Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel

[laughton]

I had not yet prepared the ZIP FILES for this cemetery, so I will arrange to do that in the next few days. When I do a cemetery, I also check on the trench map coordinates for the main cemeteries that were concentrated here and then add others that were not on the CWGC list but are in the COG-BR documents (red bold). I have added those that have been located to date. A number of them are not on the DAL (David Avery List).

 

If you have already completed research on this cemetery and have COG-BR documents, please let me know. There are no case files on the most current list of UNKNOWN REPORTS that I have from the CWGC but it is now outdated (April 2019). I have not heard from David Avery for some time?

 

Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel

 

It appears that the cemetery was initially named "Ancre River" and since there are concentration reports for that name (COG-BR 1965540), with the same coordinates as the existing cemetery, this must have been part of a post-armistice reorganization of the original graves. That is more common that initially thought when we first noticed this at the Loos British Cemetery. The CWGC reports below that it was origionally the "Ancre River No.1 British Cemetery, V Corps Cemetery No.26)", with 517 graves. That sets the date as well as on or before the Spring of 1917

 

The links to the ZIP files will be updated once assembled: (now completed - let me know if I missed any!)

• GRRF ZIP Files
• COG-BR ZIP Files
• HD-SCHD ZIP Files

 

NOTE: This is the first cemetery search I have completed using my new computer on WINDOWS 10 with the new APPS for "DownThemAll" and "Photos", so the process is a bit different. One thing I have noticed is that a "blank" (non-existant) page, for example COG-BR 1956614, downloads and you get a message that the image is not supported.

 

Quote

The village of Beaumont-Hamel was attacked on 1 July 1916 by the 29th Division, with the 4th on its left and the 36th (Ulster) on its right, but without success. On 3 September a further attack was delivered between Hamel and Beaumont-Hamel and on 13 and 14 November, the 51st (Highland), 63rd (Royal Naval), 39th and 19th (Western) Divisions finally succeeded in capturing Beaumont-Hamel, Beaucourt-sur-Ancre and St. Pierre-Divion.

 

Following the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in the spring of 1917, V Corps cleared this battlefield and created a number of cemeteries, of which Ancre British Cemetery (then called Ancre River No.1 British Cemetery, V Corps Cemetery No.26) was one. There were originally 517 burials almost all of the 63rd (Naval) and 36th Divisions, but after the Armistice the cemetery was greatly enlarged when many more graves from the same battlefields and from the following smaller burial grounds:-

 

• ANCRE RIVER BRITISH CEMETERY No.2 (V Corps Cemetery No.27) 57d.Q.18.c, about 400 metres East of No.1, containing the graves of 64 officers and men from the United Kingdom (mainly 1st H.A.C., 11th Royal Sussex, and Hood Battalion) who fell in September and November 1916.
• BEAUCOURT STATION CEMETERY 57d.Q.18.b.5.6, begun after the capture of Beaucourt by the R.N.D. on the 14th November 1916, and containing the graves of 85 officers and men from the United Kingdom who fell in November 1916 - March 1917. It was close to Beaucourt-Hamel station.
• GREEN DUMP CEMETERY 57d.Q.12.c.1.2, on the South-West side of "Station Road", between Beaumont-Hamel and the station. It was used from November 1916, to March 1917, and it contained the graves of 45 soldiers and one Marine from the United Kingdom.
• R.N.D. CEMETERY (V Corps Cemetery No.21) 57d.Q.17.central, in the open country midway between Beaumont-Hamel and Hamel. It contained the graves of 336 officers and men from the United Kingdom, mainly of the Royal Naval Division.
• SHERWOOD CEMETERY (V Corps Cemetery No.20) 57d.Q.17.a.6.5, about 700 metres North-West of the R.N.D. Cemetery. It contained the graves of 176 officers and men from the United Kingdom, belonging chiefly to the 36th and Royal Naval Divisions, the 17th Sherwood Foresters and the 17th King's Royal Rifles.
• STATION ROAD CEMETERY (must be in 57d.Q.18.b), on the South side of "Station Road", 500 metres West of the railway. This cemetery was used, from November 1916, to March 1917, for the burial of 82 officers and men from the United Kingdom.
• "Y" RAVINE CEMETERY No. 2 (V Corps Cemetery No.18) 57d.Q.17.a.4.9 (also a No.1 and a German on DAL ), about 300 metres South-East of the present "Y" Ravine Cemetery. Here were buried 140 officers and men from the United Kingdom and two from Newfoundland, who fell in July, September and November 1916. The majority of those buried in the cemetery died on 1 July, 3 September or 13 November 1916.

