MILLENCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.0029, Longitude: 2.58196
Location Information
Millencourt is a village which lies approximately 2 kilometres west of Albert on the D91. Millencourt Communal Cemetery Extension lies to the north of the village on the road to Henencourt.
Historical Information
The communal cemetery was used by units and field ambulances from August 1915 to May 1916, and again in April 1918, but after the Armistice the 64 burials were moved into the extension. The extension was used by units, field ambulances, and the III Corps Main Dressing Station in 1916, and by the 4th Australian Division and other units in March and April 1918.
Millencourt Communal Cemetery Extension now contains 340 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, and five German burials.
Total Burials: 345.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 269, Australia 50, Canada 7, New Zealand 7, Germany 4, South Africa 1. Total 338.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 4, Germany 1, Unknown 2. Total 7.
The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield
Millencourt is a village which lies approximately 2 kilometres west of Albert on the D91. Millencourt Communal Cemetery Extension lies to the north of the village on the road to Henencourt.
Historical Information
The communal cemetery was used by units and field ambulances from August 1915 to May 1916, and again in April 1918, but after the Armistice the 64 burials were moved into the extension. The extension was used by units, field ambulances, and the III Corps Main Dressing Station in 1916, and by the 4th Australian Division and other units in March and April 1918.
Millencourt Communal Cemetery Extension now contains 340 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, and five German burials.
Total Burials: 345.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 269, Australia 50, Canada 7, New Zealand 7, Germany 4, South Africa 1. Total 338.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 4, Germany 1, Unknown 2. Total 7.
The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield
A memorial in memory of officers, NCOs and men of the 45th Battalion, AIF, who fell at Dernancourt following the operations of the Battalion in March and April 1918, erected by their comrades. Crosses mark the graves of, left to right, Lieutenant (Lt) Harold Flinders Mitchell; Captain Owen Burton Dibbs; 2672 Private (Pte) Francis John Pidgeon; 2126 Pte William Tasker Adam; 2619 Pte Guy Charles Baker; Lieutenant Theophilus William Perry; 998A Pte Richard Clarence Walsh. (All buried in this cemetery)
3959 Private
William Henry Anyon
1st/4th Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
17th November 1915, aged 21.
Row F. 56.
William Henry Anyon
1st/4th Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
17th November 1915, aged 21.
Row F. 56.
3352 Private
Richard Balcombe
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
5th April 1918, aged 26.
Row B. 57.
Son of Richard and Mary Susannah Balcombe, of Bridge St., Benalla, Victoria, Australia. Native of Melbourne, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Sleep On Dear Dick For Some Day I Hope We Will Meet Again."
A farmer from Melbourne, Victoria, Pte Balcombe enlisted on 8 February 1917 and embarked aboard HMAT Ascanius (A2) on 11 May 1917. Pte Balcombe was killed in action, in France on 5 April 1918, aged 26.
Richard Balcombe
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
5th April 1918, aged 26.
Row B. 57.
Son of Richard and Mary Susannah Balcombe, of Bridge St., Benalla, Victoria, Australia. Native of Melbourne, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Sleep On Dear Dick For Some Day I Hope We Will Meet Again."
A farmer from Melbourne, Victoria, Pte Balcombe enlisted on 8 February 1917 and embarked aboard HMAT Ascanius (A2) on 11 May 1917. Pte Balcombe was killed in action, in France on 5 April 1918, aged 26.
2288A Private
Ernest John Henry Berryman, M. M.
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
5th April 1918, aged 26.
Row B. 59.
Son of Alfred Caleb and Matilda Berryman, of Pine Grove, Glen Forbes, Victoria, Australia. Native of Tasmania.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Died To Save Others."
Originally a member of the 29th Battalion, of Glen Forbes, Vic. Pte Berryman enlisted on 24 November 1915 and embarked aboard HMAT Anchises in Melbourne on 14 March 1916. He was serving with the 46th Battalion when he was killed in action at Millencourt Farm, France, on 5 April 1918. On 16 July 1918 he was posthumously awarded a Military Medal.
Ernest John Henry Berryman, M. M.
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
5th April 1918, aged 26.
Row B. 59.
