VALENCIENNES (ST. ROCH) COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Nord
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.3671, Longitude: 3.53892
Location Information
Valenciennes (St Roch) Communal Cemetery is situated on the north-east side of Valenciennes, about 1.5 kilometres from the centre. It is on the north side of the road to Bruay-sur-L'Escaut.
Visiting Information
OPENING TIMES:
November - February: 08.00 - 17.00
March - September: 08.00 - 18.00
October: 08.00 - 17.30
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible, but may be by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
Valenciennes remained in German hands from the early days of the First World War until 1-2 November 1918, when it was entered and cleared by the Canadian Corps; 5,000 civilians were found in the town. In November and December 1918, the 2nd, 57th, 4th Canadian and 32nd Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at Valenciennes and the last of them did not leave until October 1919.
The Communal Cemetery of St. Roch was used by the Germans in August and September 1914 and an extension was then made on the south-east side. The Commonwealth plots were made adjoining the German: I and II contain the graves of October 1918 to December 1919; III, IV, V and part of VI contain the graves of 348 soldiers buried originally in the German Extension and 226 whose bodies were brought from other cemeteries or from the battlefields. The German Extension has since been removed and the Commonwealth plots are within the enlarged Communal Cemetery.
The following were among the burial grounds from which graves were moved to this cemetery:-
ARTRES BRITISH CEMETERY, on the road from Artres to Preseau, contained the graves of 32 soldiers of the 61st (South Midland) Division who fell on the 1st November 1918.
MONT-DES-BRUYERES BRITISH CEMETERY, ST. AMAND-LES-EAUX, where 17 soldiers from the United Kingdom, who fell in October and November 1918, were buried.
The cemetery now contains 885 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 37 of the burials are unidentified. Special memorials commemorate 19 casualties who died as prisoners of war, of whom nine are buried here (Plot IV, Row A.) and ten at Le Quesnoy Communal Cemetery Extension, none of whom could be individually identified; all are therefore commemorated at both sites. Other special memorials record the names of seven soldiers buried in other cemeteries whose graves could not be found.
The cemetery also contains 34 burials from the Second World War, all but one of them airmen.
An interesting feature from the 1939-45 War, is a memorial tablet of white marble affixed to the outside wall of the shelter building, commemorating the Commission's former gardener, the late Robert Armstrong. An ex-Irish Guardsman, Mr. Armstrong held an Irish passport and, as a neutral, was allowed to continue at work in the cemetery after the outbreak of war. His sympathies impelled him to assist Allied soldiers and airmen to escape, and he was arrested by the Germans at the end of 1943. The original death sentence was commuted to 15 years imprisonment, and he was deported to Germany, dying at Waldheim Camp, Saxony, in December, 1944. For his help to Allied escapees he was posthumously awarded the Medaille de Resistance Francaise, and the tablet was a voluntary token of remembrance from the people of Valenciennes and the surrounding district.
The cemetery also contains a memorial to Sir William Douglas, K.C.B., who commanded the 91st Regiment in the Waterloo campaign.
The cemetery was designed by Charles Henry Holden and William Harrison Cowlishaw
Total Burials: 919.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 664, Canada 147, Australia 28, India 5, South Africa 3, New Zealand 1. Total 848.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: 37.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 23, Canada 5, New Zealand 4, Australia 2. Total 34.
1919: A decorated cross at the grave of 52 Corporal (Cpl) James Darcy, 6th Railway Operating Company, of Campsie NSW. A locomotive driver prior to enlistment, Cpl Darcy embarked from Sydney with the Special Draft on HMAT Wiltshire on 7th February 1917. On 6th January 1919 he was accidently killed and a court of enquiry found that 'Cpl Darcy met his death while in the execution of his duty, cause unknown'. He was buried in the Valenciennes (St Roch) Communal Cemetery.
Second Lieutenant
Rowland Hurst Bourne
Army Service Corps attached to 7th Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment
24th October 1918, aged 19.
Plot III. B. 3.
Son of Rowland Manlove Bourne, J.P., and Gertrude Bourne, of 26, Bath Rd., Bedford Park, Chiswick, London.
Rowland Hurst Bourne
Army Service Corps attached to 7th Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment
24th October 1918, aged 19.
Plot III. B. 3.
Son of Rowland Manlove Bourne, J.P., and Gertrude Bourne, of 26, Bath Rd., Bedford Park, Chiswick, London.
