WINDMILL BRITISH CEMETERY
Monchy-le-Preux
Pas De Calais
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.26259, Longitude: 2.88364
Location Information
Monchy-le-Preux is a village about 7 kilometres south-east of Arras. Windmill British Cemetery lies to the south of the village on the north side of the main Arras-Cambrai road, the D939.
Historical Information
On 23 April 1917, in the Second Battle of the Scarpe, Infantry Hill (east of Monchy) and Guemappe (due south of Monchy) were captured by Commonwealth troops. Guemappe was lost the same day, but retaken almost at once, and further progress was made in the following days. In May, the 29th Division began this cemetery and buried in it a number of the dead of 23 April. It continued in use until March 1918, and was used again from August to October 1918. In Plot II, Rows D and E, are buried 23 officers and men of the 1st King's Own Royal Lancasters who died in the Battle of the Drocourt-Queant Line at the beginning of September.
Windmill British Cemetery contains 402 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 35 of the burials are unidentified but there is a special memorial to one casualty believed to be buried among them.
Total Burials: 403.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 304, Canada 62, South Africa 1, Germany 1. Total 368.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 17, Canada 3, Unknown 15. Total 35.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and William Harrison Cowlishaw
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
336167 Gunner
Ernest Joseph Amirault
1st. Canadian Light Trench Mortar Battery
8th October 1918, aged 23.
Plot II. H. 14.
Son of Dr. and Mrs. Theodore David Amirault (nee Le Blanc), of Middle East Pubnico, Yarmouth Co., Nova Scotia.
Ernest Joseph Amirault
1st. Canadian Light Trench Mortar Battery
8th October 1918, aged 23.
Plot II. H. 14.
Son of Dr. and Mrs. Theodore David Amirault (nee Le Blanc), of Middle East Pubnico, Yarmouth Co., Nova Scotia.
Captain
Geoffrey Grenside Bowen, M. C., Mentioned in Despatches
"B" Company, Lancashire Fusiliers
2nd September 1918, aged 23.
Plot II. D. 18.
Son of Mr. J. C. G. and Mrs. W. M. Bowen, of Durmast Cottage, Burley, Brockenhurst, Hants.
His headstone bears the inscription "Their Bodies Are Buried In Peace But Their Name Liveth Evermore"
Geoffrey Grenside Bowen, M. C., Mentioned in Despatches
"B" Company, Lancashire Fusiliers
2nd September 1918, aged 23.
Plot II. D. 18.
Son of Mr. J. C. G. and Mrs. W. M. Bowen, of Durmast Cottage, Burley, Brockenhurst, Hants.
His headstone bears the inscription "Their Bodies Are Buried In Peace But Their Name Liveth Evermore"
L/18101 Gunner
Cherry Coates
"A" Bty. 282nd Bde. Royal Field Artillery
29th September 1918, aged 31.
Plot II. H. 7.
Husband of Susan Coates, of 14, Belgrave St., Stoneyholme, Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription "Gone But Not Forgotten"
Cherry Coates
"A" Bty. 282nd Bde. Royal Field Artillery
29th September 1918, aged 31.
Plot II. H. 7.
Husband of Susan Coates, of 14, Belgrave St., Stoneyholme, Burnley.
His headstone bears the inscription "Gone But Not Forgotten"
84598 Private
John William Gerring
11th Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
22nd December 1917, aged 23.
Plot I. H. 8.
Son of James Clifford Gerring and Jane Gerring, of Fringford, Bicester, Oxon.
John William GERRING was born in 1895 in Fringford. His parents James & Jane GERRING registered his birth at Bicester in the last quarter of 1895.
The 1901 census shows John (5) living in Main Street, Fringford, with his parents James (39) a road contractor, his mother Jane (38) and siblings, Charles (15) an agricultural labourer, George (13) an agricultural labourer, Edith (12), Elizabeth (10), Thomas (7) and Edward (2).
By 1911 John’s mother Jane had died and his father had married Sarah Marriott, making him a step brother of Charles Thomas Marriott, another Fringford Casualty. John was now living at 36 Manor Road, Teddington as a 15 year old House Boy Domestic, for DR Harold Davidson and his wife Edith.
John initially joined the Kings Royal Rifle Corps as Private R35487 and later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps as Private 84598.
He was killed in action on the 21st December 1917. He is buried in Windmill British Cemetery, Monchy-Le-Preux, France. He is the only one of the Fringford fallen to have a known grave.
John’s father James was the church sexton and lived in old cottage on the site of Rosemary Cottage.
Pictures and information courtesy of Kevin Tobin
John William Gerring
11th Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
22nd December 1917, aged 23.
Plot I. H. 8.
Son of James Clifford Gerring and Jane Gerring, of Fringford, Bicester, Oxon.
