TRANCHÉE DE MECKNES CEMETERY
Aix-Noulette
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.42533, Longitude: 2.73376
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
Aix-Noulette is 16 kilometres north of Arras, about 2 kilometres south-west of Bully-les-Mines on the road from Arras to Bethune. Tranchée de Mecknes Cemetery is about 2 kilometres east of the village.
Visiting Information
Access to the cemetery is by a rough track which can be difficult under bad weather conditions.
Wheelchair access is possible with some difficulty.
Historical Information
The cemetery was begun by French troops in May 1915, and the trench, and consequently the cemetery, were named from the Arab version of the town of Mequinez in Morocco, from which these troops had come. The cemetery was taken over by British units in February 1916, and besides its present name it was called at times Pioneer Point, Mechanics Trench and Corons d'Aix.
There are now 199 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war commemorated in this site, 3 being unidentified and a special memorial is erected to one soldier from the United Kingdom whose grave cannot now be found. There are 171 French and 2 German burials here.
The British part of the cemetery covers an area of 1,129 square metres.
The cemetery was designed by Arthur James Scott Hutton
Total Burials: 372.
Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 151, Canada 45. Total 196.
Commonwealth Unidentified Casualties: 3.
Other Burials: France 171, Germany 2. Total 173.
Cemetery images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
Second Lieutenant
Bertram Reginald Baker
"D" Company, 17th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
3rd May 1916, aged 25.
Row D. 14.
Son of William and Sylvia Baker, of Compton, Petersfield.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died As He Lived For Others Torn Hearts Mourn Him Yet"
Bertram Reginald Baker
"D" Company, 17th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
3rd May 1916, aged 25.
Row D. 14.
Son of William and Sylvia Baker, of Compton, Petersfield.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died As He Lived For Others Torn Hearts Mourn Him Yet"
Clyde Z/1283 Able Seaman
James Beattie
Hawke Bn. R. N. Division
22nd June 1916, aged 24.
Row D. 15.
Son of James Beattie, of Seaton Lodge, Arbroath.
James Beattie
Hawke Bn. R. N. Division
22nd June 1916, aged 24.
Row D. 15.
Son of James Beattie, of Seaton Lodge, Arbroath.
2101 Private
Herbert Curran
24th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
7th May 1916, aged 21.
Row C. 10.
Son of Miles and Edith Curran, of 9, Myrtlefield Park, Belfast.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
Herbert Curran
24th Bn. Royal Fusiliers
7th May 1916, aged 21.
Row C. 10.
Son of Miles and Edith Curran, of 9, Myrtlefield Park, Belfast.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
17176 Private
Harold Halstead
8th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
4th October 1916
Row F. 5.
Resided at 15 Parkinson Street, Burnley Wood, Burnley.
Harold Halstead
8th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
4th October 1916
Row F. 5.
Resided at 15 Parkinson Street, Burnley Wood, Burnley.
PO/854(S) Private
Andrew Hunter McQuilken
2nd R.M. Bn. R.N. Div., Royal Marine Light Infantry
25th August 1916, aged 21.
Row J. 13.
Son of Alex McQuilken and Helen Hunter of 12, Sandyford St., Glasgow.
Remembered with honour David C. Fitzpatrick, Clydebank, Scotland
Andrew Hunter McQuilken
2nd R.M. Bn. R.N. Div., Royal Marine Light Infantry
25th August 1916, aged 21.
Row J. 13.
Son of Alex McQuilken and Helen Hunter of 12, Sandyford St., Glasgow.
Remembered with honour David C. Fitzpatrick, Clydebank, Scotland
146227 Pioneer
E. Tragheim
4th Bn. Special Brigade, Royal Engineers
29th June 1916, aged 22.
Row G. 13.
Son of Mrs. S. Tragheim, of 47, Wolseley Gardens, Jesmond, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
His headstone bears the inscription "Rest In Peace"
E. Tragheim
4th Bn. Special Brigade, Royal Engineers
29th June 1916, aged 22.
Row G. 13.
Son of Mrs. S. Tragheim, of 47, Wolseley Gardens, Jesmond, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
His headstone bears the inscription "Rest In Peace"
CH/16412 Private
Lionel John White
1st R. M. R. N. Div. Royal Marine Light Infantry
18th July 1916.
Tow H. 8.
Lionel John White
1st R. M. R. N. Div. Royal Marine Light Infantry
18th July 1916.
Tow H. 8.
Second Lieutenant
Charles Walter Fyffe Woolnough
10th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment attached to 69th Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
21st March 1916, aged 20.
Row B. 2.
Charles Walter Fyffe Woolnough
10th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment attached to 69th Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
21st March 1916, aged 20.
Row B. 2.
Two British Generals (59th Brigade of the 20th Light Division) in a trench in front of Lievin, 14 May 1918. One of them might be Major General C. G. S. Carey, the Commander of the Division. © IWM (Q 6623)
A gas sentry of the 20th Division in the ruins of Lievin, 13 June 1918. © IWM (Q 6699)