Son of Alfred Caleb and Matilda Berryman, of Pine Grove, Glen Forbes, Victoria, Australia. Native of Tasmania.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Died To Save Others."
Originally a member of the 29th Battalion, of Glen Forbes, Vic. Pte Berryman enlisted on 24 November 1915 and embarked aboard HMAT Anchises in Melbourne on 14 March 1916. He was serving with the 46th Battalion when he was killed in action at Millencourt Farm, France, on 5 April 1918. On 16 July 1918 he was posthumously awarded a Military Medal.
24/1342 Corporal
Attwood Wigzell Booth
"A" Coy. 2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
20th September 1916, aged 35.
Row D. 2.
Son of George and Louisa Hodges Booth, of Maple Bay, Duncan, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Native of Liverpool, England.
Attwood Wigzell Booth
"A" Coy. 2nd Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
20th September 1916, aged 35.
Row D. 2.
Son of George and Louisa Hodges Booth, of Maple Bay, Duncan, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Native of Liverpool, England.
Informal photograph of four officers of the 45th Battalion standing in the snow at Haute Allaines. From left to right: Captain (Capt) Eowyn Hugh Davies MC; Lieutenant (Lt) John Harrison Allen; Capt Owen Burton Dibbs (killed in action 1st April 1918); Major (Maj) Arthur Samuel Allen DSO.
Captain Owen Burton Dibbs is buried in this cemetery. Son of Thomas Borton Dibbs and Annie Emma Dibbs, of North Sydney; husband of Clara Dibbs, of "Alwyn," 6, Lower Ocean St., Edgecliffe, Sydney, New South Wales. Row B. 33. Inscription "Dearest husband And Daddy May God Reward And Bless You"
Captain Owen Burton Dibbs is buried in this cemetery. Son of Thomas Borton Dibbs and Annie Emma Dibbs, of North Sydney; husband of Clara Dibbs, of "Alwyn," 6, Lower Ocean St., Edgecliffe, Sydney, New South Wales. Row B. 33. Inscription "Dearest husband And Daddy May God Reward And Bless You"
81185 Lieutenant
Walter Keith Dougall
2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
15th September 1916, aged 22.
Row E. 9.
Son of John J. and Harriet C. Dougall, of Christchurch, New Zealand.
Walter Keith Dougall
2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
15th September 1916, aged 22.
Row E. 9.
Son of John J. and Harriet C. Dougall, of Christchurch, New Zealand.
4488 Private
John Feehan
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd April 1918.
Row B. 48.
Son of Joseph and Alice Feehan, of Neerim East, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "In Loving Memory Of John Beloved Son Of Joseph & Alice Feehan."
John Feehan
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd April 1918.
Row B. 48.
Son of Joseph and Alice Feehan, of Neerim East, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "In Loving Memory Of John Beloved Son Of Joseph & Alice Feehan."
3782 Private
Edward Hoey
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd April 1918.
Row B. 39.
Edward Hoey
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd April 1918.
Row B. 39.
Soldiers drawing of the 2nd Australian Division YMCA at Millencourt, France 1917. It was apparently housed in "a 111 year old hut."
Lieutenant
William Harold Jennings
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd April 1918, aged 27.
Row B. 49.
Son of William and Alice Hawthorn Jennings, of Newbridge, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "In Memory Of The Dearly Loved Son Of Mr. & Mrs. Jennings."
From Newbridge-on-Lodden, Victoria. A civil servant prior to enlisting, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Ceramic (A40) on 23 November 1915 as 3792 Private Jennings, 14th Battalion. On 3 April 1918, he was killed in action near Dernancourt, France, aged 27, by this time he was a Lieutenant in the 46th Battalion.
1818 Stretcher Bearer Londrigan of "A" Coy. 46th Bn. A. I. F., gave this description of the circumstances of the death of William Jennings;
"He was in "D" Coy., there is a brother, also a Lieutenant in the same battalion. The one who got killed was knocked out when we were holding a bit of railway embankment at Millencourt (It was actually Dernancourt) on April 3rd. The Boches attacked us about 7a.m., Mr Jennings was shot just above the left eye and killed outright. I did not see this but being a stretcher bearer, I helped to carry his body down to the cemetery at Millencourt that night. He was buried there on the following day. There were about 24 of the lads buried at the same time. This was in a corner of the civilian cemetery. The Bn. Padre read the burial service, I was present."
