RUE-DU-BOIS MILITARY CEMETERY
Fleurbaix
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.62917, Longitude: 2.82284
Location Information
The village of Fleurbaix is approximately 5 kilometres south-west of Armentieres and Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery is 3 kilometres south-west of the village.
Historical Information
The village was in Allied hands during the greater part of the war but it was captured by the Germans on 9 April 1918 after a very gallant defence by the 12th Suffolks. It remained within the German lines until the following September.
The original Rue-du-Bois Cemetery, now comprising Plot I and Rows A and B of Plot II, was begun in November 1914 and used until December 1916. It was reopened in January 1918, and again in October. The majority of the graves were Australian, with Plot I, Row B, containing the graves of 27 soldiers of the 5th Australian Division who died in the Attack at Fromelles (19-20 July 1916).
Plot II, Row A contains two big graves into which, about the time of the Armistice, the remains of soldiers of the 5th Australian Division and the 2nd/1st Bucks Battalion were brought from the battlefield of Fromelles. The number of the dead in these graves is not certain, but it is believed that the Australian grave contains 22 bodies and the Bucks grave 52.
The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice when 423 graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields and from certain small cemeteries, including:-
LAVENTIE GERMAN CEMETERY, which was on the road going North from Laventie Village. The graves of 19 soldiers from the United Kingdom were found in this cemetery. The German graves were moved to Sailly-sur-la-Lys German Cemetery.
PICANTIN POST CEMETERIES, LAVENTIE, was in the fields West of Picantin. These were two graveyards made in 1915, each containing the graves of 25 soldiers from the United Kingdom.
TILLELOY CEMETERY, was near the road between Picantin and Le Tilleloy. It contained the graves of 27 soldiers from the United Kingdom.
Rue-du-Bois Cemetery now contains 845 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 395 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 13 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. There is also one German grave.
Casualty Details: UK 597, Australia 241, New Zealand 5, India 1, Germany 1, Total Burials: 845.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
Dedications
3931 Private Dick Enmore Scott, 51st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F., 25th June 1916, aged 38. Son of Richard and Rachel Scott, of 180, Camden St., Newtown, New South Wales. Native of Emnore New South Wales.
Remembered by Great niece, Lee Patterson (Mrs)
The village of Fleurbaix is approximately 5 kilometres south-west of Armentieres and Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery is 3 kilometres south-west of the village.
Historical Information
The village was in Allied hands during the greater part of the war but it was captured by the Germans on 9 April 1918 after a very gallant defence by the 12th Suffolks. It remained within the German lines until the following September.
The original Rue-du-Bois Cemetery, now comprising Plot I and Rows A and B of Plot II, was begun in November 1914 and used until December 1916. It was reopened in January 1918, and again in October. The majority of the graves were Australian, with Plot I, Row B, containing the graves of 27 soldiers of the 5th Australian Division who died in the Attack at Fromelles (19-20 July 1916).
Plot II, Row A contains two big graves into which, about the time of the Armistice, the remains of soldiers of the 5th Australian Division and the 2nd/1st Bucks Battalion were brought from the battlefield of Fromelles. The number of the dead in these graves is not certain, but it is believed that the Australian grave contains 22 bodies and the Bucks grave 52.
The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice when 423 graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields and from certain small cemeteries, including:-
LAVENTIE GERMAN CEMETERY, which was on the road going North from Laventie Village. The graves of 19 soldiers from the United Kingdom were found in this cemetery. The German graves were moved to Sailly-sur-la-Lys German Cemetery.
PICANTIN POST CEMETERIES, LAVENTIE, was in the fields West of Picantin. These were two graveyards made in 1915, each containing the graves of 25 soldiers from the United Kingdom.
TILLELOY CEMETERY, was near the road between Picantin and Le Tilleloy. It contained the graves of 27 soldiers from the United Kingdom.
Rue-du-Bois Cemetery now contains 845 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 395 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 13 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. There is also one German grave.
Casualty Details: UK 597, Australia 241, New Zealand 5, India 1, Germany 1, Total Burials: 845.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
Dedications
3931 Private Dick Enmore Scott, 51st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F., 25th June 1916, aged 38. Son of Richard and Rachel Scott, of 180, Camden St., Newtown, New South Wales. Native of Emnore New South Wales.
Remembered by Great niece, Lee Patterson (Mrs)
22 Private
John (Jack) McLeod Brown
51st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
27th June 1916, aged 25.