 

There are now 2,540 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 1,335 of the graves are unidentified, but special memorials commemorate 43 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. There are also special memorials to 16 casualties know to have been buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

 

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. The ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION MEMORIAL for the capture of Beaumont-Hamel is a stone obelisk erected beside the main road from Arras to Albert, at Beaucourt-sur-Ancre.

 

Others that are on the DAL that I do not see here, but I will watch for it in the COG-BR documents: 

• Baillescourt Farm (V Corps Cemetery No. 16), Beaucourt-sur-Ancre
• Beaucourt British Cemetery (V Corps Cemetery, No. 13), Beaucourt-sur-Ancre
• Frankfurt Trench ....
• Ten Tree Alley British Cemetery (No, 1 and No. 2) ....

 

Lots of RND men and NEWFOUNDLANDERS (now listed as Canadian). The key locations for the RND men are noted by the CWGC as follows:
 

• Ancre River No. 1 British Cemetery (V Vorps No. 26), now the main cemetery - 517 burials from battlefield clearing in Spring 1917
• Ancre River No. 2 British Cemetery (V Corps No. 27), 400 metres east  - 64 officers and men including the Hood Battalion from September-November 1916
• RND Cemetery (V Corps No. 21), between Hamel Q18 and Beaumont-Hamel Q11 to the north - 336 officers and men, mainly RND
• others

 

IMPORTANT: There are 43 Special Memorials, known or believed to be in the cemetery, so those all need to be checked for names that could be in any of the UNKNOWN graves.

 

A lot of  potential here for UNKNOWNS!

Edited 4 October , 2019 by laughton
(1) added links to ZIP files, (2) updated details

[laughton]

Some possible unknowns: (this is all speculation at this stage of the process)
 

• Unknown Serjeant "G.H." (Gordon HIghlanders?) 16.F.7 COG-BR 1965517 - 35 on Thiepval, probably one of the six (6) in November 1916 (CWGC Link)
• Lieutenant R.N.D. 17.G.6 COG-BR 1965518 (57d.Q.17.d)- four candidates CWGC Link, three for 13 November 1916 and one February 1917 (Lt. Ellis)
  • and a second one in 10.I.3 COG-BR 1965563 (57D.Q.17 - RND Cemetery), so that is 2 of 4 in this cemetery
    • so those two are likely Lieutenants Ker and Maynard, as Chapman would be in 11.C.6, instead of Marting
    • an OFFICER on the same page 10.I.7
  • perhaps the third here as well (see Lieutenant Marting below)
    These are a projection of what men may be in these graves based on this early information:

    CHAPMAN ALFRED HENRY 190th Bde. Machine Gun Coy. R.N. Div. candidate for grave 11.C.6 ELLIS EDWARD WHITE Hawke Bn. R.N. Div. probably not in this cemetery KER WILLIAM Hawke Bn. R.N. Div. candidate for 17.G.6 or 10.I.3 MAYNARD ALFRED FREDERICK Howe Bn. R.N. Div. candidate for 17.G.6 or 10.I.3

     

• Unknown Sgt. Major 19.A.7 COG-BR 1965521 - also says K.M.86?
• Lieutenant Marting RMLI became an UBO 11.C.6 COG-BR 1965528 57d.Q.18.c (the original cemetery?)
  • The only RMLI Lieutenant missing is Lieutenant A. H. Chapman (CWGC Link) so that must be him?
• Unknown Sergeant RMLI 17.A.9 COG-BR 1965530 - six candidates for the periods on the Ancre (see below), all November 1916 CWGC Link
• Unknown Serjeant, Inniskilling Fusiliers 7.C.7 COG-BR 1965548
• Unknown Lance Corporal, R.D.F. 9.C.8 COG-BR 1965550
• Unknown Serjeant Major, Borderers 17.K.5 COG-BR 1965574 - none missing, perhaps a CSM?
• Unknown Serjeant, Hants 22.B.5 COG-BR 1965617

