RUE-DAVID MILITARY CEMETERY
Fleurbaix
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.63674, Longitude: 2.85185
Location Information
Fleurbaix is a village about 5 kilometres south-west of Armentieres. Rue-David Military Cemetery lies to the south-east of the village. Leave Fleurbaix heading towards Armentieres, 300 metres from the centre of Fleurbaix turn right towards Bois Grenier. After a further 1 kilometre turn right again, follow the road round a sharp left hand bend, and the Cemetery is approximately 500 metres further on.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
"Rue-David" (or "Rue-des-Davids") is the local name of the road running between La Croix-Marechal and La Boutillerie. The cemetery was begun by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers in December 1914 and closed to Commonwealth burials in December 1917. At the Armistice it comprised Rows A to F and part of G of the present Plot I and contained 220 graves. The cemetery was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in mainly from the neighbourhood of Aubers and Fromelles, including those of many of the 1st Middlesex who died at the end of October 1914, and of the 5th Australian and 61st (South Midland) Divisions who died in July 1916.
The cemeteries from which graves were brought to Rue-David Military Cemetery included the following:-
ABBEY WALL CEMETERY, LA BOUTILLERIE, FLEURBAIX, under the North wall of the ruined Chartreux Abbey. Here were buried 60 soldiers from the United Kingdom (including 46 of the 1st Middlesex who fell in October and November 1914), five from Canada and five from Australia.
CROIX-MARECHAL MILITARY CEMETERY, FLEURBAIX, at the cross-roads known as La Croix-Marechal. Here were buried 27 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Australia, who fell in 1914-16, and October 1918.
ORCHARD OF SMITH'S VILLA, FLEURBAIX, at the cross roads nearly 1.6 kilometres West of Bois-Grenier, where twelve men of the 1st South Staffords were buried early in 1915.
PONT-DE-LA-LYS INDIAN CEMETERY, ESTAIRES, by the bridge between Estaires and La Gorgue, where 34 Indian soldiers were buried in 1914-15.
SAINGHIN-EN-WEPPES CHURCHYARD, where 15 soldiers from the United Kingdom were buried.
SAINGHIN-EN-WEPPES COMMUNAL CEMETERY, where 24 soldiers from the United Kingdom, who fell in October 1914 - January 1915, were buried.
WANGERIE POST OLD MILITARY CEMETERY, LAVENTIE, on the road from the Rue-du-Bacquerot to Aubers, a little South of Wangerie Farm. (The New Military Cemetery was smaller, and closer to the Farm.) It contained the graves of 39 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in October 1914 and April 1916; and it was used by the Portuguese Corps in 1917.
There are now 898 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War in the cemetery. 429 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 11 casualties buried in Abbey Wall Cemetery, La Boutillerie, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire, and six men of the Indian forces. The cemetery also contains ten German graves.
Casualty Details: UK 472, Canada 10, Australia 353, New Zealand 18, India 44, Germany 10, Total Burials: 997.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
Fleurbaix is a village about 5 kilometres south-west of Armentieres. Rue-David Military Cemetery lies to the south-east of the village. Leave Fleurbaix heading towards Armentieres, 300 metres from the centre of Fleurbaix turn right towards Bois Grenier. After a further 1 kilometre turn right again, follow the road round a sharp left hand bend, and the Cemetery is approximately 500 metres further on.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
"Rue-David" (or "Rue-des-Davids") is the local name of the road running between La Croix-Marechal and La Boutillerie. The cemetery was begun by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers in December 1914 and closed to Commonwealth burials in December 1917. At the Armistice it comprised Rows A to F and part of G of the present Plot I and contained 220 graves. The cemetery was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in mainly from the neighbourhood of Aubers and Fromelles, including those of many of the 1st Middlesex who died at the end of October 1914, and of the 5th Australian and 61st (South Midland) Divisions who died in July 1916.
The cemeteries from which graves were brought to Rue-David Military Cemetery included the following:-
ABBEY WALL CEMETERY, LA BOUTILLERIE, FLEURBAIX, under the North wall of the ruined Chartreux Abbey. Here were buried 60 soldiers from the United Kingdom (including 46 of the 1st Middlesex who fell in October and November 1914), five from Canada and five from Australia.
CROIX-MARECHAL MILITARY CEMETERY, FLEURBAIX, at the cross-roads known as La Croix-Marechal. Here were buried 27 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Australia, who fell in 1914-16, and October 1918.
ORCHARD OF SMITH'S VILLA, FLEURBAIX, at the cross roads nearly 1.6 kilometres West of Bois-Grenier, where twelve men of the 1st South Staffords were buried early in 1915.
PONT-DE-LA-LYS INDIAN CEMETERY, ESTAIRES, by the bridge between Estaires and La Gorgue, where 34 Indian soldiers were buried in 1914-15.
SAINGHIN-EN-WEPPES CHURCHYARD, where 15 soldiers from the United Kingdom were buried.
SAINGHIN-EN-WEPPES COMMUNAL CEMETERY, where 24 soldiers from the United Kingdom, who fell in October 1914 - January 1915, were buried.
WANGERIE POST OLD MILITARY CEMETERY, LAVENTIE, on the road from the Rue-du-Bacquerot to Aubers, a little South of Wangerie Farm. (The New Military Cemetery was smaller, and closer to the Farm.) It contained the graves of 39 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in October 1914 and April 1916; and it was used by the Portuguese Corps in 1917.
There are now 898 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War in the cemetery. 429 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 11 casualties buried in Abbey Wall Cemetery, La Boutillerie, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire, and six men of the Indian forces. The cemetery also contains ten German graves.
Casualty Details: UK 472, Canada 10, Australia 353, New Zealand 18, India 44, Germany 10, Total Burials: 997.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