5113 Private
William Hale
63rd Bn. Machine Gun Corps. (Inf.) Formerly 24159 Worcestershire Regiment
5th July 1917, aged 21.
Plot IV. D. 25.
Son of Richard Hale, of Upper Mill Bank, Evesham, Worcs.
His headstone bears the following inscription: "Rest In Peace."
His brother Jack Hale is commemorated on the Arras Memorial
Photo courtesy of Barbara Turner, this soldier is her husband's great uncle
William Hale
63rd Bn. Machine Gun Corps. (Inf.) Formerly 24159 Worcestershire Regiment
5th July 1917, aged 21.
Plot IV. D. 25.
Son of Richard Hale, of Upper Mill Bank, Evesham, Worcs.
His headstone bears the following inscription: "Rest In Peace."
His brother Jack Hale is commemorated on the Arras Memorial
Photo courtesy of Barbara Turner, this soldier is her husband's great uncle
1226 Serjeant
A. H. Heden
"C" Company, 13th Kensington Battalion, London Regiment
25th July 1915, aged 20.
Plot IV. B. 6.
Son of Alfred and Hannah Heden, of 11, Grove Rd., Barnes, London.
His headstone bears the following inscription: "Blessed Are The Pure In Heart For They Shall See God."
A. H. Heden
"C" Company, 13th Kensington Battalion, London Regiment
25th July 1915, aged 20.
Plot IV. B. 6.
Son of Alfred and Hannah Heden, of 11, Grove Rd., Barnes, London.
His headstone bears the following inscription: "Blessed Are The Pure In Heart For They Shall See God."
36811 Private
Isaac Oakley Leach
1st/5th Bn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
22nd April 1918, aged 38.
Plot IV. G. 11.
Husband of Eleanor Leach, of 56, Stourbridge Rd., Scotts Green, Dudley, Worcs.
His headstone bears the following inscription: "His Name Liveth For Evermore."
Image courtesy of Linda Rudnicki, great niece of this soldier
Isaac Oakley Leach
1st/5th Bn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
22nd April 1918, aged 38.
Plot IV. G. 11.
Husband of Eleanor Leach, of 56, Stourbridge Rd., Scotts Green, Dudley, Worcs.
His headstone bears the following inscription: "His Name Liveth For Evermore."
Image courtesy of Linda Rudnicki, great niece of this soldier
S/24067 Private
Hendry Noble
6th/7th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
Killed in action 25th October 1918, aged 23.
Plot III. E. 24.
Picture courtesy of Gordon Noble (Great Nephew)
Hendry Noble
6th/7th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
Killed in action 25th October 1918, aged 23.
Plot III. E. 24.
Picture courtesy of Gordon Noble (Great Nephew)
325169 Private
Frank Northfield
1st Bn. Cambridgeshire Regiment
17th November 1918, aged 23.
Plot I. D. 22.
Son of George Northfield, of 348, Mill Rd., Cambridge.
His headstone bears the following inscription: "Grant Him O' Lord Eternal Rest."
Frank Northfield
1st Bn. Cambridgeshire Regiment
17th November 1918, aged 23.
Plot I. D. 22.
Son of George Northfield, of 348, Mill Rd., Cambridge.
His headstone bears the following inscription: "Grant Him O' Lord Eternal Rest."
2022195 Private
Courtney Smith
72nd Bn. Canadian Infantry, (British Columbia Regiment)
5th November 1918.
Plot I. B. 10.
Son of Nehemiah Smith, Clarks Harbour Nova Scotia.
Picture courtesy of Alton Cromwell. This soldiers father was his great grandfather's brother
Courtney Smith
72nd Bn. Canadian Infantry, (British Columbia Regiment)
5th November 1918.
Plot I. B. 10.
Son of Nehemiah Smith, Clarks Harbour Nova Scotia.
Picture courtesy of Alton Cromwell. This soldiers father was his great grandfather's brother
R/34861 Rifleman
Ernest James Westaway
10th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps.
22nd September 1918.
Plot V. F. 11.
Picture courtesy of Eileen Robbins
Ernest James Westaway
10th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps.
22nd September 1918.
Plot V. F. 11.
Picture courtesy of Eileen Robbins
Troops of the 8th Scottish Motor Ambulance Convoy, Army Service Corps at Valenciennes, 17 November 1918. © IWM (Q 9700)
