VERBERIE FRENCH NATIONAL CEMETERY
Oise
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.31174, Longitude: 2.73797
Image above © Johan Pauwels
Location Information
Verberie is a village on the River Oise, 11 kilometres south-west of Compiègne on the main road to Senlis and Paris.
Historical Information
Verberie was the scene of fighting on the 1st September 1914, and in 1918 French Ambulances were stationed in the village.
Verberie French National Cemetery adjoins the South side of the Communal Cemetery. The British graves are of 1914 and 1918, and were brought in from the following cemeteries after the Armistice:-
ESTREES-ST. DENIS COMMUNAL CEMETERY FRENCH EXTENSION, where six soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom and one Canadian Cavalryman were buried in March and June 1918.
FAYEL COMMUNAL CEMETERY FRENCH EXTENSION, which contained 849 French and six German graves and that of one British soldier who fell in August 1918.
GLAIGNES MILITARY CEMETERY, on the North side of the village, where 22 British soldiers who fell on the 1st September 1914, one who fell in July 1918, 63 French and 35 German were buried.
SERY-MAGNEVAL FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, which contained 130 French graves, 36 American, 20 British (of 1918) and 81 German.
The cemetery contains the graves of 3,221 French soldiers (of whom 2,339 are unidentified), 52 soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom, and one Canadian cavalryman. The British graves are of 1914 and 1918, and they were brought in from other cemeteries after the Armistice. Twenty-six British soldiers, all unidentified, are buried in one big grave; but a special inscription records the names of twelve men of "L" Battery, R.H.A., and twelve of the 2nd and 5th Dragoon Guards, who fell in the affair of Néry, and of whom 17 are buried in this grave.
Total Commonwealth Burials: 78.
Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 51, Canada 1. Total 52.
Commonwealth Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom Total 26.
Cemetery pictures in this gallery © Johan Pauwels
A special memorial records the names of twelve men of "L" Battery, R.H.A., who fell in the Affair of Néry: five are buried here and seven at Néry Communal Cemetery, non of whom could be individually identified, hence they are all commemorated at both sites. Also included are the names of twelve of the seventeen men of the 2nd and 5th Dragoon Guards, who fell in the Affair of Néry and are buried in this grave.
Image above © Johan Pauwels
67928 Gunner
Horace Edwin Bryant
"L" Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
1st September 1914, aged 21.
Special Memorial
Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Bryant, of New Cottages, Stratton Park Farm, Biggleswade, Beds.
Click on image to enlarge
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful Unto Death"
Horace was born in Ashwell the only son of Joseph and Shirley (nee Pickett) Bryant of Station Road, Ashwell. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.
Horace enlisted at Peterborough and was almost immediately sent to France. He served with the Royal Horse Artillery, Regimental Number 67928. He fought in the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders and was killed in action on 1 September 1914 at the Battle of Mons.
Following very serious losses at Affair of Nery on 1 September 1914, 'L' Battery was withdrawn from action.
He is buried at the Nery Communal Cemetery, Departement de l'Oise, Picardie, France and commemorated on a special Memorial at Verberie French National Cemetery. He is commemorated on the St Mary's Church Ashwell WWI Roll of Honour.
Horace was awarded the 1914 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
Before enlisting in the army he was a bricklayer's labourer. At the time of his death his parents were living in New Cottages, Stratton Park Farm, Biggleswade.
From: https://www.ashwellmuseum.org.uk/service-people/bryant-horace-edwin
Horace Edwin Bryant
"L" Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
1st September 1914, aged 21.
Special Memorial
Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Bryant, of New Cottages, Stratton Park Farm, Biggleswade, Beds.
Click on image to enlarge
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful Unto Death"
Horace was born in Ashwell the only son of Joseph and Shirley (nee Pickett) Bryant of Station Road, Ashwell. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.
Horace enlisted at Peterborough and was almost immediately sent to France. He served with the Royal Horse Artillery, Regimental Number 67928. He fought in the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders and was killed in action on 1 September 1914 at the Battle of Mons.
Following very serious losses at Affair of Nery on 1 September 1914, 'L' Battery was withdrawn from action.
He is buried at the Nery Communal Cemetery, Departement de l'Oise, Picardie, France and commemorated on a special Memorial at Verberie French National Cemetery. He is commemorated on the St Mary's Church Ashwell WWI Roll of Honour.