241967 Private
George Barrow
2nd/5th Bn. King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
22nd April 1917, aged 30.
Plot I. G. 17.
Son of James M. and Margaret Barrow, of 3, Adelaide St., Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription: "God Alone Who Knoweth Best Did Ease His Pain And Give Him Rest."
George Barrow
2nd/5th Bn. King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
22nd April 1917, aged 30.
Plot I. G. 17.
Son of James M. and Margaret Barrow, of 3, Adelaide St., Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription: "God Alone Who Knoweth Best Did Ease His Pain And Give Him Rest."

3187 Private
William Lewis Butler
13th (Kensington) Bn. London Regiment
19th April 1915, aged 22.
Pot I. A. 13.
Son of William Butler, of Priors Lea, Barrow-in-Furness.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Thy Will Be Done."
William Lewis Butler
13th (Kensington) Bn. London Regiment
19th April 1915, aged 22.
Pot I. A. 13.
Son of William Butler, of Priors Lea, Barrow-in-Furness.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Thy Will Be Done."

Captain
Charles Miller Couper
"D" Coy. 4th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
28th September 1915, aged 25.
Plot III. B. 1.
Son of John and Catherine Couper, of Dundee.
Charles Miller Couper
"D" Coy. 4th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
28th September 1915, aged 25.
Plot III. B. 1.
Son of John and Catherine Couper, of Dundee.

Second Lieutenant
Leslie Newall
1st Bn. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
2nd September 1915, aged 23.
Plot I. C. 15.
Son of William and Lilian Newall, of Redheath, Croxley Green, Herts.
His headstone bears the inscription: "They Paid Away Their Lives That Others Might Live Happier."
Leslie Newall
1st Bn. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
2nd September 1915, aged 23.
Plot I. C. 15.
Son of William and Lilian Newall, of Redheath, Croxley Green, Herts.
His headstone bears the inscription: "They Paid Away Their Lives That Others Might Live Happier."

Lieutenant
Reginald Rapp
7th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
18th June 1915, aged 19.
Plot I. A. 21.
Son of Thomas William and Lilian Rapp, of 9, Lune St., Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Yorks.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Grant Him Eternal Rest O Lord And May Thy Light Shine Upon Him."
Reginald Rapp
7th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
18th June 1915, aged 19.
Plot I. A. 21.
Son of Thomas William and Lilian Rapp, of 9, Lune St., Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Yorks.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Grant Him Eternal Rest O Lord And May Thy Light Shine Upon Him."

Major
Percy George Rigby
7th Bn. Canadian Infantry
10th March 1915, aged 43.
Plot II. D. 49.
Twice Mentioned in Despatches (1900 and 1902). Son of Maj. Gen. Christopher Palmer Rigby and Matilda Rigby, of 14, Portland Place, London, England. Previously served in 1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters (45th Regt. 1890-1911). Brevet Maj. 1900. Commanded 4th King's African Rifles (1905-7). Also served in Royal Niger Coy's. Expedition (1896), West African Campaign (1896.7), The South African Campaign (1899-1902), and East African Expedition (1906).
His headstone bears the inscription: "1st Battn. The Sherwood Foresters 1890-1911."
Percy George Rigby
7th Bn. Canadian Infantry
10th March 1915, aged 43.
Plot II. D. 49.
Twice Mentioned in Despatches (1900 and 1902). Son of Maj. Gen. Christopher Palmer Rigby and Matilda Rigby, of 14, Portland Place, London, England. Previously served in 1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters (45th Regt. 1890-1911). Brevet Maj. 1900. Commanded 4th King's African Rifles (1905-7). Also served in Royal Niger Coy's. Expedition (1896), West African Campaign (1896.7), The South African Campaign (1899-1902), and East African Expedition (1906).
His headstone bears the inscription: "1st Battn. The Sherwood Foresters 1890-1911."

Captain
Arthur Frederic Skaife
1st Bn. Middlesex Regiment
1st November 1914, aged 41.
Abbey Wall Mem. 12.
Son of Josephine Skaife, of North St. House, Chichester, Sussex, and the late Frederic Skaife.
Arthur Frederic Skaife
1st Bn. Middlesex Regiment
1st November 1914, aged 41.
Abbey Wall Mem. 12.
Son of Josephine Skaife, of North St. House, Chichester, Sussex, and the late Frederic Skaife.