SAILLY-SUR-LA-LYS CHURCHYARD
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.65918, Longitude: 2.76777
Location Information
Sailly-Sur-La-Lys is a village on the main road between Merville and Armentières, 5 kilometres south-west of Armentières.
The church is 100 metres from the centre of this small town. The Commonwealth War Graves are in the far right hand corner of the Churchyard.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this churchyard with some difficulty.
Historical Information
Sailly Church was burnt during the open fighting of October 1914, when French cavalry and British and German infantry fought on the Lys, but from the winter of 1914-1915 to the spring of 1918 the village was comparatively untouched. It was captured by the Germans on 9 April 1918, and it remained in their hands until the beginning of September.
The churchyard was used by our forces from November 1914 to April 1915, and again in April 1918. It was then used by the Germans, and three memorials in the nearby Anzac Cemetery record the names of Commonwealth soldiers buried at that time whose graves could not be found when the German burials were removed.
The churchyard now contains 48 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and one from the Second World War.
Total Burials: 49.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 45, Canada 2. Total 47.
World War One Unidentified Casualty: United Kingdom 1.
World War Two Identified Casualty: United Kingdom 1.
The Commonwealth section was designed by A J S Hutton
Cemetery images © Werner Van Caneghem
Lieutenant Colonel
Robert Henry Watkin Brewis, Mentioned in Despatches
Cdg. 2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Formerly Asst. Adjt.-Gen. to the B.E.F.
18th December 1914, aged 41.
Row E. 10.
Eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Brewis, of Ibstone, Oxon. Served in the Sudan Campaign.
His headstone bears the inscription: "In The Midst Of Life We Are In Death."
Robert Henry Watkin Brewis, Mentioned in Despatches
Cdg. 2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Formerly Asst. Adjt.-Gen. to the B.E.F.
18th December 1914, aged 41.
Row E. 10.
Eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Brewis, of Ibstone, Oxon. Served in the Sudan Campaign.
His headstone bears the inscription: "In The Midst Of Life We Are In Death."
4564 Private
John Jackson
1st Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers
19th December 1914.
Row B. 3.
John Jackson
1st Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers
19th December 1914.
Row B. 3.
4264 Lance Corporal
Henry George McNally
2nd Bn. Border Regiment
23rd December 1914, aged 34.
Row. B. 7.
Henry George McNally
2nd Bn. Border Regiment
23rd December 1914, aged 34.
Row. B. 7.
24408 Private
John Gordon Reekie
13th Bn. Canadian Infantry
5th March 1915, aged 21.
Row. D. 6.
Son of Alexander and Euphemia Reekie, of High St., Strathmere, Fife, Scotland.
John Gordon Reekie
13th Bn. Canadian Infantry
5th March 1915, aged 21.
Row. D. 6.
Son of Alexander and Euphemia Reekie, of High St., Strathmere, Fife, Scotland.
2340 Private
William Tees
2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
20th December 1914, aged 34.
Plot B. 2.
Son of William and Caroline Tees, of Small Heath, Birmingham; husband of Elsie M. F. Tees, of Wellhead Lane, Perry Barr, Birmingham.
William Tees
2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
20th December 1914, aged 34.
Plot B. 2.
Son of William and Caroline Tees, of Small Heath, Birmingham; husband of Elsie M. F. Tees, of Wellhead Lane, Perry Barr, Birmingham.
2528 Private
David Henry Varney
2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
14th February 1915, aged 20.
Row. E. 3.
Son of Charles and Mary A. Varney, of 39, Crompton St., Warwick. Native of Blaina, Mon.
David Henry Varney
2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
14th February 1915, aged 20.
Row. E. 3.
Son of Charles and Mary A. Varney, of 39, Crompton St., Warwick. Native of Blaina, Mon.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards in a barn on the road between Sailly-sur-la-Lys and Rue Petillon near Fleurbaix, December 1914. This building was used as a billet for troops and venue for concerts during the winter of 1914-1915. © IWM Q 57384
