Vieux-Berquin Communal Cemetery

[laughton]

Just happened to come across a single COG-BR sheet for this cemetery, so placing it here in the event anyone is ever researching any of these men. The odds of finding it by searching for it would be remote, at best.

 

The CWGC says:

Quote

Vieux-Berquin is a small village 11 kilometres south-east of Hazebrouck. The Communal Cemetery is situated a short distance to the east of the village on the road to Outtersteene and Bailleul.

Vieux-Berquin was occupied by the Cavalry Corps on 12 October 1914, and from that date until the Battles of the Lys in 1918 it remained in Allied hands. The communal cemetery contains 11 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. Five of the burials are unidentified and were brought in by the French authorities from scattered sites in the neighbourhood. Five Canadian airmen of the Second World War are also buried in the cemetery.

 

These are the burials:

 

surname forename death rank regiment unit # grave FEARIS FREDERICK CHARLES 10-10-14 Private 4th Dragoon Guards (Royal Irish)   '6933' A. 1. EDWARDS FRANK GLENCAIRN De BURGH 12-10-14 Lieutenant Royal Horse Artillery "I" Bty. 12th Bde.   B. 1. SMITH ERNEST FREDERICK 05-01-15 Private 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)   'D/1168' A. 2. BEWES REGINALD CHARLES HOPE 23-05-15 Lieutenant Royal Flying Corps 7th Sqdn.   A. 3. HYLAND FREDERICK HUNTER 23-05-15 Second Lieutenant Royal Flying Corps 7th Sqdn.   A. 4. BATTLEY ALFRED JAMES 10-08-15 Rifleman Rifle Brigade "A" Coy. 11th Bn. 'B/44' A. 5. APPLIN DONALD JOHN 13-06-44 Pilot Officer Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Sqdn. 'J/92332' Grave 4. CARRUTHERS GEORGE WILLIAM 13-06-44 Pilot Officer Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Sqdn. 'J/ 92333' Grave 2. LACEY WILLIAM MORRIS 13-06-44 Flying Officer Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Sqdn. 'J/27666' Grave 3. LARKIN MARK RICHARD 13-06-44 Pilot Officer Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Sqdn. 'J/93682' Grave 5. LOWE EDWARD RONALD 13-06-44 Flying Officer Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Sqdn. 'J/29520' Grave 1.

 

The site schematic shows us there are the two rows "British Graves: A 1-6 and B 1-5. The Canadian graves from WWII are not shown on the plot diagram.

 

From the list we can tell A.6 is UNKNOWN as are B.2,3,4,5, agreeing with the total of 5 unidentified.

 

This is the sole COG-BR for the cemetery, which you would not find as there are no identified men on the list:

 

 

The one GRRF, which would show if you went to any of the men:

 

 

[Ackerley]

Good evening Laughton, A friend of mine has Blue Plaque on his house referencing Vieux-Berquin. Yesterday we decided to research it and having found your article, thought you might like to see it. I shall be posting it as an article,  so if you felt like discussing it, I would welcome a reply to the topic; my username is Ackerley.

The plaque accreditation is

 Lt-Col James Forbes-Robinson VC DSO MC.

"VC awarded for most courageous action whilst commanding his battalion during action at Vieux-Berquin on 11-12 April 1918.'

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. Richard Laughton died a couple of years ago. 

[Ackerley]

Very sorry to hear this Michelle. Thank you for the  welcome and the information.