Plot I. C. 10.
Son of Robert and Catherine Rachel Brown, of 62, Moreland St., Footscray, Victoria, Australia.
Jack was born on 14th November 1890 at Essendon, Victoria, Australia and he enlisted in Western Australia on 13th February 1915. He served in Gallipoli with “A” Company, 28th Battalion, AIF and France with “C” Company, 51st Battalion, AIF. He died on 27th June 1916, when he was accidentally shot by a sentry while returning from a listening post. Two brothers also served, Richard Canfield Brown - Jack’s twin brother - and Robert Leslie Brown his younger brother.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Love And Remembrance Live For Ever Mother."
Picture courtesy of grand niece, Joy Moore
John (Jack) McLeod Brown
51st Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
27th June 1916, aged 25.
Plot I. C. 10.
Son of Robert and Catherine Rachel Brown, of 62, Moreland St., Footscray, Victoria, Australia.
Jack was born on 14th November 1890 at Essendon, Victoria, Australia and he enlisted in Western Australia on 13th February 1915. He served in Gallipoli with “A” Company, 28th Battalion, AIF and France with “C” Company, 51st Battalion, AIF. He died on 27th June 1916, when he was accidentally shot by a sentry while returning from a listening post. Two brothers also served, Richard Canfield Brown - Jack’s twin brother - and Robert Leslie Brown his younger brother.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Love And Remembrance Live For Ever Mother."
Picture courtesy of grand niece, Joy Moore
Second Lieutenant
Alexander Marchetti
5th Bn. attd. 2nd Bn., Rifle Brigade
15th March 1916, aged 23.
Plot I. B. 23.
Son of George and Alexandra Marchetti, of 135, Gloucester Terrace, Paddington, London
Alexander Marchetti
5th Bn. attd. 2nd Bn., Rifle Brigade
15th March 1916, aged 23.
Plot I. B. 23.
Son of George and Alexandra Marchetti, of 135, Gloucester Terrace, Paddington, London
6029 Private
Joseph Matthews
2nd Bn. Border Regiment
22nd March 1915, aged 36.
Plot III. D. 6.
Husband of Jane E. Matthews (nee Walker)
Father of William Walker Matthews, Olive May Matthews & Joseph William Matthews
Picture courtesy of Ron Matthews, grandson of this soldier
Joseph Matthews
2nd Bn. Border Regiment
22nd March 1915, aged 36.
Plot III. D. 6.
Husband of Jane E. Matthews (nee Walker)
Father of William Walker Matthews, Olive May Matthews & Joseph William Matthews
Picture courtesy of Ron Matthews, grandson of this soldier
Private 15724
James Nicol
2nd Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
12th June 1915, aged 21.
Plot III. D. 4
Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Nicol, of 281, Forest St., Clarkston, Airdrie, Lanarkshire.
Image courtesy of Joe O'Raw and William Kilgour
James Nicol
2nd Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
12th June 1915, aged 21.
Plot III. D. 4
Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Nicol, of 281, Forest St., Clarkston, Airdrie, Lanarkshire.
Image courtesy of Joe O'Raw and William Kilgour
5914 Private
Thomas Pennington
2nd/6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment
19th July 1916, aged 22.
Plot III. B.21.
Son of John and Letitia Alice Pennington, of 209, New Chester Rd., New Ferry, Birkenhead, Cheshire.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Thy Will Be Done."
Thomas Pennington
2nd/6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment
19th July 1916, aged 22.
Plot III. B.21.
Son of John and Letitia Alice Pennington, of 209, New Chester Rd., New Ferry, Birkenhead, Cheshire.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Thy Will Be Done."
27520 Private
Arthur Sandiford
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
10th September 1918, aged 36.
Plot II. E. 2.
Husband of Margery Sandiford, of 6, Shuttleworth St., Padiham, Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Gone But Not Forgotten."
Arthur Sandiford
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
10th September 1918, aged 36.
Plot II. E. 2.
Husband of Margery Sandiford, of 6, Shuttleworth St., Padiham, Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Gone But Not Forgotten."
Images below - ©Werner Van Caneghem
Panoramic view of the ruined village of Fleurbaix, 18th May 1917. © IWM (Q 2107)
Australian troops of the 2nd Anzac Division parading for the trenches; Fleurbaix, 17th April 1916. © IWM (Q 576)
