Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps

[laughton]

I had never heard of this cemetery, and certainly did not know of it for Canadian casualties, until drawn to it on another project.

 

I will collect all the documents and add them to the shared MediaFire site. The links will become active when that task has been completed (done). There are a number of other "Sucrerie" named cemeteries, many with documents in the same CWGC area, so I will need to watch that the correct (and all) of them are collected

• Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps Shared MediaFire ZIP Files
  • GRRF 2052198-2052292
  • COG-BR 2052313-2052440

I will add the trench map coordinates TMC for any of the main areas of concentrations, as there are no reported cemeteries specifically concentrated here.

 

There are a number of GRRF documents at the start of the COG-BR files that appear to be dated 1980. I don't know what they are yet but I will investigate and report. It may be a renumbering of the graves. There are also SPEC-EXH pages in with the COG-BR. Some of these appear to be related to other cemeteries, no details on that yet - to be checked! It also seems that there should be more COG-BR files than what has been collected.
 

Quote

The cemetery was begun by French troops in the early summer of 1915, and extended to the West by British units from July in that year until, with intervals, December 1918.

 

It was called at first the 10th Brigade Cemetery. Until the German retreat in March 1917, it was never more than a 1.6 kilometres from the front line; and from the end of March 1918 (when the New Zealand Division was engaged in fighting at the Sucrerie) to the following August, it was under fire.

 

The 285 French and twelve German graves were removed to other cemeteries after the Armistice, and in consequence there are gaps in the lettering of the Rows.

 

Between 1933 and 1934 some of these gaps were refilled after 210 graves, found on the battlefields of the Somme, were added.

 

There are now 1103, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these 219 casualties are unidentified. The cemetery covers an area is 6,322 square metres and it is enclosed by a low brick wall.

 

I see there are five (5) known Canadians buried here but I suspect I will find a number of unknowns (CWGC Link).

Edited 16 March , 2020 by laughton
updating details in stages

[laughton]

Reviewing the files: (many in the 1930's and the remains had been disturbed by farming practices)

• COG-BR 2052385: Bec will want to look at this one at 57d.R.35.c.05.65! @Becstar
  • it has its own topic at Sucrerie Military Cemetery: Case #1 - Private John Finlay #3751
  • there are a number of other Aussie lads from this area on following pages, the area of the Windmill and Sugar Factory northeast of Pozieres
• COG-BR 2052389: we switch over to the start of a number of South Africans
  • these are from 57c.S.18 the area of Longueval and Deville Wood in July 1916
  • I will check if Steve has already looked at these @southafricawargraves
  • there is an Unknown Officer later in the series at COG-BR 2052402 with a SPEC-EXH 2052403
  • the other officer beside him was identified, probably from the two medal ribbons
• COG-BR 2052394: an Unknown Officer of the East Kents that also has a SPEC-EXH 2052395
  • I have not yet checked to see if he was later identified
• COG-BR 2052405 and SPEC-EXH 2052406: Officer of the Royal West Fusiliers at Delville Wood - compass marked SCOUTS
• COG-BR 2052412 and SPEC-EXH 2052413: Officer of the Durham Light Infantry
• COG-BR 2052416 and SPEC-EXH 2052417: Officer of the Lancashire Fusiliers, denture stamped H. J. T.
• COG-BR 2052416 and SPEC-EXH 2052418: Officer of an Unknown Regiment, 2 stars in his pocket
• COG-BR 2052419: the unknown Canadians start to appear near 57d.R.35
  • more of them at COG-BR 2052429, not that they can be identified, just had not heard of these burials
• COG-BR 2052423: A Captain at High Wood 57c.S.4 but no exhumation report that I see yet
• COG-BR 2052427: a different type of case for an Officer of the Royal Warwicks who was not knowingly buried there already
  • he was exhumed and examined SPEC-EXH 2052428
• COG-BR 2052432 and SPEC-EXH 2052433: Officer of Royal Irish Fusiliers
• COG-BR 2052437: a strange one of a single British Soldier with 31 Germans, some were identified - buried by the Germans?
• COG-BR 2052438: not one of the common locations for me, near Doullens 57d.A.23.a.25.95 - seven men into one grave
  • almost tricked! the SPEC-EXH reveals that they had a bad "X" and the area was Mametz Wood area at 57d.X.23.a.25.95
  • 2 pieces of a boot marked "W. H. Phillips" for which we have a selection from the CWGC database
  • any of those units ring a bell with anyone familiar with battles in that area?
  • there is a SPEC-EXH 2052439 for the one with the Officer Ankle Boots but no mention of which had name stamp
  • from the revised area, it would be one of these two men: CWGC Link
  • no others in the cemetery from either of those specific battalions, same for the Australian

Edited 17 March , 2020 by laughton
updating details in stages