Horace was awarded the 1914 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
Before enlisting in the army he was a bricklayer's labourer. At the time of his death his parents were living in New Cottages, Stratton Park Farm, Biggleswade.
From: https://www.ashwellmuseum.org.uk/service-people/bryant-horace-edwin
53525 Driver
Albert Edward Burtenshaw
"L" Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
1st September 1914.
Special Memorial
The ten other Commemorations from the Memorial are
68866 Driver Ernest Browne
70518 Driver Ernest Edward Collier
55306 Gunner E. E. Copplestone, aged 20. Son of Edward and Elizabeth Copplestone, of 20, Ann's Hill Road, Gosport, Hants.
43374 Shoeing Smith John Henry Heath
56849 Bombardier Charles Martin, aged 23. Son of the late William and Jane Martin of Zeal Monachorum, Bow, Devon.
19380 Sergeant Daniel Percy Phillips
29809 Gunner Thomas William Rae, aged 26. Son of Robert and Emma Rae, of 9, Priory Road, Shirehampton, Bristol. His headstone bears the inscription "At Jesus Feet How Safe Your Rest"
39669 Bombardier George William Richards, aged 29. Son of George Willis and Kathleen Richards; husband of Alice Richards, of 49, Chadwick Road, Peckham, London.
61503 Gunner William James Richardson, aged 21. Son of James Richardson, of Newmarket Road, Great Chesterford, Essex, and the late Harriett Richardson. His headstone bears the inscription "A Quiet Thought A Silent Tear Keep His Memory Ever Dear"
63391 Gunner Percy Wornham
68866 Driver Ernest Browne
70518 Driver Ernest Edward Collier
55306 Gunner E. E. Copplestone, aged 20. Son of Edward and Elizabeth Copplestone, of 20, Ann's Hill Road, Gosport, Hants.
43374 Shoeing Smith John Henry Heath
56849 Bombardier Charles Martin, aged 23. Son of the late William and Jane Martin of Zeal Monachorum, Bow, Devon.
19380 Sergeant Daniel Percy Phillips
29809 Gunner Thomas William Rae, aged 26. Son of Robert and Emma Rae, of 9, Priory Road, Shirehampton, Bristol. His headstone bears the inscription "At Jesus Feet How Safe Your Rest"
39669 Bombardier George William Richards, aged 29. Son of George Willis and Kathleen Richards; husband of Alice Richards, of 49, Chadwick Road, Peckham, London.
61503 Gunner William James Richardson, aged 21. Son of James Richardson, of Newmarket Road, Great Chesterford, Essex, and the late Harriett Richardson. His headstone bears the inscription "A Quiet Thought A Silent Tear Keep His Memory Ever Dear"
63391 Gunner Percy Wornham
Image above © Johan Pauwels
Buried in the above plot
6701 Private
Sydney George Margary
1st Bn. Somerset Light Infantry
1st September 1914, aged 31.
Collective Grave
Sydney George Margary
1st Bn. Somerset Light Infantry
1st September 1914, aged 31.
Collective Grave
6339 Private
Walter Harry Withall
2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)
1st September 1914.
Walter Harry Withall
2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)
1st September 1914.
Image above © Johan Pauwels
Please note: The pictures below were taken in September 2014 when the cemetery was undergoing a complete renovation.
65157 Private
Alfred Brownlow
18th Bn. Welsh Regiment
2nd August 1918, aged 19.
Row D. 209.
Son of James H. and Jane Brownlow, of 38, York St., Bolton.
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful And True"
Alfred Brownlow
18th Bn. Welsh Regiment
2nd August 1918, aged 19.
Row D. 209.
Son of James H. and Jane Brownlow, of 38, York St., Bolton.
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful And True"
599 Private
Charles Lodge
5th Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales's)
1st September 1914.
Row D. 82.
Charles Lodge
5th Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales's)
1st September 1914.
Row D. 82.
114904 Private
George Watson
Royal Canadian Dragoons
23rd March 1918.
Row D. 222.
George Watson
Royal Canadian Dragoons
23rd March 1918.
Row D. 222.
Images in this gallery © Jean-Claude Graux
Image above © Johan Pauwels
