VILLERS HILL BRITISH CEMETERY
Villers-Guislain
Nord
France
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.0329, Longitude: 3.16197
Location Information
Villers-Guislain is a village 16 kilometres south-south-west of Cambrai and 4 kilometres east of Gouzeaucourt, which is a large village on the main road from Cambrai to Peronne. Villers Hill British Cemetery is one kilometre south-east of the village.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this cemetery makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
Villers-Guislain was occupied by Commonwealth forces from April 1917 until the German counter attacks (in the Battle of Cambrai) at the end of November 1917. It was lost on 30 November and retained by the Germans on 1 December in spite of the fierce attacks of the Guards Division and tanks. The village was finally abandoned by the Germans on 30 September 1918, after heavy fighting.
Villers Hill British Cemetery was begun (as the Middlesex Cemetery, Gloucester Road) by the 33rd Division Burial Officer on 3 October 1918, and used until the middle of October. The original cemetery (now Plot I) contained 100 graves, of which 50 belonged to the 1st Middlesex and 35 to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Plot II and VII were added after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields and from the following German cemeteries:-
GONNELIEU COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION, in which eight soldiers from the United Kingdom, who fell on the 6th May 1917, were buried by their comrades. This extension was enlarged after the Armistice to contain 400 German graves. The Communal Cemetery contains one British grave which is permanently marked, and seven others now represented by special memorials at Villers Hill.
HONNECOURT GERMAN CEMETERY, which was near the road from Honnecourt to Gonnelieu, and contained 20 German and three British graves.
VILLERS-GUISLAIN GERMAN CEMETERY, which was on the south side of "Cemetery Road" (leading to Gouzeaucourt), and nearly opposite the Communal Cemetery. One British officer was buried here in April 1917 and 21 British soldiers in September and October 1918. The 600 German graves (some of which were brought in after the Armistice) were removed in 1922.
The great majority of the graves in this cemetery are those of officers and men who died in April 1917, November-December 1917, March 1918 and September 1918.
The cemetery now contains 732 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 350 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to seven casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate casualties buried in Gonnelieu Communal Cemetery and Honnecourt German Cemetery whose grave could not be found. The cemetery also contains 13 German burials.
Casualty Details: UK 702, Canada 5, Australia 1, New Zealand 23, South Africa 1, Germany 13, Total Burials: 745
The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden and William Harrison Cowlishaw
Villers-Guislain is a village 16 kilometres south-south-west of Cambrai and 4 kilometres east of Gouzeaucourt, which is a large village on the main road from Cambrai to Peronne. Villers Hill British Cemetery is one kilometre south-east of the village.
Visiting Information
The location or design of this cemetery makes wheelchair access impossible.
Historical Information
Villers-Guislain was occupied by Commonwealth forces from April 1917 until the German counter attacks (in the Battle of Cambrai) at the end of November 1917. It was lost on 30 November and retained by the Germans on 1 December in spite of the fierce attacks of the Guards Division and tanks. The village was finally abandoned by the Germans on 30 September 1918, after heavy fighting.
Villers Hill British Cemetery was begun (as the Middlesex Cemetery, Gloucester Road) by the 33rd Division Burial Officer on 3 October 1918, and used until the middle of October. The original cemetery (now Plot I) contained 100 graves, of which 50 belonged to the 1st Middlesex and 35 to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Plot II and VII were added after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields and from the following German cemeteries:-
GONNELIEU COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION, in which eight soldiers from the United Kingdom, who fell on the 6th May 1917, were buried by their comrades. This extension was enlarged after the Armistice to contain 400 German graves. The Communal Cemetery contains one British grave which is permanently marked, and seven others now represented by special memorials at Villers Hill.
HONNECOURT GERMAN CEMETERY, which was near the road from Honnecourt to Gonnelieu, and contained 20 German and three British graves.
VILLERS-GUISLAIN GERMAN CEMETERY, which was on the south side of "Cemetery Road" (leading to Gouzeaucourt), and nearly opposite the Communal Cemetery. One British officer was buried here in April 1917 and 21 British soldiers in September and October 1918. The 600 German graves (some of which were brought in after the Armistice) were removed in 1922.
The great majority of the graves in this cemetery are those of officers and men who died in April 1917, November-December 1917, March 1918 and September 1918.
The cemetery now contains 732 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 350 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to seven casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate casualties buried in Gonnelieu Communal Cemetery and Honnecourt German Cemetery whose grave could not be found. The cemetery also contains 13 German burials.
