Crepy-en-Valois Communal Cemetery

[Jerrymurland]

In the Crepy communal cemetery are 10 commonwealth burials, three unidentified and three RWK men who died in 1914. Two of them were clearly casualties of the rearguard action of 1 September 1914 but the third - L/Cpl H T Cain died of wounds on 21 October 1914. I have his service record but no mention of how he came to be buried at Crepy several weeks after British forces had left the town. I can only assume he was left behind on 1 September, wounded and unable to continue. Perhaphs he was looked after by the local population, or in a German field hospital ...... If anyone has any information or suggestions as to how he came to be buried here please let me know.

Jerry

[River97]

Jerry,

The Germans were extremely kind and caring to the British, whether captured, wounded or killed, at the start of the war. They buried a great deal of British dead after the battle of Mons in cemeteries, which they maintained throughout the war. They even erected a war memorial to the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment in St. Symphorien Military Cemetery.

So, Lance Corporal Cain may well have been left behind and cared for in a German field hospital, however succumbed to his wounds and was then buried by his captors.

Cheers Andy.

[Jerrymurland]

If you read Dolbeys book A Regimental surgeon in War and in Prison which you can find here

http://www.archive.org/details/regimentalsurgeo00dolb

you might form a different opinion. Its a classic account and well worth reading.

Jerry