February 1917 and died that same day.
Frederick Wray
17th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
27th February 1917, aged 42.
Row B. 5.
Son of George Albert and Anna Maria Wray; husband of Florence Marion Wray, of John St., East Maitland, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Died As He Lived, A Man."
A stock and station agent prior to enlisting on 25 February 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 15th Reinforcements from Sydney on 9 September 1916 aboard HMAT Euripides. After joining the 17th Battalion in France on 24 January 1917, he was wounded in action at Fricourt on 27 February 1917 and died that same day.
Troops of the 1/8th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders holding a front line trench facing Martinpuich, 25 August 1916. © IWM (Q 4143)
Aerial photograph looking north towards Martinpuich, showing High Wood bottom right. © IWM (Q 61359)
Battle of Flers-Courcelette. Reinforcements moving up towards Martinpuich, which was captured by the 15th Division, 15th September 1916. © IWM (Q 187)