John William GERRING was born in 1895 in Fringford. His parents James & Jane GERRING registered his birth at Bicester in the last quarter of 1895.
The 1901 census shows John (5) living in Main Street, Fringford, with his parents James (39) a road contractor, his mother Jane (38) and siblings, Charles (15) an agricultural labourer, George (13) an agricultural labourer, Edith (12), Elizabeth (10), Thomas (7) and Edward (2).
By 1911 John’s mother Jane had died and his father had married Sarah Marriott, making him a step brother of Charles Thomas Marriott, another Fringford Casualty. John was now living at 36 Manor Road, Teddington as a 15 year old House Boy Domestic, for DR Harold Davidson and his wife Edith.
John initially joined the Kings Royal Rifle Corps as Private R35487 and later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps as Private 84598.
He was killed in action on the 21st December 1917. He is buried in Windmill British Cemetery, Monchy-Le-Preux, France. He is the only one of the Fringford fallen to have a known grave.
John’s father James was the church sexton and lived in old cottage on the site of Rosemary Cottage.
Pictures and information courtesy of Kevin Tobin
Second Lieutenant
Frederick Joseph Hepworth
3rd Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers, attached to Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
19th May 1917, aged 29.
Plot I. D. 3.
Son of Alice Peachey (formerly Hepworth), of 26, Chestnut St., Southport, and the late Walter Hepworth.
Frederick Joseph Hepworth
3rd Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers, attached to Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
19th May 1917, aged 29.
Plot I. D. 3.
Son of Alice Peachey (formerly Hepworth), of 26, Chestnut St., Southport, and the late Walter Hepworth.
276206 Private
Roderick MacDiarmid
46th Bn. Canadian Infantry
2nd September 1918, aged 29.
Plot II. D. 4.
Son of Donald and Jane MacDiarmid, of Wapella, Saskatchewan; husband of Mary MacDiarmid, of Blueberry Mountain, Spirit River, Alberta.
Roderick MacDiarmid
46th Bn. Canadian Infantry
2nd September 1918, aged 29.
Plot II. D. 4.
Son of Donald and Jane MacDiarmid, of Wapella, Saskatchewan; husband of Mary MacDiarmid, of Blueberry Mountain, Spirit River, Alberta.
282236 Private
Herbert (Bert) Read
2nd Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
6th December 1917, aged 29.
Plot I. H. 18.
Son of Caroline Heys, of 17, Progress, Castleton, Manchester.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died For Cause Of Freedom And For Those He Loved At Home"
Herbert (Bert) Read
2nd Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
6th December 1917, aged 29.
Plot I. H. 18.
Son of Caroline Heys, of 17, Progress, Castleton, Manchester.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died For Cause Of Freedom And For Those He Loved At Home"
Lieutenant
James Miller Wallace
43rd Bn. Canadian Infantry
27th August 1918, aged 31.
Plot II. B. 28.
Son of Jeanie Wallace, of 20, Forth Avenue North, Kirkcaldy, and the late Alexander Wallace.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Dawns And The Shadows Flee Away"
James Miller Wallace
43rd Bn. Canadian Infantry
27th August 1918, aged 31.
Plot II. B. 28.
Son of Jeanie Wallace, of 20, Forth Avenue North, Kirkcaldy, and the late Alexander Wallace.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Dawns And The Shadows Flee Away"
301906 Gunner
John Stenhouse Wright
10th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery
29th August 1918, aged 29.
Plot II. C. 12.
Son of Thomas H. and Josie S. Wright, of Ravenna, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Breaks And The Shadows Flee Away"
John Stenhouse Wright
10th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery
29th August 1918, aged 29.
Plot II. C. 12.
Son of Thomas H. and Josie S. Wright, of Ravenna, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Breaks And The Shadows Flee Away"
Major
Christian Lawrence Young
Regimental Depot, (Alberta), Canadian Infantry seconded to 1st Canadian Divisional H. Q.
13th October 1918.
Plot II. H. 17.
Son of Lt. Col. James Young, of 6, Alexander Square, London, England; husband of Phyllis Ernestine Beaufort Young, of 248, Buena Vista Rd., Rockcliffe, Ottawa.
His headstone bears the inscription "Love Is Eternal Without Beginning Now & For All Time "J Attends"
Christian Lawrence Young
Regimental Depot, (Alberta), Canadian Infantry seconded to 1st Canadian Divisional H. Q.
13th October 1918.
Plot II. H. 17.
Son of Lt. Col. James Young, of 6, Alexander Square, London, England; husband of Phyllis Ernestine Beaufort Young, of 248, Buena Vista Rd., Rockcliffe, Ottawa.
His headstone bears the inscription "Love Is Eternal Without Beginning Now & For All Time "J Attends"
