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ST. VENANT COMMUNAL CEMETERY
​​​
​Pas De Calais

​France


GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.62422, Longitude: 2.55486

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Location Information

St. Venant is a town in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, 15 kilometres north-west of Bethune.

The Communal Cemetery is 1 kilometre east of the town. Leave the church and head east crossing the main road at the base of the bridge over the river. After 500 metres the car park for the Communal Cemetery is found on the left hand side.

​
Historical Information

From January 1915 to October 1917, British and Indian Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at St. Venant. In April 1918, during the Battles of the Lys, the Germans advanced half-way between Merville and St. Venant, but the latter town remained in British hands.

On the West side of St. Venant Communal Cemetery is the Indian Plot (I), used from January to July 1915; behind that is a French Military Plot; and behind the French Plot is Plot II, used from August 1915 to December 1916. Two British graves are in a civilian plot.

During the 1939-45 War, St. Venant was the centre of heavy fighting when delaying actions covered the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force to the coast. In fact British troops continued fighting at St. Venant after the evacuation of Dunkirk, and 90 or more were buried in a mass grave in a field at St. Venant. The 1939-45 burials are in Plots III and IV.

There are 253 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-18 war, 10 of which are unidentified, and 177 of the 1939-1945 war, 40 of which are unidentified, in this site. The 1939-45 total includes the 90 originally buried in a mass grave and an officer who is commemorated by a special memorial inscribed "Believed to be".

Casualty Details: UK 165, Canada 1, South Africa 2, India 85, Total Burials: 253
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12193 Lance Corporal
Charles Bowden
9th Bn. Cheshire Regiment
10th August 1915, aged 22.
Plot II. A. 8.

Son of Edward and Matilda M. Bowden, of Slaughter Hill, Crewe Green, Crewe. Born at Haslington, Cheshire.


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20723 Private 
Robert Samuel Hughes
14th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers 
10th February 1916, aged 32.
Plot II. F. 4.

Husband of Winnie Hughes, of 7, Prospect Terrace, Great Orme, Llandudno.

​His headstone bears the inscription: "Dearly Loved. Never Forgotten By His Wife And Children; Winnie, Vic. & Alf."

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G/78968 Private
William Robert Kent 
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) Posted to 1st/24th Bn. London Regiment

7th October 1918.
Plot IV. B. 4.



Picture courtesy of Helen Woolley

​

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13460 Private
Hugh Frederick Nicholas
9th Bn. Welsh Regiment
21st December 1915, aged 22.
Plot II. B. 2.

Son of Hugh Nicholas, of 14, Lewis Rd., Neath, Glam, and the late Elizabeth Nicholas.

His headstone 
bears the inscription: "A Loving Son And Brother Dear A Loving Memory Left Behind​."

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1623 Quartermaster Serjeant
John Satterthwaite
1st Bn. Hertfordshire Regiment
22nd April 1916, aged 25.
Plot II. G. 1.

​Son of James and Alice Satterthwaite, of 6, North Aivengue, Letchworth, Herts. Born in London.

His headstone 
bears the inscription: "Though Far Away We Mourn Him Still, Peace Perfect Peace."


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Lieutenant
Edward Gordon Williams
2nd Bn. Grenadier Guards
12th August 1915, aged 27.
French Civilian Plot

​Son of Edward Gordon Williams and Louise Davies Williams.

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266313 Private
Richard Yates
11th Bn. Somerset Light Infantry
2nd September 1918.
Plot IV. B. 25.


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The Battle of the Lys. 18 pounder gun of the Royal Field Artillery in position for the defence of a canal bridge. Saint-Venant, 12 April 1918. © IWM Q 6611
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Lewis gun team manning a post on the bank of the Lys canal at St Venant during the Battle of Hazebrouck, 15 April 1918. © IWM Q 10902

Nearby Cemeteries

Haverskerque British Cemetery
Haverskerque Churchyard
St. Venant-Robecq Road British Cemetery

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Disclaimer 

The casualty numbers for each cemetery and G. P. S. Coordinates are taken from the C. W. G. C. site. We are aware that there can be discrepancies in the burial numbers quoted due to rededication burials.

  • Home
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  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • MEMORIALS IN BELGIUM
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • Memorials in France
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited