laughton Posted 14 January , 2020 Share Posted 14 January , 2020 (edited) It appears that I need to dig into this cemetery, as it is linked to the cases of the Messines Ridge British Cemetery for men that were concentrated from the Wervicq / Bousbecque area. There was another topic on this cemetery (https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/42476-larch-wood-railway-cutting-cemetery/) with some photographs and lots of broken image links. The ZIP Files for the CWGC documents was made for this cemetery back in 2016 so they already exist here: (there is always the chance there are others not yet found) Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery ZIP Files GRRF 2127826-2127926 COG-BR 2226287-2226336 SPEC-EXH 2226234-2226283 new SPEC-SERIES 1820891-1820960 (see note at end of post) As with the other cemeteries, I will track down the trench map coordinates (TMC) for the concentrated cemeteries and check the COG-BR documents for any others not mentioned. I will update this page as those are unearthed. Here is the start from the CWGC page: Quote The cemetery was begun in April 1915 at the North-end of a small plantation of larches. It was used by troops holding this sector, particularly the 46th (North Midland) Division and the 1st Dorsets, until April 1918. It was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of Ypres and from the following smaller cemeteries:- AMERICA CROSS ROADS GERMAN CEMETERY, WERVICQ 28.P.12.b.9.0, (COG-BR 2226289) (named from a cabaret between Wervicq and Kruiseecke) contained the graves of five soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in October, 1914. BRUGES GENERAL CEMETERY, ST. MICHEL, contained the graves of 32 soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom and one Canadian merchant seaman. I will try to find the TMC, as not listed, but the Canadian Merchant Seaman must be listed on a COG-BR It must be this one that I found with a different name, as it is the only one with a link to a Canadian Merchant Seaman and it was not on the listSTEENEBRUGGE COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION 13.G.30.b.7.6 (COG-BR 2226313) six (6) pages with German Grave numbers includes an RAF aviator from 14 October 1918 also includes the Canadian Ed Wood from S.S. Mascutta - not sure if that is the Canadian Merchant Marine mentioned or not GRRF 2127895 and COG-BR2226314 probably the correct one as there are thirty-four (34) including the Canadian and the last one on the list, a Belgian, who they probably moved CORTEMARCK GERMAN CEMETERY, No.1 20.K.8.c.1.5, (COG-BR 2226303) a little North-West of the village, contained the grave of two R.F.C. officers. EERNEGHEM GERMAN CEMETERY 12.Q.32.c.5.7, (COG-BR 2226311) a little East of Eerneghem, that of one R.A.F. officer. GHISTELLES CHURCHYARD 12.P.15.a.3.2 (COG-BR 2226307) contained the graves of two British soldiers who fell in July, 1917. There was a German aerodrome at Ghistelles, and the Germans used a plot in the Churchyard for war burials. GROENENBERG GERMAN CEMETERY, ZANTVOORDE (on the South side of "Shrewsbury Forest"), contained the graves of four soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in February, 1915, no TMC to date, will hunt it down HANDZAEME GERMAN CEMETERY 20.J.17.b.5.9 (COG-BR 2226302) (on the North side of the village) those of two Canadian soldiers who fell in May, 1915, and ICHTEGHEM GERMAN CEMETERY 12.V.29.b.9.9 (COG-BR 2226309) (a little West of Ichteghem) those of two unknown R.A.F. officers. LEFFINGHE GERMAN CEMETERY 12.I.32.c.5.4 (COG-BR 2226308) (on the North side of the village) contained the graves of one R.F.C. officer who fell in July, 1917, and three unknown soldiers from the United Kingdom; and MARCKHOVE GERMAN CEMETERY, CORTEMARCK 20.K.2.c.7.2, (COG-BR 2226304) those of ten soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom who fell in 1918. OUDENBURG CHURCHYARD (or C.C.G.E.) 12.J.29.b.9.1 (COG-BR 2226320) contained the graves of two soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in 1917, and TENBRIELEN COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION 28.P.17.c.2.6 (COG-BR 2226291) those of six who fell in 1914. THOUROUT GERMAN CEMETERY No.2 20.E.12.b.8.8 (COG-BR 2226306) (on the road to Jabbeke, beyond the railway line), contained the graves of seven soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom and one from Canada; VLADSLOO GERMAN CEMETERY 20.C.28.d.7.4 (COG-BR 2226310) (near the Church) those of two R.F.C. officers who fell in 1917; and WARNETON SUD-ET-BAS GERMAN CEMETERY 28.V.8.a.9.4 (COG-BR 2226290) those of two unknown British soldiers who fell in 1918. WERVICQ COMMUNAL CEMETERY and its EXTENSIONS (on the Belgian side of the Lys) contained the graves of 62 soldiers from the United Kingdom and six from Canada. Communal Cemetery (COG-BR 2226312) - only one grave concentrated and no TMC provided German Extension 28.Q.25.a.5.1 (COG-BR 2226292) see also special reference to bodies found in the German Extension of COG-BR 2226336 on DAL LIST we also have Wervicq German Cemetery 28.Q.25.c.4.7 - no idea yet if concentrations from there to Larch Wood original GRRF documents show there was an east and west German Extension Wervicq Communal Cemetery, German Eastern Extension GRRF 1820923 28.Q.25.a.6.2 Wervicq Communal Cemetery, German Western Extension GRRF 1820927 28.Q.25.a.2.1 WIJNENDAELE GERMAN CEMETERY, THOUROUT 12.W.29.d.8.8 (COG-BR 2226319), contained the graves of two flying officers from the United Kingdom and one from Canada; and ZANTVOORDE GERMAN CEMETERY 28.P.3.d.4.6 (COG-BR 2226287) (called also De Voorstraat No.49) those of eleven soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in 1914. The