MONTCORNET MILITARY CEMETERY
Aisne
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.69083, Longitude: 4.02071
Location Information
Montcornet is a commune 38 kilometres north-west of Rethel.
The cemetery can be reached following the D977 road from Laon and junction 13 of the A26. On arriving at the first road junction on the outskirts of Montcornet, it is necessary to turn right into the town centre. After several hundred metres a right turn should be taken following the signs for Rethel. Shortly after leaving the town centre, the road forks. The right fork should be taken following the CWGC sign. After about 200 metres look for Montcornet Military Cemetery on the left side of the road, which is partially shielded by housing.
The cemetery is up a flight of steps from the road.
Visiting Information
The register is available in the Mairie from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 12.00 and 13.30 to 16.30
The Mairie is closed on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon
Historical Information
Montcornet was a German hospital centre in 1918.
The Military Cemetery contains the graves of British soldiers who were originally buried with French, Russian and German dead in a site adjoining the cemetery. The French, Russian and German graves were removed to other cemeteries in 1919 and the British graves were regrouped to form the present cemetery.
Between 1927 and 1938, the bodies of British soldiers recovered from former battlefields east of Soissons were buried here; most of these were unknown and fell in September 1914. Graves from certain smaller cemeteries were also brought here, including:-
ANTHENY CHURCHYARD (Ardennes), where the unidentified Canadian soldier was buried in November 1918.
MEUSE-ARGONNE AMERICAN CEMETERY, ROMAGNE-SOUSMONFAUCON (Meuse), where two R.A.F. officers, who fell in October 1918, were buried.
There are now 124, 1914-18 and 19, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 53 from the 1914-18 War are unidentified and four soldiers from the United Kingdom, 3 of whom were buried in the German cemetery at Montcornet and one in Crugny Churchyard, but whose graves are now lost, are commemorated on special memorial headstones.
The cemetery covers an area of 692 square metres.
Total Burials: 143.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 71.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: 53.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 14, Canada 4, New Zealand 1. Total 19.
The cemetery was designed by Arthur James Scott Hutton
Dedications
92253 Private George Raymond Juckes, Royal Army Medical Corps, 16th June 1918. "Not Forgotten"
George was born in 1895 at Shifnal, Shropshire to Charles and Emma Jane [nee Jervis] Juckes His occupation in 1911 is a shop assistant but enlisted in Chester 2nd November 1914 aged 19. On enlistment he was sent to the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, as a private, number 92253. Then on 11th March 1916, George was attached to the 2nd Shropshire Yeomanry on’ water duties’ until he re-joined R.A.M.C, less than a year later. George was then posted to the R.A.M.C training centre, Blackpool with his regiment. On 20th April 1917 the unit proceeded overseas to 39th Stationary Hospital. He then joined [Basewetsils?] in Rouen on 14th November 1917. On 21st November posted to [ lulblefld?] and joined 2/2 Northumberland Field Ambulance. On active duty until reported missing on 25th May 1918.
The War office was informed of his whereabouts by the Germans. George must have been captured after being wounded and ended up in a Prisoner of War in a war hospital at Montcornet, France. George died from gunshot wounds, to the thigh and below knee on 16th June 1918. George was only 23 when he died. He is buried in the Montcornet Military Cemetery, grave 330. George was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his services.
(The bracketed and underlined words are illegible on the war office paperwork, courtesy of The National Archives, UK. )
The Joiner, Meyer & Williams Families
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
1962 - ©CWGC
1962 - ©CWGC
Second Lieutenant
Harold Dwight Arnott
104th Sqdn. Royal Air Force
29th October 1918, aged 23.
Row G. 7.
Son of Frederick George Lane Arnott and Agnes Wills Arnott, of 188 Glen Rd., Rosedale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Is Not Dead - He Gave His All And Went To Meet His Captain Face To Face."
Harold Dwight Arnott
104th Sqdn. Royal Air Force
29th October 1918, aged 23.
Row G. 7.
Son of Frederick George Lane Arnott and Agnes Wills Arnott, of 188 Glen Rd., Rosedale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription; "He Is Not Dead - He Gave His All And Went To Meet His Captain Face To Face."
Lieutenant
Mark Kincaid MacKenzie
4th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps, attd. 3rd Bn. Rifle Brigade
25th September 1914, aged 26.
Row H. 6.
Son of the Hon. Lord Charles Kincaid Mackenzie, LL.D. and Lady Mackenzie (nee Young), of Edinburgh; brother of Mr. A. D. Mackenzie, of Wester Shian, Gullane, East Lothian.
Mark Kincaid MacKenzie
4th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps, attd. 3rd Bn. Rifle Brigade
25th September 1914, aged 26.
Row H. 6.
Son of the Hon. Lord Charles Kincaid Mackenzie, LL.D. and Lady Mackenzie (nee Young), of Edinburgh; brother of Mr. A. D. Mackenzie, of Wester Shian, Gullane, East Lothian.
10th November 1918; Troops gather before the attack near Montcornet.
Battle of Tardenois. Men of the 62nd Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (62nd Division) coming back with captured German Maxim 08/15 (Spandau) machine guns, and salvaged rifles. © IWM (Q 11102)
British and French troops with a Renault FT-17 tank in the Bois de Reims during the Battle of Tardenois, 24 July 1918. © IWM (Q 11120)
World War Two Roll of Honour
J/6152 Flying Officer
Albert Cook
35 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
28th August 1942, aged 25.
Row M. Coll. Grave 3-6.
Son of Walter and Mary Cook; husband of Pearl Weston Cook (nee MacLean), of New Waterford, Nova Scotia, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription Lovingly Remembered By Mam, Dad And Pearlie "Ad Infinitum"
Albert Cook
35 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
28th August 1942, aged 25.
Row M. Coll. Grave 3-6.
Son of Walter and Mary Cook; husband of Pearl Weston Cook (nee MacLean), of New Waterford, Nova Scotia, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription Lovingly Remembered By Mam, Dad And Pearlie "Ad Infinitum"
R/86314 Flight Sergeant
James Douglas Rae
115 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
6th December 1942, aged 26.
Row G. G. 4.
Son of MacDuff and Laura May Rae; husband of Pearl Martha Rae, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Loving Thoughts Drift Back To Bygone Days, Years Pass By But Memories Stay"
James Douglas Rae
115 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
6th December 1942, aged 26.
Row G. G. 4.
Son of MacDuff and Laura May Rae; husband of Pearl Martha Rae, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Loving Thoughts Drift Back To Bygone Days, Years Pass By But Memories Stay"
R/65294 Flight Sergeant
Max Feindel Robbins
35 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
28th August 1942, aged 28.
Row M. 1.
Son of Woulfred and Adline Robbins; husband of Hazel Robbins, of Waterford, Digby Co., Nova Scotia, Canada.
Max Feindel Robbins
35 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
28th August 1942, aged 28.
Row M. 1.
Son of Woulfred and Adline Robbins; husband of Hazel Robbins, of Waterford, Digby Co., Nova Scotia, Canada.
J/15649 Pilot Officer
Frederick John Taylor
35 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
28th August 1942.
Row M. Coll. Grave 3-6.
Son of Edward and Annie Taylor, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Deep In Our Hearts A Memory Is Kept Of One We Loved And Will Never Forget"
Frederick John Taylor
35 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
28th August 1942.
Row M. Coll. Grave 3-6.
Son of Edward and Annie Taylor, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Deep In Our Hearts A Memory Is Kept Of One We Loved And Will Never Forget"
