WW1 Cemeteries.com - A photographic guide to over 4000 military cemeteries and memorials
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • BELGIAN MEMORIALS
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • French Memorials
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited

"Y" RAVINE CEMETERY

​Beaumont Hamel
​​​
Somme

​France


GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.07609, Longitude: 2.65213

Picture Johan Pauwels
Location Information

Using the D919 from Arras to Amiens you will drive through the villages of Bucquoy, Puisieux then Serre Les Puisieux (approximately 20 kilometres south of Arras). On leaving Serre Les Puisieux, 3 kilometres further along the D919, turn left following the signs for Auchonvillers. At the crossroads in the village centre, follow the signs for 'Newfoundland Park, Beaumont Hamel'. "Y" Ravine Cemetery is located within the Park.


Historical Information

"Y" Ravine runs East and West about 800 metres South of the village, from "Station Road" to the front line of July 1916. It was a deep ravine with steep sides, lined with dug-outs, with extending two short arms at the West end.

The village of Beaumont-Hamel was attacked and reached on 1 July, 1916, by units of the 29th Division (which included the Royal Newfoundland Regiment), but it could not be held. It was attacked again and captured, with the Ravine, by the 51st (Highland) Division on 13 November 1916. The Newfoundland Memorial Park, and the 29th and 51st Divisional Memorials within it, commemorate these engagements, and "Y" Ravine Cemetery is within the Park. The village was later "adopted", with three others in the Somme, by the City of Winchester.

The cemetery was made by the V Corps in the spring of 1917, when these battlefields were cleared. It was called originally "Y" Ravine Cemetery No.1. No.2 cemetery was concentrated after the Armistice into Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel.

There are 428, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 92 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 53 soldiers (or sailors or Marines) from the United Kingdom and eight from Newfoundland, known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery covers an area of 1,166 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and 
Captain Wilfred Clement Von Berg, M. C.

Total Burials: 428.

Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 239, Canada 36. Total 275.

Unidentified Casualties: 153.

"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
Picture
9214 Private
Robert Irwin, M. M.
​1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st July 1916
​Row C. 50

Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels

"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
Picture
1373 Private
William Brown McDonald
1st/5th Bn. Gordon Higlanders
15th November 1916. *
Special Memorial B. 7.

Son of Mrs. Jane McDonald, of 14, Wallace St., Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.

Picture
Click on image to enlarge
Son of Jane Isabella McDonald of 17 Longate, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. Youngest brother of my Grandma Catherine Jane Forbes (formerly McDonald

* The date of his death on the certificate is noted as 13th, yet all other documents record the 15th while the War Diary for the regiment has "Died of Wounds" on the 16th.

Submitted by his Great Niece Valerie Porter (formerly Forbes) and family. Always remembered.
Picture
Second Lieutenant
Cuthbert Anthony Stonor
1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st July 1916.

Plot D. 99.

​​​​​Images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem

"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
Picture
Image above © Carl Liversage  @carl_liversage

Images in gallery below © Geerhard Joos

"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery
"Y" Ravine Cemetery

NEARBY CWGC CEMETERIES & MEMORIALS
​

HUNTER'S CEMETERY
HAWTHORN RIDGE CEMETERY NO. 1
HAWTHORN RIDGE CEMETERY NO. 2

World War Two Cemeteries
​

Please ask permission if you wish to use any of our images by using the contact tab above
​

Picture
Commonwealth War Graves
​Commission
Picture
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Picture
Australian War Memorial
Picture
New Zealand Online Cenotaph

​© COPYRIGHT TERENCE HEARD AND BRENT WHITTAM
​ 2005-2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
.​
Disclaimer 

The casualty numbers for each cemetery and G. P. S. Coordinates are taken from the C. W. G. C. site. We are aware that there can be discrepancies in the burial numbers quoted due to rededication burials.

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • BELGIAN MEMORIALS
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • French Memorials
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited