STE. EMILIE VALLEY CEMETERY
Villers-Faucon
Somme
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 49.97727, Longitude: 3.12039
Location Information
Villers-Faucon is a village about 14 kilometres north-east of Peronne, and Ste. Emilie Valley Cemetery is 2 kilometres east of the village on the road between Epehy and Roisel.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
Villers-Faucon was captured by the 5th Cavalry Division on 27 March 1917, lost on 22 March 1918, and retaken by the III Corps on 7 September 1918.
On the site of this cemetery at the Armistice, there were three large graves of Commonwealth soldiers buried by the Germans, which now form part of Plot I. The remainder of the cemetery is composed almost entirely of graves brought in from an older cemetery of the same name or from the battlefields. A large proportion of these concentrated graves were those of soldiers of the 16th (Irish) Division who died in March 1918.
Ste. Emilie Valley Cemetery contains 513 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. 222 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 21 casualties believed to be buried among them. There are also ten German burials in the cemetery.
Casualty Details: UK 484, Canada 1, Australia 25, New Zealand 1, South Africa 2, Germany 10, Total Burials: 523.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Arthur James Scott Hutton
Villers-Faucon is a village about 14 kilometres north-east of Peronne, and Ste. Emilie Valley Cemetery is 2 kilometres east of the village on the road between Epehy and Roisel.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this site makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
Villers-Faucon was captured by the 5th Cavalry Division on 27 March 1917, lost on 22 March 1918, and retaken by the III Corps on 7 September 1918.
On the site of this cemetery at the Armistice, there were three large graves of Commonwealth soldiers buried by the Germans, which now form part of Plot I. The remainder of the cemetery is composed almost entirely of graves brought in from an older cemetery of the same name or from the battlefields. A large proportion of these concentrated graves were those of soldiers of the 16th (Irish) Division who died in March 1918.
Ste. Emilie Valley Cemetery contains 513 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. 222 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 21 casualties believed to be buried among them. There are also ten German burials in the cemetery.
Casualty Details: UK 484, Canada 1, Australia 25, New Zealand 1, South Africa 2, Germany 10, Total Burials: 523.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Arthur James Scott Hutton
200328 Private
George Bonar
14th (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
18th September 1918.
Sp. Mem. A. 8.
Son of Mr. J. Bonar, of 19, McDonald St., Dundee.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Their Glory Shall Not Be Blotted Out."
George Bonar
14th (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
18th September 1918.
Sp. Mem. A. 8.
Son of Mr. J. Bonar, of 19, McDonald St., Dundee.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Their Glory Shall Not Be Blotted Out."
38810 Driver
W. J. Fraser M.M.
"A" Battery, 83rd Brigade. Royal Field Artillery
19th September 1918.
Plot II. D. 19.
Husband of M. Fraser, of 35, Hall Place, Paddington, London.
Picture Courtesy of Mr & Mrs J. Watts, Mrs Watts is the Granddaughter of this soldier.
W. J. Fraser M.M.
"A" Battery, 83rd Brigade. Royal Field Artillery
19th September 1918.
Plot II. D. 19.
Husband of M. Fraser, of 35, Hall Place, Paddington, London.
Picture Courtesy of Mr & Mrs J. Watts, Mrs Watts is the Granddaughter of this soldier.
3295 Private
Cecil Louis Holst
4th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
29th September 1918, aged 20.
Plot III. C. 10.
Son of Andrew and Rose Holst, of Moora, Western Australia. Born at Fremantle, Western Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Have Mercy On Him Lord And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him."
Cecil Louis Holst
4th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
29th September 1918, aged 20.
Plot III. C. 10.
Son of Andrew and Rose Holst, of Moora, Western Australia. Born at Fremantle, Western Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Have Mercy On Him Lord And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him."
767 Gunner
Neville Cooper Jefferies
75th (Natal) Siege Battery. South African Heavy Artillery
21st April 1917, aged 23.
Plot III. D. 18.
Son of Roland John Jefferies, of "Vectis," Brunswick Rd., Tamboers Kloof, Cape Town.
Originally buried in the grounds of the Chateau St. Emilie (above right) before both graves were moved in to this cemetery.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Fondly Loved And Deeply Mourned By His Devoted Parents And Brother."
Pictures courtesy of Lenore Jefferies
Second Lieutenant
Hugh Victor Moore
Connaught Rangers, attd. 48th Trench Mortar Bty., formerly Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
21st March 1918, aged 31.
Sp. Mem. B. 2.
Son of James and Harriet Moore, of 10, Auburn Terrace, Athlone.
His headstone bears the inscription: "He Hath Conquered."
Hugh Victor Moore
Connaught Rangers, attd. 48th Trench Mortar Bty., formerly Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
21st March 1918, aged 31.
Sp. Mem. B. 2.
Son of James and Harriet Moore, of 10, Auburn Terrace, Athlone.
His headstone bears the inscription: "He Hath Conquered."
11131 Gunner
Allen James Seage
3rd A.F.A. Bde. Australian Field Artillery
30th September 1918, aged 23.
Pot I. D. 19.
Son of James Joseph and Elizabeth Seage, of 30, Thomas St., Lewisham, New South Wales. Born at Cowra, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription: "An Unblemished Life Brave And True."
Allen James Seage
3rd A.F.A. Bde. Australian Field Artillery
30th September 1918, aged 23.
Pot I. D. 19.
Son of James Joseph and Elizabeth Seage, of 30, Thomas St., Lewisham, New South Wales. Born at Cowra, New South Wales.
His headstone bears the inscription: "An Unblemished Life Brave And True."
Click on image to enlarge
697084 Driver
Richard Smith
277th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
21st March 1918.
Plot I. C. 12. (Coll)
Husband of F. Smith, of 8, Timpson St., Earl Rd., Liverpool.
Remembered by Thelma Copeland and Claire Dwyer
Richard Smith
277th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
21st March 1918.
Plot I. C. 12. (Coll)
Husband of F. Smith, of 8, Timpson St., Earl Rd., Liverpool.
Remembered by Thelma Copeland and Claire Dwyer
320060 Serjeant
William John Sudds
16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment
18th September 1918, aged 31.
Plot I. B. 17.
Son of Henry and Mary Sudds, of The Lodge, Magdalen Rd., St. Leonards-on-Sea.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Requiem Aeternam Dona Ei Domine Et Lux Perpetua Luceat Ei. R.I.P."
William John Sudds
16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment
18th September 1918, aged 31.
Plot I. B. 17.
Son of Henry and Mary Sudds, of The Lodge, Magdalen Rd., St. Leonards-on-Sea.
His headstone bears the inscription: "Requiem Aeternam Dona Ei Domine Et Lux Perpetua Luceat Ei. R.I.P."
An incident at an advanced field dressing station during the recent allied push. A British padre saying a prayer over a dying German, near Epehy, 18th September 1918. © IWM (Q 11336)
Battle of Epehy. Wounded and Prisoners coming in, near Epehy, 18th September 1918. The wounded soldier in the foreground is from a Bantam unit. © IWM (Q 11329)
