Waggon Road Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel

WAGGON ROAD CEMETERY

Beaumont-Hamel

Somme

France

GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.092, Longitude: 2.66402

Location Information

Beaumont-Hamel is a village in the Department of the Somme.

Using the D919 from Arras to Amiens you will drive through the villages of Bucquoy and Puisieux and then Serre-les-Puisieux (approximately 20 kilometres south of Arras). On leaving Serre-les-Puisieux, 800 metres further along the D919 there is a left hand turn onto a small road which will take you directly to the village of Beaumont Hamel (2.5 kilometres).

On arrival at Beaumont Hamel there is a crossroads where a signpost will lead you left to Waggon Road Cemetery (1.5 kilometres along a country lane).

Waggon Road was the name given to the road running north of the village of Serre.

Historical Information

Beaumont-Hamel was captured in November 1916, in the Battle of the Ancre, and the graves in this cemetery are largely those of men who died at that time. The burials were carried out by the V Corps in the spring of 1917, after the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line.

Waggon Road Cemetery (originally V Corps Cemetery No.10) contains 195 First World War burials (36 unidentified), 46 of them belonging to the 11th Battalion the Border Regiment, which attacked in the Ancre in both July and November 1916.

Casualty Details: United Kingdom 195. Total Burials: 195.

Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 159. Total 159.

Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 36. Total 36.

The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.

Image above © Carl Liversage @carl_liversage

3392 Private
Wilson Cairns
"B" Company, 2nd Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
23rd November 1916, aged 25.
Row C. 32.

Son of Wilson and Maria Cairns, of 22, Beechnut St., Belfast.

27720 Private
Arthur Samuel Cowdell
11th Bn. Border Regiment
18th November 1916, aged 21.
Row D. 23.

Son of Richard James and Margaret Cowdell, of Lower Lilwall, Kington, Herefordshire.

His headstone bears the inscription "Peace Perfect Peace"

Lieutenant
William Frederick Ernest East
12th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
16th November 1916, aged 41.
Row A. 19.

15065 Private
William Greenhalgh
16th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
21st November 1916, aged 22.
Row E. 15.

Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Greenhalgh, of 40, Gladstone St., Pendlebury, Manchester.

His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man Who Laid Down His Life For His Friends"

Second Lieutenant
James Hunt
10th Bn. attd. 8th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
16th November 1916, aged 24.
Row E. 14.

Son of James Reuben and Martha Hunt, of 13, Cross St., St. Anne's-on-the-Sea, Lancs.

10047 Private
Arthur James
16th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
23rd November 1916, aged 21.
Row F. 14.

Son of Mrs. Ellen Collins, of 56, Hodson St., King St., Blackfriars Rd., Salford, Manchester.

His headstone bears the inscription "God's Will Be Done"

13494 Corporal
Clarence Stanley Taylor
11th Bn. Border Regiment
18th November 1916, aged 23.
Row D. 19.

Son of Hannah Greenhow, of 34, Helvellyn St., Keswick, Cumberland.

His headstone bears the inscription "Culgaith, Penrith Sadly Missed"