William Harold Jennings
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd April 1918, aged 27.
Row B. 49.
Son of William and Alice Hawthorn Jennings, of Newbridge, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "In Memory Of The Dearly Loved Son Of Mr. & Mrs. Jennings."
From Newbridge-on-Lodden, Victoria. A civil servant prior to enlisting, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Ceramic (A40) on 23 November 1915 as 3792 Private Jennings, 14th Battalion. On 3 April 1918, he was killed in action near Dernancourt, France, aged 27, by this time he was a Lieutenant in the 46th Battalion.
1818 Stretcher Bearer Londrigan of "A" Coy. 46th Bn. A. I. F., gave this description of the circumstances of the death of William Jennings;
"He was in "D" Coy., there is a brother, also a Lieutenant in the same battalion. The one who got killed was knocked out when we were holding a bit of railway embankment at Millencourt (It was actually Dernancourt) on April 3rd. The Boches attacked us about 7a.m., Mr Jennings was shot just above the left eye and killed outright. I did not see this but being a stretcher bearer, I helped to carry his body down to the cemetery at Millencourt that night. He was buried there on the following day. There were about 24 of the lads buried at the same time. This was in a corner of the civilian cemetery. The Bn. Padre read the burial service, I was present."
2749 Corporal
Griffin Inglis Laughton
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
5th April 1918, aged 28.
Row A. 50.
Son of John Ebenezer and Alice Maude Laughton. Native of Glenorchy, Victoria, Australia.
Pte Laughton enlisted on 2 July 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Makarini on 15 September 1915. He was later promoted to corporal and served with the 46th Battalion. Cpl Laughton was killed in action on 5 April 1918 at the Somme, France. His brother 1255 Pte James Henry Laughton, served with the 5th Battalion at Gallipoli.
Griffin Inglis Laughton
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
5th April 1918, aged 28.
Row A. 50.
Son of John Ebenezer and Alice Maude Laughton. Native of Glenorchy, Victoria, Australia.
Pte Laughton enlisted on 2 July 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Makarini on 15 September 1915. He was later promoted to corporal and served with the 46th Battalion. Cpl Laughton was killed in action on 5 April 1918 at the Somme, France. His brother 1255 Pte James Henry Laughton, served with the 5th Battalion at Gallipoli.
10064 Private
Harry Lucas
1st Bn. Wiltshire Regiment
14th July 1916, aged 22.
Row C. 9.
Son of Eli J. and Mary Lucas, of 74, Park Lane, Chippenham.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Died That We Might Live Peace Perfect Peace."
Harry Lucas
1st Bn. Wiltshire Regiment
14th July 1916, aged 22.
Row C. 9.
Son of Eli J. and Mary Lucas, of 74, Park Lane, Chippenham.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Died That We Might Live Peace Perfect Peace."
Harry was born in 1894 at Chippenham, Wiltshire. Harry was the seventh of ten children to Eli Lucas and Mary Poole. Harry's six elder siblings were Leonard, William Adelleh, Gilbert, Francis and Maud and the three younger were Kathleen, Stanley and Wilfred.
The 1901 census has Harry living with his family at 89, Woodlands in Chippenham. By the time of the Great War the family had moved to 74, Park Lane.
Not much is known about Harry's life but it is known that he was a keen footballer and Played for Chippenham Rovers FC and worked as a postman. Harry signed up with the Wiltshire Regiment early on in the 1914-18 war with Germany. Harry was wounded during the Dardanelles campaign. In 1916 Harry had recovered and was sent across to northern France for the British assault on the Somme. Harry was sadly killed in the first fortnight of the Somme battle.
The following is a short extract from Lyn MacDonald’s book ‘Somme’ which describes the attack in which Harry Lucas was fatally wounded:
Description of the assault on La Boiselle in July 1914.
Private Roy Bealing, MM No3457, 6th Battalion, The Wiltshire regiment, 19th (Western) Division.