 

For any of the RND lads, we know they were in the Somme, close to the River Ancre, area on these dates:

• Battle of Ancre (13-18 November 1916)
• Operations on the Ancre (January-March 1917) - most appear to be in February

I had this in the report for Lieutenant Wainwright (Hawke Bn), so this gives some more background for Lieutenants Ker and Ellis:
 

·         Battle of Ancre (Somme 13-18 November 1916)

                                          i.    For details see war diary page 35 of 508

                                        ii.    Lieutenant W. Kerr and Sub-Lieutenants R. C. G. Edwards and A. R. Knight are missing on the 13th.

                                       iii.    On the 13^th the battalion attacked the Village of Beaucourt 57d.R.17 on the River Ancre, placing them 5,000 yards west of the Village of Pys.

                                       iv.    Casualties were 111 men of which 55 are buried in the Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel 57d.Q.18.c.0.2 (CWGC Link).
 

·         Operations on the Ancre (January-March 1917)

                                          i.    For details see war diary page 55 of 508 and the Operations Report on page 61 of 508.

                                        ii.    Lieutenant E. W. Ellis and Sub-Lieutenant Collins are missing on February 3^rd and 4^th respectively.

                                       iii.    The battalion had moved to Mesnil 57d.Q.28 and then north along the River Ancre to northeast of Beaucourt at  57d.R.2.b.1.3.

                                       iv.    Casualties were 63 men of which 17 are buried in the Queen’s Cemetery, Bucquoy 57d.L.9.a.2.9.

                                        v.    Exhumations were generally for the area of 57d.R.2 (COG-BR 2621593) and 57d.R.8 (COG-BR 2621641) on the north side of the River Ancre.
 

UPDATE 5 October 2019: there is a separate topic for follow-up on the case of the four (4) Lieutenants: this link

Edited 5 October , 2019 by laughton
added limk and note to separate topic

[KIRKY]

This one as well in particular Bray exhumed same area and date.

[Ghazala]

Thanks.  One of my favourites that I visit every year.

[laughton]

From the GRRF documents 57d.Q.18.c.0.2 we have other unknowns worth investigating, that may not be on concentration reports: (excluding those with many of that category)