cemetery contains 856 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 321 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to 82 casualties known or believed to be buried in the cemetery. Other special memorials record the names of five casualties buried in German cemeteries whose graves could not be found on concentration. Looking for more COG-BR documents I came across a series of GRRF documents within this cemetery for those concentrated from Wervicq Communal Cemetery German Extension. They are in the series that ends with GRRF 1820915 so I will need to go back and collect those. Looks like they moved out all the commonwealth soldiers from there. This is the Larch Wood document that led me to the Canadian SMITH 71430 GRRF 2127861 and SPEC-SERIES 1820908. Earlier in that package is also the GRRF documents from Oudenburg Churchyard, and others. In that group are also some other SPEC-EXH documents - all found by sheer luck! And it just keeps getting to be a bigger list - scattered with blanks throughout. I have added this SPECIAL SERIES to the list at the top and put them on the Shared MediaFire site. There are some interesting documents in that Special Series, such as the remains of Canadian Allan Gordon Barton, who for some reason was not exhumed with the rest of the group from Wervicq until 20 July 1955? I missed it .... just 3 days short of turning 3 years old! back later with more TMC Edited 15 January , 2020 by laughton updating details in stages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 15 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 January , 2020 20 hours ago, laughton said: The cemetery contains 856 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 321 of the burials are unidentified That means I must not have retrieved all the COG-BR documents. True enough, a random search revealed Frank Chessum in another set of documents around COG-BR 2153064 which is a new series. Something amiss with that though, as that document says he was removed to the Perth China Wall Military Cemetery? Also on that page is John Charles Paling who is named on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. I see why now, it was a cross with no remains that was removed to Perth. That was a DUD - but I will return to look for more COG-BR documents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT006 Posted 15 January , 2020 Share Posted 15 January , 2020 2 hours ago, laughton said: I will return to look for more COG-BR documents. You need 2153065 - 2153177 Luc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 15 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 January , 2020 Thanks Luc, I had looked at those but am unaware of a link between Larch Wood and Perth China Wall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughton Posted 15 January , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 January , 2020 (edited) Some of the candidates: (have not checked details - just making a list - Luc may have checked the aviators already) COG-BR 2226288 #9879 Royal Scots Fusilier - Lance Serjeant Robert Porteous #9878 COG-BR 2226300 RFC Officer 3 June 1917 - Haller or Foster, have not checked any details COG-BR 2226305 RAF Officer (s)? around 25 September 1918 - 213th Squad, same as other in cemetery - Iliff or Scroggie also one 30 August 1918, only Pike is missing COG-BR 2226309 2 RFC Officers, no dates or details except location is unique COG-BR 2226314 the Canadian Merchant Seaman (Edward Wood?) remains a mystery, as does that ship - none listed on Halifax Memorial for that date turns out it was Chief Officer E Woods of the S.S. Mascota who was named as buried in this cemetery mention here, sunk 29 March 1917 and Chief Officer was taken POW COG-BR 2226317 1 RAF 14 October 1918 and there are two more from 213th Sqd plus another Edited 15 January , 2020 by laughton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT006 Posted 15 January , 2020 Share Posted 15 January , 2020 4 hours ago, laughton said: Some of the candidates: (have not checked details - just making a list - Luc may have checked the aviators already This is what I have for those aviators: COG-BR 2226300 RFC Officer 3 June 1917 - Haller or Foster, have not checked any details Grave 4A18 is FltSubLt PG McNeil, reported, CWGC Identification Case No. 306. Topic: https://cefresearch.ca/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=13949 Haller and Foster are at Messines Ridge graves 5B6 and 5B7, doc2015142 Topic: https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/277325-messines-ridge-british-cemetery-case-2-unknown-aviators-haller-foster/ COG-BR 2226305 RAF Officer (s)? around 25 September 1918 - 213th Squad, same as other in cemetery - Iliff or Scroggie Grave 1A11 is 2Lt HG Pike, reported, CWGC Identification Case No. 415 Grave 1A12 is almost certainly 2Lt G Iliff but can't exclude Lt LC Scroggie, We are still looking for more details. Grave 1A12 is 2Lt DA Shanks, report in progress. COG-BR 2226309 2 RFC Officers, no dates or details except location is unique Grave 1B14 is FltSubLt EGA Eyre, reported by Johan Ryheul, case number unknown (you might have that on the CWGC case list ?). Grave 1B13 is still unknown. COG-BR 2226317 1 RAF 14 October 1918 and there are two more from 213th Sqd plus another Grave 4F31 is probably Lt WT Owen, this needs further investigation. Most of these cases rely on the date shown on the headstone and it's not easy to exclude all others that were shot down earlier and could have died later from wounds, recent rejections show that CWGC will not accept these easily. Luc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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