Casualty Details: UK 702, Canada 5, Australia 1, New Zealand 23, South Africa 1, Germany 13, Total Burials: 745
The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden and William Harrison Cowlishaw
63287 Private
John Brown
1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
30th September 1918, aged 30.
Plot II. A. 5.
Son of Alexander and Mary Brown, of Rarekau, Milton, New Zealand. Born at Akatore, New Zealand.
John Brown
1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
30th September 1918, aged 30.
Plot II. A. 5.
Son of Alexander and Mary Brown, of Rarekau, Milton, New Zealand. Born at Akatore, New Zealand.
62295 Private
William James Frost
1st Bn. Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
30th September 1918.
Plot IV. D. 17.
Son of Mr. R. B. Frost, of Hora Hora, Gambridge, New Zealand.
William James Frost
1st Bn. Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
30th September 1918.
Plot IV. D. 17.
Son of Mr. R. B. Frost, of Hora Hora, Gambridge, New Zealand.
116392 Private
Harold Maxwell Stuart Kerry
10th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
22nd September 1918, aged 22.
Plot IV. C. 15.
Son of Hannah Kerry, of 481, B. Winnings, South Normanton, Alfreton, and the late William H. Kerry.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Ever Remembered."
Harold Maxwell Stuart Kerry
10th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
22nd September 1918, aged 22.
Plot IV. C. 15.
Son of Hannah Kerry, of 481, B. Winnings, South Normanton, Alfreton, and the late William H. Kerry.
His headstone bears the inscription; "Ever Remembered."
57241 Private
John Millar McKeeman
1st Bn. Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
29th September 1918.
Plot III. B. 4.
Son of Daniel and H. McKeeman, of 108, Featherston St., Palmerston North.
John Millar McKeeman
1st Bn. Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
29th September 1918.
Plot III. B. 4.
Son of Daniel and H. McKeeman, of 108, Featherston St., Palmerston North.
44943 Second Lieutenant
Rupert Cyril Moore
1st Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
12th September 1918, aged 32.
Plot IV. E. 8.
Son of Frederick and Jane Elizabeth Moore, of 1, Boyle Crescent, Park Rd., Auckland; husband of Margaret Roberta Moore, of 8, King's View Rd., Mt. Eden, Auckland.
Rupert Cyril Moore
1st Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
12th September 1918, aged 32.
Plot IV. E. 8.
Son of Frederick and Jane Elizabeth Moore, of 1, Boyle Crescent, Park Rd., Auckland; husband of Margaret Roberta Moore, of 8, King's View Rd., Mt. Eden, Auckland.
10/761 Lieutenant
Roydon Lydiard Okey
"Taranaki" Coy. 1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
30th September 1918, aged 25.
Plot II. A. 10.
Son of Frederick William and Elizabeth Annie Okey, of Vogeltown, New Plymouth. Also served on Gallipoli.
Roydon Lydiard Okey
"Taranaki" Coy. 1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
30th September 1918, aged 25.
Plot II. A. 10.
Son of Frederick William and Elizabeth Annie Okey, of Vogeltown, New Plymouth. Also served on Gallipoli.
Second Lieutenant
Patrick Alfred Russell
Royal Flying Corps
2nd April 1917, aged 27.
Plot V. E. 2.
Son of Mrs. Margaret D. W. Russell, of Edinburgh, and the late Patrick Russell.
His headstone bears the inscription; "His Death Was As Noble As His Life."
Patrick Alfred Russell
Royal Flying Corps
2nd April 1917, aged 27.
Plot V. E. 2.
Son of Mrs. Margaret D. W. Russell, of Edinburgh, and the late Patrick Russell.
His headstone bears the inscription; "His Death Was As Noble As His Life."
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. British and German wounded soldiers at an Advanced Field Dressing Station, 21st Division, near Epehy, 18th September 1918. © IWM (Q 11333)
Battle of Epehy. Three soldiers resting on ground near Epehy captured by the 12th Division that day, 18th September 1918. © IWM (Q 11326)
Battle of Epehy. British wounded and German prisoner sharing a cigarette at an advanced dressing station near Epehy, 18 September 1918. Note captured German Maxim 08/15 (Spandau) light machine guns in the background. © IWM (Q 11538)
Dead Indian Cavalryman and horse; Villers-Guislain, March 1918. © IWM Q 42814