• 1.B.6 Hants Unknown Serjeant - one (1) on Thiepval (CWGC Link), but we have the one concentrated into 22.B.5?
  • see next for the Lieutenant, so this is probably also due to the renumbering and this may be the same Serjeant
  • is this Serjeant Charles Ronald Hill?
• 2.C.16 has another LIEUTENANT for the RND list (GRRF 1965220) - we might end up having too many, unless there are some on the Special Memorials!
  • but that same GRRF has Coutts #CZ/1912 of the Anson Bn, reported buried in 2.C.13 but concentrated into 17.C.3 from the Sherwood Cemetery?
  • that means the 2.C.16 Lieutenant is the same one as noted above for 17.C.6 (error above as I had it as 17.G.6) 
  • this has to be due to the cemetery reorganization after the armistice
  •  this also tells us the lower plot numbers ARE NOT the original graves as what is now PLOT 2 was previously PLOT 17
• 2.F.27 has the Gordon Highlander Serjeant that was on our COG-BR list for grave 16.F.7, so now we also have PLOT 2 with men from the original PLOT 16
• 2.B.31 which I missed on COG-BR 1965771 (small print) is an Officer R.I.R. (rifles or regiment?) beside Smith, so  2.B.31 was initially 1.E.31
  • this one does tell us that the concentration was from 57d.Q.18.b.2.8 to 57d.Q.18.c.0.2
  • it is going to be difficult to figure out which Plots were the originals!
• 4.A.30 has a R.M.L.I Corporal, with Lieutenant Richards and an NCO
  • Lieutenant Richards does not have a COG-BR so this group may be "original burials"
  • 12 Corporals on the Thiepval Memorial and 8 of those are the same date as Lt. Richards on 13 November 1916
• 4.B.10 Unknown Lieutenant Hants Regiment (Hampshire)
  • only 2 on the Thiepval Memorial (CWGC Link), July and September, so this must be Lt. Potter from 15 September 1916 - must check the Special Memorials
  • I missed him on COG-BR 1965762, which had Ellis to make the link from Plot 4 Row B to the original Plot 2 Row E
• 5.A.36 has a Lieutenant of a Machine Gun Company (GRRF 19652276), so that could be RND Lieutenant Chapman who is in post #2 above
  • there Lieutenant Chapman was proposed as the alternate to Lieutenant Marting (Martin?)
• 5.D.30 has an Unknown Officer RND who is between Taylor (known concentration - 31.J.10 or 21.J.10?) and Oxlade (no COG-BR)
• 5.E.16 has a 11/Manchesters Lance Corporal
  • Woods on same GRRF 1965287 in 5.E.21 was in 21.K.9 so the unknown was in 21.K.4 (COG-BR 1965749)
  • 11 on the Thiepval Memorial (CWGC Link) showing all but 2 lost on 26 September 1916
  • NOTE that GRRF 1965369 tells us that Lance Corporal Davies is buried in this cemetery, they just don't know where - is this him?
• 6.E.24 and Unknown Serjeant of the 17/Sherwoods - 6 candidates (CWGC Link), 5 of which KIA on 3rd September the same as his neighbour WITHERS

There is mention of the reorganization within the cemetery on GRRF 1965293, as it refers to Elliot moving from Plot 1 Row F to Plot 6 Row A Grave 1. I am not sure why they say "not a reburial", maybe they meant "not a concentration"?

 

I am surprised the CWGC did not mention the poor lad from the 148th Labour Company that was doing the concentrations. Private Sandry #706453 drowned and was buried on 12 September 1919 in 2.B.55. Appears they just added  him to the end of an existing row.

 

There is an unknown soldier in 6.D.26 (GRRF 1965304) whose cross was marked on the back with "A.63864". That jumped out to me, as many Canadian's had numbers starting wtih "A" that were later changed to "4", so that would mean "463864". That was CEF Harry Ball but he survived the war. The closest match of a KIA was 463865 but he has a known grave at the Adanac Military Cemetery. That is a puzzle to checked on more later ....

 

The MEMORIAL PLOTS start at GRRF 1965361. Lots of RND men known to be buried in the cemetery, which could be cross checked against graves. One of them GRRF 1965368 tells us that a number of graves from the GREEN DUMP CEMETERY were destroyed  by the enemy. Others were concentrated to this cemetery. I added the note about Lance Corporal Davies of the 11/Manchesters to the notes above. There was no mention of the others noted above that had to be checked against the Special Memorials.

 

I will need to check more into the possibility that we have Lieutenant Charles Gordon Potter of the Hampshire Regiment. He was attached to the London Regiment (Post Office Rifles). Also Serjeant Charles Ronald Hill, the first on the list above.

Edited 4 October , 2019 by laughton
typos - chrome spell checker not working on Win 10?

[laughton]

On 04/10/2019 at 09:44, laughton said:

4.B.10 Unknown Lieutenant Hants Regiment (Hampshire)

• only 2 on the Thiepval Memorial (CWGC Link), July and September, so this must be Lt. Potter from 15 September 1916 - must check the Special Memorials
• I missed him on COG-BR 1965762, which had Ellis to make the link from Plot 4 Row B to the original Plot 2 Row E

 

 

I have run into a SNAG going forward on this one, perhaps pals have ideas or information (CWGC for POTTER and NIXON).

• the UKNA for POTTER has him as a Second Lieutenant, so this may be another case where the CWGC "bumped his rank" after his death - happens frequently
• he was attached to the London Regiment 1/8th Post Office Rifles but the war diary on Ancestry jumps from August 1916 to January 1917 - maybe it is gone?
   
