VIS-EN-ARTOIS BRITISH CEMETERY
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.24574, Longitude: 2.94982
Location Information
Vis-en-Artois and Haucourt are villages in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, on the road from Arras to Cambrai.
The Cemetery is at the north side of the main road between the two villages.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible, but may be by alternative entrance.
Historical Information
Vis-En-Artois and Haucourt were taken by the Canadian Corps on 27 August 1918. The cemetery was begun immediately afterwards and was used by fighting units and field ambulances until the middle of October. It consisted originally of 430 graves (in Plots I and II) of which 297 were Canadian and 55 belonged to the 2nd Duke of Wellington's Regiment. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields of April-June 1917, August and September 1918, and from the smaller cemeteries in the neighbourhood, including:-
BOIS-DU-SART BRITISH CEMETERY, PELVES, at the North-Western angle of the Bois-du-Sart, which contained the graves of ten soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom and nine soldiers from Canada who fell in August and September 1918.
DURY GERMAN CEMETERY was on the South-East side of Dury village, a little South of the road to Saudemont. It contained the graves of four British and 49 German soldiers.
ECOURT-ST. QUENTIN GERMAN CEMETERY on the East side of the road to Lecluse. It contained the graves of 16 soldiers from the United Kingdom.
ETAING COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION, which contained the graves of six soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom, who fell in 1917 and 1918, 331 German soldiers (including some who fell in August 1914), and two Russian prisoners.
LECLUSE GERMAN CEMETERY, on the West side of the village, contained the graves of 476 German soldiers, eleven soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in 1917, and one Russian prisoner.
MONCHY QUARRY CEMETERY was in a quarry 800 metres South-East of Monchy-le-Preux. It contained the graves of 22 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in July 1917.
PELVES CANADIAN CEMETERY, nearly 1.6 kilometres due South of the village, contained the graves of 39 soldiers from Canada who fell in August and September 1918.
PELVES COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION, which contained the graves of two soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in 1917.
RUMAUCOURT GERMAN CEMETERY, on the Southern edge of the village, which contained the graves of 21 soldiers from the United Kingdom and six from Australia.
SAILLY-EN-OSTREVENT COMMUNAL CEMETERY, which was destroyed by shell-fire, contained the graves of three soldiers from the United Kingdom (two of which were recovered).
VIS-EN-ARTOIS COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION, which was very badly shelled, contained the graves of 621 German soldiers, 14 from the United Kingdom, eight French and five Russian.
The cemetery now contains 2,369 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,458 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate four soldiers buried in other cemeteries whose graves could not be found on concentration.
Total Burials: 2,344.
Identified Commonwealth Casualties: Canada 524, United Kingdom 354, Australia 5, South Africa 2. Total 885.
Unidentified Commonwealth Casualties: United Kingdom 1,394, Canada 59, Australia 1, Unknown 6. Total 1, 1,460.
The cemetery was designed by J R Truelove.
23494 Serjeant
Spencer Charles Bracey
83rd Squadron, Royal Air Force
16th June 1918.
Plot XI. F. 1A
Pictures courtesy of Kathy Bracy
Spencer Charles Bracey
83rd Squadron, Royal Air Force
16th June 1918.
Plot XI. F. 1A
Pictures courtesy of Kathy Bracy
1069636 Private
Henry Joseph Gailloux
1st Bn. Canadian Mounted Rifles (Saskatchewan Regt.)
17th September 1918, aged 19.
Plot I. D. 39.
Son of Philippe and Julia Gailloux of Prince Albert, Sask. Canada
Picture courtesy of nephew, Allan Joseph Gailloux
Henry Joseph Gailloux
1st Bn. Canadian Mounted Rifles (Saskatchewan Regt.)
17th September 1918, aged 19.
Plot I. D. 39.
Son of Philippe and Julia Gailloux of Prince Albert, Sask. Canada
Picture courtesy of nephew, Allan Joseph Gailloux
255861 Private
William Frank Netzel
3rd Bn. Canadian Machine Gun Corps.
16th September 1918, aged 31.
Plot I. D. 37.
Picture courtesy of his granddaughter Margaret Elliott (nee Netzel)
William Frank Netzel
3rd Bn. Canadian Machine Gun Corps.
16th September 1918, aged 31.
Plot I. D. 37.
Picture courtesy of his granddaughter Margaret Elliott (nee Netzel)
Captain
George Leonard Parker
2nd Bn. Essex Regiment
1st September 1918, aged 23
Plot II. C. 1.
Son of Thomas and Mary Parker, of 105, Wellington Rd., Ashton, Preston.
Picture Courtesy of John Garlington
George Leonard Parker
2nd Bn. Essex Regiment
1st September 1918, aged 23
Plot II. C. 1.
Son of Thomas and Mary Parker, of 105, Wellington Rd., Ashton, Preston.
Picture Courtesy of John Garlington