"Captain Reid came along the top of the trench – right out in the open! – I suppose it was the only way he could pass the word along the company and he must have had a couple of machine-gun bullets through his water bottle because the water was spouting out of it. He yelled down 'Fix your bayonets and get ready to go over when you hear the whistle.' I was beside a chap called Lucas and he was a bundle of nerves. He was shaking, yes. He was simply shivering and shaking like a leaf. He could hardly hold his rifle, never mind fix his bayonet, the state he was in! So I fixed mine and then I said 'Here you are Lucas,' and I fixed his for him. It would have taken him a week to fix his bayonet the state he was in! He wasn't one of a new draft. He was one of the older ones, and I was right sorry for him."
"When the whistle went, I threw my rifle on top of the trench and clambered out of it, grabbed the rifle and started going forward. There were shell-holes everywhere. I hadn't gone far before I fell in one of them. There were so many shell-holes you couldn't get round them. But you had to go on so, every time I stumbled and fell in a shell-hole, I just waited a quarter of a minute, had another breath, then out of it and on again. I must of fallen half a dozen times before I got to the first line, and there were lads falling all over the place. You didn't know whether they were tripping up like me or whether they were going down with bullets in them, because it wasn't just the shells exploding round about, it was the machine guns hammering out like hell from the third German line because it was on slightly higher ground. Lucas went down. He was killed before he even got to the first trench – the one that was partly in our hands."
Harry was not killed as Roy Bealing thought but died days later at the field hospital at Millencourt on the 14th July 1916.
Picture and text courtesy of Duncan Cook and Tony Brown
The 1901 census has Harry living with his family at 89, Woodlands in Chippenham. By the time of the Great War the family had moved to 74, Park Lane.
Not much is known about Harry's life but it is known that he was a keen footballer and Played for Chippenham Rovers FC and worked as a postman. Harry signed up with the Wiltshire Regiment early on in the 1914-18 war with Germany. Harry was wounded during the Dardanelles campaign. In 1916 Harry had recovered and was sent across to northern France for the British assault on the Somme. Harry was sadly killed in the first fortnight of the Somme battle.
The following is a short extract from Lyn MacDonald’s book ‘Somme’ which describes the attack in which Harry Lucas was fatally wounded:
Description of the assault on La Boiselle in July 1914.
Private Roy Bealing, MM No3457, 6th Battalion, The Wiltshire regiment, 19th (Western) Division.
"Captain Reid came along the top of the trench – right out in the open! – I suppose it was the only way he could pass the word along the company and he must have had a couple of machine-gun bullets through his water bottle because the water was spouting out of it. He yelled down 'Fix your bayonets and get ready to go over when you hear the whistle.' I was beside a chap called Lucas and he was a bundle of nerves. He was shaking, yes. He was simply shivering and shaking like a leaf. He could hardly hold his rifle, never mind fix his bayonet, the state he was in! So I fixed mine and then I said 'Here you are Lucas,' and I fixed his for him. It would have taken him a week to fix his bayonet the state he was in! He wasn't one of a new draft. He was one of the older ones, and I was right sorry for him."
"When the whistle went, I threw my rifle on top of the trench and clambered out of it, grabbed the rifle and started going forward. There were shell-holes everywhere. I hadn't gone far before I fell in one of them. There were so many shell-holes you couldn't get round them. But you had to go on so, every time I stumbled and fell in a shell-hole, I just waited a quarter of a minute, had another breath, then out of it and on again. I must of fallen half a dozen times before I got to the first line, and there were lads falling all over the place. You didn't know whether they were tripping up like me or whether they were going down with bullets in them, because it wasn't just the shells exploding round about, it was the machine guns hammering out like hell from the third German line because it was on slightly higher ground. Lucas went down. He was killed before he even got to the first trench – the one that was partly in our hands."
Harry was not killed as Roy Bealing thought but died days later at the field hospital at Millencourt on the 14th July 1916.
Picture and text courtesy of Duncan Cook and Tony Brown
Captain
Hugh Adam Munro
"A" Coy. 1st/8th Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
22nd September 1915, aged 22.
Row F. 71.
Son of Neil and Jessie E. Munro, of Cromalt, Helensburgh, Dumbartonshire. Native of Inveraray, Argyll.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Is Gone On The Mountain He Is Lost To The Forest."