• both the CWGC and the UKNA have NIXON as 3rd Battalion Hampshire Regiment, which is the RESERVE, not what battalion he served with
• okay with him, MIC shows attached to 1st Hampshire Regiment
• war diary page 166 of 639 missing the first 9 days of July 1916 but on the 10th they are in the Beaumont Hamel sector
• back up to June page 162 of 639 to get July 1st - Mailly and Beaumont-Hamel

[jay dubaya]

On 02/10/2019 at 20:23, laughton said:

STATION ROAD CEMETERY (must be in 57d.Q.18.b), on the South side of "Station Road", 500 metres West of the railway. This cemetery was used, from November 1916, to March 1917, for the burial of 82 officers and men from the United Kingdom.

 

You must have missed this one from the DAL Richard, 57d.q.18.a.8.7

 

 

 

Nixon was attached to the 11th TMB when he was KiA. The 11th Inf Bde were NW of Beaumont Hamel on Redan Ridge, to be buried in Q.18 is some distance from where most of those 1st Hants who appear on CoG-BRs (K.34/35 and Q.4/5) are now buried. Pte Brookes 1st Hants was a casualty of the 1st July and was also attached to the 11th TMB, buried by V Corps at Beaumont Hamel BC

Potter is shown as a 2/Lt (Hants) in the battalion casualty list contained in the 140th Inf Bde WD. The battalion had assembled at High Wood on the day he died so again some distance from Q.18 (different map altogether 57C.S.4)

Given the cross location for all those listed on CoG -BR 1965762 and I note there are 3 Hants (1 Unknown Lt, 1 Unknown and Pte Murphy). Pte Murphy was serving with the 14th Hants when he was KiA 3rd September 1916, the battalion were in Q.18 at the time. This may suggest that the Unknown Lt (rank bumped up? I haven't checked) may be one of the five 2/Lt's remembered on the Thiepval Memorial who were serving with the 14th Bn at the time of their deaths.

 

J

[Marilyne]

Amazing detailed researched… can't help but being impressed by this wealth of knowledge!!

 

M.

[jay dubaya]

Whilst searching for AIF casualties buried originally at North Road Cemetery, Flers (I believe I know the map reference now, the cemetery was concentrated to the AIF burial grounds) I have noticed in the CoG-BR for the AIF Burial Ground that there are quite a few unknown Hants soldiers buried there, most if not all given their original burial locations would suggest 1st Hants.

 

J

[laughton]

12 hours ago, jay dubaya said:

You must have missed this one from the DAL Richard, 57d.q.18.a.8.7

 

Great & thanks! I look for the cemeteries on the DAL with the "find" function, which missed this one as it was crossed out and unreadable - lesson learned! A manual search is required for any that are missing.

 

Great little map of the concentration cemeteries. Is that from the White Cross book I have read about?

 

I was checking into that COG-BR 1965762 late yesterday and was still scratching my head. Corporal R. Murphy #572 turned into Corporal R. A. Murphy #3/5129 14th Hants, as noted on HD-SCHD 2067196, where he and Ellis 11th Royal Sussex, are buried in 4.B.6 and 4.B.7. Murphy's MIC says A/Corporal. I was trying to figure out how he went from 572 to 3/5129? Maybe they could only read the "512" and took that as "572"?

 

14th Hants on the CWGC List for 3 September 1916 =167.

 

Where are they listed: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL (109) ANCRE BRITISH CEMETERY, BEAUMONT-HAMEL (27) SERRE ROAD CEMETERY No.1 (11) HAMEL MILITARY CEMETERY, BEAUMONT-HAMEL (7) AVELUY WOOD CEMETERY (LANCASHIRE DUMP),MESNIL-MARTINSART (4) CONNAUGHT CEMETERY, THIEPVAL (2) SERRE ROAD CEMETERY No.2 (2) A.I.F. BURIAL GROUND, FLERS (1) CAYEUX MILITARY CEMETERY (1) COUIN BRITISH CEMETERY (1)

The five (5) Second Lieutenants:   ASH GILBERT STANLEY 14th Bn. BALL BENEDICT HANLEY 13th Bn. attd. 14th Bn. BEARN PERCY DARE 13th Bn. attd. 14th Bn. PEEL COLIN NEVILL 3rd Bn. attd. 14th Bn. RODGER JAMES ALEXANDER VALENTINE 13th Bn. attd. 14th Bn.

