RAPERIE BRITISH CEMETERY
Villemontoire
Aisne
France
Location Information
Villemontoire is just to the west of the main D1, Chateau-Thierry to Soissons road, approximately 10 kilometres from Soissons.
From the N2, Soissons Ring Road, take the D1 towards Chateau-Thierry. Ignore signs for Villemontoire and continue on the D1 until the crossroads signed for Vierzy. Turn right here along the D1280 towards Vierzy, then take the first left turn (1.2 kilometres) at the second CWGC sign, and Raperie British Cemetery will be found on your left after 150 metres.
Historical Information
Villemontoire is connected entirely with the victorious advance of the 15th (Scottish) and 34th Divisions, under French leadership, in the period from the 23rd July to the 2nd August 1918.
The cemetery was made, after the Armistice, by the concentration of graves from the battlefield and from several smaller burial grounds which had been made by the Burial Officers and units of the two Divisions, including:-
BILLY-SUR-OURCQ CHURCHYARD, which contained the graves of five soldiers.
BILLY-SUR-OURCQ COMMUNAL CEMETERY, which contained the graves of three soldiers.
CHESHIRE CEMETERY, PARCY-ET-TIGNY, which contained the graves of 16 men of the Cheshire and Herefordshire Regiments.
HARTENNES ROAD CEMETERY, PARCY-ET-TIGNY, which contained the graves of 23 soldiers who fell on the 24th July.
HEREFORD CEMETERY, PARCY-ET-TIGNY, which contained the graves of 21 soldiers of the Herefordshire Regiment and two others who fell on the 23rd July.
RAPERIE QUARRY CEMETERY, which was 365 metres to the East and made by the 15th Division burial officer on the 9th August. It contained the graves of 103 officers and men, almost all of whom belonged to the 9th Royal Scots who fell on the 1st and 2nd August.
There are now over 600, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 100 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to eleven men of the Herefordshire Regiment and one of the Royal Scots who are known or believed to be buried among them.
The cemetery covers an area of 2,576 square metres and is enclosed by a low rubble wall forming an arc at the back.
Casualty Details: UK 612, Total Burials: 612.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens & John Reginald Truelove
Villemontoire is just to the west of the main D1, Chateau-Thierry to Soissons road, approximately 10 kilometres from Soissons.
From the N2, Soissons Ring Road, take the D1 towards Chateau-Thierry. Ignore signs for Villemontoire and continue on the D1 until the crossroads signed for Vierzy. Turn right here along the D1280 towards Vierzy, then take the first left turn (1.2 kilometres) at the second CWGC sign, and Raperie British Cemetery will be found on your left after 150 metres.
Historical Information
Villemontoire is connected entirely with the victorious advance of the 15th (Scottish) and 34th Divisions, under French leadership, in the period from the 23rd July to the 2nd August 1918.
The cemetery was made, after the Armistice, by the concentration of graves from the battlefield and from several smaller burial grounds which had been made by the Burial Officers and units of the two Divisions, including:-
BILLY-SUR-OURCQ CHURCHYARD, which contained the graves of five soldiers.
BILLY-SUR-OURCQ COMMUNAL CEMETERY, which contained the graves of three soldiers.
CHESHIRE CEMETERY, PARCY-ET-TIGNY, which contained the graves of 16 men of the Cheshire and Herefordshire Regiments.
HARTENNES ROAD CEMETERY, PARCY-ET-TIGNY, which contained the graves of 23 soldiers who fell on the 24th July.
HEREFORD CEMETERY, PARCY-ET-TIGNY, which contained the graves of 21 soldiers of the Herefordshire Regiment and two others who fell on the 23rd July.
RAPERIE QUARRY CEMETERY, which was 365 metres to the East and made by the 15th Division burial officer on the 9th August. It contained the graves of 103 officers and men, almost all of whom belonged to the 9th Royal Scots who fell on the 1st and 2nd August.
There are now over 600, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 100 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to eleven men of the Herefordshire Regiment and one of the Royal Scots who are known or believed to be buried among them.
The cemetery covers an area of 2,576 square metres and is enclosed by a low rubble wall forming an arc at the back.
Casualty Details: UK 612, Total Burials: 612.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens & John Reginald Truelove
36252 Private
Herbert Greenwood
"C" Coy. 2nd Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
23rd July 1918, aged 20.
Plot IA. E. 4.
Son of Wright and Caroline Greenwood, of 117, Waterloo Rd., Burnley.
A weaver at Messrs. Browning's Springfield Mill prior to enlisting. He had already had a lucky escape after his training ended when the ship on which he was bound for Italy was torpedoed on the Mediterranean. He spent ninety minutes in the water before being picked up and taken to France. He then served in Egypt before returning to France, being killed just two months later.
Herbert Greenwood
"C" Coy. 2nd Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
23rd July 1918, aged 20.
Plot IA. E. 4.
Son of Wright and Caroline Greenwood, of 117, Waterloo Rd., Burnley.
A weaver at Messrs. Browning's Springfield Mill prior to enlisting. He had already had a lucky escape after his training ended when the ship on which he was bound for Italy was torpedoed on the Mediterranean. He spent ninety minutes in the water before being picked up and taken to France. He then served in Egypt before returning to France, being killed just two months later.
44247 Lance Corporal
Robert Jeffrey
1st/9th Bn. Royal Scots
1st August 1918, aged 19.
Plot I. D. 7.
Son of Sarah Jeffrey, of 12, Meadowpark St., Dennistoun, Glasgow, and the late Mr. Jeffrey.
Photo courtesy of Susan K. Strang, Great niece of Robert Jeffrey
Robert Jeffrey
1st/9th Bn. Royal Scots
1st August 1918, aged 19.
Plot I. D. 7.
Son of Sarah Jeffrey, of 12, Meadowpark St., Dennistoun, Glasgow, and the late Mr. Jeffrey.
Photo courtesy of Susan K. Strang, Great niece of Robert Jeffrey