Hugh Adam Munro
"A" Coy. 1st/8th Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
22nd September 1915, aged 22.
Row F. 71.
Son of Neil and Jessie E. Munro, of Cromalt, Helensburgh, Dumbartonshire. Native of Inveraray, Argyll.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Is Gone On The Mountain He Is Lost To The Forest."
Lieutenant
Theophilus William Perry
45th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
5th April 1918, aged 22.
Row C. 26.
Son of John William and Louisa Michell Perry, of Dartbrook Rd., Auburn, New South Wales.
Private (later Lieutenant) Theophilus William Perry, originally 1st (later 45th) Battalion of Auburn, NSW. A wood machinist prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Aeneas (A60) on 20 December 1915. He was killed in action on 5 April 1918 at Dernancourt, France, aged 22.
Theophilus William Perry
45th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
5th April 1918, aged 22.
Row C. 26.
Son of John William and Louisa Michell Perry, of Dartbrook Rd., Auburn, New South Wales.
Private (later Lieutenant) Theophilus William Perry, originally 1st (later 45th) Battalion of Auburn, NSW. A wood machinist prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Aeneas (A60) on 20 December 1915. He was killed in action on 5 April 1918 at Dernancourt, France, aged 22.
3128 Private
Roy Montgomery Robertson, M. M.
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd April 1918, aged 22.
Row B. 51.
Son of the late David Jeffrey Robertson and Mary Robertson, Native of Alberton, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Faithful Unto Death."
Roy Montgomery Robertson, 10th Reinforcements, 6th Battalion, of Bena, Vic. Pte Robertson enlisted on 17 July 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Osterley on 29 September 1915. He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) by General Birdwood in October 1917 (gazetted on 28 January 1918), ...'for gallantry in rescuing unaided, a wounded comrade under heavy fire'. Pte Robertson was killed in action on 3 April 1918 at Dernancourt, near Albert, France, while serving with the 46th Battalion.
Roy Montgomery Robertson, M. M.
46th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
3rd April 1918, aged 22.
Row B. 51.
Son of the late David Jeffrey Robertson and Mary Robertson, Native of Alberton, Victoria, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Faithful Unto Death."
Roy Montgomery Robertson, 10th Reinforcements, 6th Battalion, of Bena, Vic. Pte Robertson enlisted on 17 July 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Osterley on 29 September 1915. He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) by General Birdwood in October 1917 (gazetted on 28 January 1918), ...'for gallantry in rescuing unaided, a wounded comrade under heavy fire'. Pte Robertson was killed in action on 3 April 1918 at Dernancourt, near Albert, France, while serving with the 46th Battalion.
2420 Private
Leslie Victor Taylor
2nd Australian Pioneers
17th April 1918, aged 27.
Row A. 55.
Son of Mary and the late James Francis Taylor, of 31, Eastern Rd., South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Native of Albert Park, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Father In Thy Gracious Keeping Leave We Now Thy Love One Sleeping."
A/Cpl Taylor enlisted on 15 July 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Osterley on 29 September 1915. He was killed in action on 17 April 1918 near Albert, France, while serving with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion.
Leslie Victor Taylor
2nd Australian Pioneers
17th April 1918, aged 27.
Row A. 55.
Son of Mary and the late James Francis Taylor, of 31, Eastern Rd., South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Native of Albert Park, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Father In Thy Gracious Keeping Leave We Now Thy Love One Sleeping."
A/Cpl Taylor enlisted on 15 July 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Osterley on 29 September 1915. He was killed in action on 17 April 1918 near Albert, France, while serving with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion.
An officer, sergeant and private soldier of the Northumberland Fusiliers, 149th (Northumbrian) Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division near Millencourt, October 1916. Unidentified exact unit but one of the following: 1/4th, 1/5th, 1/6th or 1/7th Northumberland Fusiliers. © IWM (Q 1550)
Group from the Northumberland Fusiliers, 149th (Northumbrian) Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, near Millencourt, October 1916. Exact unit unknown, but believed to be one of: 1/4th, 1/5th, 1/6th or 1/7th Battalions, Northumberland Fusiliers. © IWM (Q 1553)