 

Once I got to the point that the UNKNOWN was not POTTER, as he was a Second Lieutenant, the focus shifted to NIXON - as the unchecked logic would say it must be him if he is the only Lieutenant missing. He was in the general area so he had to be checked. I would agree with you that there is little chance that he is the Unknown Lieutenant.

 

Turning a Second Lieutenant into a Lieutenant brings on this sudden fear of being struck by the "Kipling Effect"! 

 

I had thought there might be a Captain in the CWGC list that was really only a Lieutenant at the time and bumped up later. There are seven (7) on the Thiepval Memorial: (CWGC Link). The surnames below are linked to their UKNA listing of officers, all of which appear there as Captains. The last one, STAPLETON is listed as the Wiltshire Regiment. He was in Canada farming before the war (GWF Link). Looks like the UKNCA listing is incorrect.

 

ARNELL	DOUGLAS CARSTAIRS	13/07/1916	2nd Bn.
BLAND	CHARLES EDWARD	9/9/1916	11th Bn.
CADE	FRANCIS THOMAS DARREL	6/9/1916	11th Bn.
CARRINGTON	HAROLD EDWARD	15/09/1916	"C" Coy. 15th Bn.
CROMIE	HENRY JULIAN (JULIEN)	23/10/1916	3rd Bn. attd. 1st Bn.
JAMES	JAMES WRIGHT	7/10/1916	15th Bn.
STAPLETON	HUBERT	15/09/1916	15th Bn.

 

At about this point I head elsewhere with greater prospects.

[jay dubaya]

The map extract is taken from the ‘Body Density’ series for 57d. These'individual burial location maps' were prepared by the Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquires (DGRE) in early 1919. The blue figures indicate to the labour companies about to start the grim task of clearance, where bodies were registered as buried according to DGRE records. The blue figures do not represent any burials within  'registered' cemeteries within the square even if that cemetery is due for concentration. Unburied bodies and bodies whose temporary burial was not notified to DGRE are also not included. The White Cross Atlas is completely different and was produced for pilgrimages/tourists. 

It is with regret that the Unknown Lt (Hants) will progress no further than this but the radar will remain on.

 

J

[Jarry17]

On 04/10/2019 at 14:44, laughton said:

.B.6 Hants Unknown Serjeant - one (1) on Thiepval (CWGC Link), but we have the one concentrated into 22.B.5?

• see next for the Lieutenant, so this is probably also due to the renumbering and this may be the same Serjeant
• is this Serjeant Charles Ronald Hill?

 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but it can't be Serjeant Hill, he is from the 2nd Bn, 29th Division. these guys didn't attack with the rest of 29 div on the 1st and the 88th brigade were up near lesboeufs on the day this guys is listed as killed. It would infact have to be a Serjeant of the 14th Bn Hampshire Regiment who went into attack down there on 3rd September 1916. This means that it is now one of the 7 Serjeants listed as missing from that attack.

[laughton]

Jarry17:

 

That is in fact GOOD NEWS, we need to have correction and don't want to chase a bad lead.

 

For others, this is the document: https://archive.cloud.cwgc.org/archive/doc/doc1965617.JPG

 

Thanks for the assistance - these all work well as a team effort and they all need to be correct.

 

Richard

[Jarry17]

On 07/10/2019 at 13:41, laughton said:

Murphy's MIC says A/Corporal. I was trying to figure out how he went from 572 to 3/5129? Maybe they could only read the "512" and took that as "572"?

 

Also in many cases on these documents the numbers don't actually match the soldier or vise versa. I wouldn't dwell on it as its quite a common mistake.

Hope this helps.

 

Jack