Orchard Dump Cemetery

[Dragoon]

Hello all

Just a quick question, why is the Orchard Dump Cemetery called the Orchard Dump Cemetery please?

 

Thank you

 

Chris

 

 

 

[jonbem]

Hi Chris

not sure why so named, but I was there almost a year ago, 17/6/2016, visiting my Great Uncle Fred Ward.

There are several websites relating to it and the land being given.

A tablet in the cemetery records the fact that the site was given by the Mme Wartelle the widow of a Captain in the French 72nd Infantry Regiment, killed in action at the battle of Cesse (Meuse) on 27 August 1914.

I would think it may have something to do with that or perhaps an explore of the various trench maps covering it may give hints.

It's almost on the line of 51B NE & 51B SE

http://lt1.mcmaster.ca/ww1/wrz4mp.php?grid=51b

a search suggest a trench name

Results for search Orchard Dump

Trench Name	Nearest Place	Map Sheet Number	Map Squares
Orchard Dump	Roclincourt	51bNW1	B 4 c, 10 a
Orchard Dump	Oppy	51bNW2	B 4 c, 10 a

regards

Jon

Edited 6 June , 2017 by jonbem

[Dragoon]

Thanks Jon for the reply, good idea to study the trench maps, might shed some light 

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[Carolc]

My grandfather James Henry Cheetham is also buried at Orchard Dump and I too wondered about the name. Perhaps the land that was given was originally an orchard owned by the family of the Captain? My understanding is that there were many places used as store, equipment or ammunition "dumps" and they would sometimes be referred to by a familiar name or landmark. I know having the term "dump" in the name of a cemetery could sound somehow disrespectful but I think the explanation I was given seems very possible. I also tried asking the CWGC but they were unable to explain the name.

[Herekawe]

The name  Dump just refers to the fact that the area was used to dump stores and supplies which were brought up to the front line before being carried further forward. There are plenty of "Dump" cemeteries like Thistle Dump near Longueval and so on. The reason they became cemeteries was probably that the carrying parties going back and forward sometimes brought back seriously injured men or even dead men from the front line and left them there to be carried back further. Men killed in the area of the dump may also have ended up buried there. As you suspect probably the dump was near and orchard at the time and that name has stuck.

 

J

Edited 17 July , 2017 by Herekawe