Verchain British Cemetery, Verchain-Maugre, Nord, France

VERCHAIN BRITISH CEMETERY

Verchain-Maugre

Nord

France

GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.27205, Longitude: 3.46053

Location Information

Verchain-Maugre is a village in the Department of the Nord about 13 kilometres south of Valenciennes and Verchain British Cemetery is 1.5 kilometres north-west of the village on the north side of the road to Monchaux and Thiant.

Visiting Information

Wheelchair access is possible via the main entrance.

Historical Information

The British Cemetery was made by fighting units (mainly of the 4th Division) in the period 24th October-1st November 1918.

The cemetery covers an area of 344 square metres (excluding the access path) and is enclosed by a stone rubble wall.

The cemetery was designed by William Harrison Cowlishaw

Total Burials: 110.

Casualty Details: United KIngdom 109, Canada 1. Total 110.

306507 Lance Corporal
Harry Aspinall
2nd Bn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment
24th October 1918, aged 22.
Row B. 24.

Son of Wilson and Harriet Ann Aspinall, of 22, Wyke Lane, Bailiffe Bridge, Brighouse, Yorks.

Photo courtesy of Nicola Furbisher, Great-niece of this soldier

884556 Gunner
John Cunnington
"D" Battery, 52nd Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
2nd November 1918, aged 23.
Row E. 6.

Son of George and Emily Cunnington, of 62, Chesterton Terrace, Plaistow, London.

His headstone bears the inscription "Dearly Loved And Sadly Missed"

50403 Private
William Joseph Hitchcock
1st Bn. Somerset Light Infantry
24th October 1918.
Row A. 12.

Images in this gallery © Johan Pauwels

128981 Gunner
Edward John Parfett, M. M. & Mentioned in Despatches
126th Battery, 29th Brigade
29th October 1918, aged 22.
Row D. 9.

Son of George and Honorah Parfett, of 50, Ethelm St., Cornwall Rd., Lambeth, London.

His headstone bears the inscription "Eternal Rest Give Unto Him O Lord And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him. R. I. P. Amen"

Edward John "Ned" Parfett

( 21st July, 1896 - 29th October 1918 )

"Ned" was a British soldier in World War I, who was notable for his appearance as a newspaper seller in a photograph taken in central London a day after the sinking of the Titanic in April 1912.

Ned was born on 21st July 1896, near Waterloo station, being one of six children. His family had strong ties to Catholicism and were of Irish descent, even though they had lived in England since the mid- 19th century.

Young Ned began working on building construction in the London area, but after being injured, he went on to work as a newspaper boy. While performing this task, he was brilliantly illustrated on the streets of central London, displaying a banner with the afternoon news story recounting the sinking of the RMS Titanic, which occurred the day before.

At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Ned was 18 years old. However, he did not join the army until two years later, in 1916, when he enlisted in the Royal Artillery. He received the Military Medal and Mentioned in Despatches for a series of missions on the front lines.

On October 29, 1918, just two weeks before the end of the war, he was killed by a nearby shell drop during one of the last German bombardments of his positions.

Information above sourced by Wiki

Headstone image © Johan Pauwels

2355790 Sapper
Abraham Teroe
10th Bn. Canadian Engineers
1st November 1918.
Row D. 25.

29317 Private
Frederick Winter
1st Bn. Somerset Light Infantry
24th October 1918, aged 19.
Row A. 18.

Son of William Winter, of 10, Jubilee St., Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset.

His headstone bears the inscription "Peace Perfect Peace"

NEARBY CWGC CEMETERIES & MEMORIALS

MONCHAUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Thiant Communal Cemetery

maing communal cemetery extension