ST. LÉGER BRITISH CEMETERY
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.18865, Longitude: 2.85433
Location Information
St. Léger is a village approximately 12 kilometres south of Arras and 8 kilometres north of Bapaume. St Leger British Cemetery lies down a 500 metre track to the north-west of the village.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this site is possible, but maybe by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
St. Léger village was occupied by Commonwealth troops in the middle of March 1917, lost after obstinate defence by the 40th and 34th Divisions a year later, and recaptured towards the end of the following August, after severe fighting, by the 62nd (West Riding) and Guards Divisions.
The cemetery was begun in March 1917 and used by fighting units and field ambulances until March 1918, when a certain number of burials were made by the Germans.
The Cemetery contains 184 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. Three of the burials are unidentified and six destroyed by shell fire are represented by special memorials. The cemetery also contains 20 unidentified German burials.
The cemetery was designed by George Hartley Goldsmith
Total Burials: 204.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 180, India 1. Total 181.
Unidentified Casualties: Germany 20, United Kingdom 3. Total 23.
St. Léger is a village approximately 12 kilometres south of Arras and 8 kilometres north of Bapaume. St Leger British Cemetery lies down a 500 metre track to the north-west of the village.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this site is possible, but maybe by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
St. Léger village was occupied by Commonwealth troops in the middle of March 1917, lost after obstinate defence by the 40th and 34th Divisions a year later, and recaptured towards the end of the following August, after severe fighting, by the 62nd (West Riding) and Guards Divisions.
The cemetery was begun in March 1917 and used by fighting units and field ambulances until March 1918, when a certain number of burials were made by the Germans.
The Cemetery contains 184 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. Three of the burials are unidentified and six destroyed by shell fire are represented by special memorials. The cemetery also contains 20 unidentified German burials.
The cemetery was designed by George Hartley Goldsmith
Total Burials: 204.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 180, India 1. Total 181.
Unidentified Casualties: Germany 20, United Kingdom 3. Total 23.
The ruins of St-Leger - Note the two children amidst the wreckage.
Battery of 8-inch howitzers (Royal Garrison Artillery) in action on the roadside at St. Leger. Note dust rising from road as result of concussion of discharge, 29 August 1918. © IWM Q 11502
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
27317 Private
Bertrand Brocklehurst
7th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
27th April 1917, aged 28.
Row C. 34.
Son of Thomas and Ellen Brocklehurst, of 46, Glossop St., Leicester. Native of Hinckley.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Lost To Sight But To Memory Dear."
Bertrand Brocklehurst
7th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
27th April 1917, aged 28.
Row C. 34.
Son of Thomas and Ellen Brocklehurst, of 46, Glossop St., Leicester. Native of Hinckley.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Lost To Sight But To Memory Dear."
Second Lieutenant
Charles Beresford Cairnes
"C" Bty. 148th Bde. Royal Field Artillery
22nd April 1917, aged 33.
Row A. 1.
Son of the late Claudius Beresford Cairnes and Elizabeth Cairnes, of "Rowena", 29, Eltham Avenue, Darling Point, Sydney. Native of Parramatta, New South Wales.
Charles Beresford Cairnes
"C" Bty. 148th Bde. Royal Field Artillery
22nd April 1917, aged 33.
Row A. 1.
Son of the late Claudius Beresford Cairnes and Elizabeth Cairnes, of "Rowena", 29, Eltham Avenue, Darling Point, Sydney. Native of Parramatta, New South Wales.
41873 Private
Charles Edwards
10th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment
19th August 1917.
Row F. 23.
Charles Edwards
10th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment
19th August 1917.
Row F. 23.
Second Lieutenant
Herbert Hilton Fielding
6th Bn. Manchester Regiment
28th March 1917, aged 27.
Row B. 4.
Son of Harry Fitton Pendlebury Fielding and Hannah Fielding, of 7, St. Paul's Rd., Withington, Manchester.
His headstone bears the inscription: "I Gave Unto Them Eternal Life And They Shall Never Perish."
Herbert Hilton Fielding
6th Bn. Manchester Regiment
28th March 1917, aged 27.
Row B. 4.
Son of Harry Fitton Pendlebury Fielding and Hannah Fielding, of 7, St. Paul's Rd., Withington, Manchester.
His headstone bears the inscription: "I Gave Unto Them Eternal Life And They Shall Never Perish."
95540 Gunner
John Taylor
114th Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
12th June 1917.
Row F. 15.
John Taylor
114th Heavy Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
12th June 1917.
Row F. 15.
Second Lieutenant
Wilfred Goodwin Towers
4th Bn. Manchester Regiment
2nd April 1917, aged 19.
Row B. 1.
Son of George James and Lucy Towers, of Meadow Lodge, Cambridge Park, Twickenham, Middx.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori."
Wilfred Goodwin Towers
4th Bn. Manchester Regiment
2nd April 1917, aged 19.
Row B. 1.
Son of George James and Lucy Towers, of Meadow Lodge, Cambridge Park, Twickenham, Middx.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori."
Battle of Albert. British troops, blinded by gas, assisting each other to the dressing station at Croisilles, 21 August 1918. © IWM (Q 7293)
