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Ovillers Cemetery


ragamuffin

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Hallo

I'm doing some research on Sir Harry Lauder, so naturally went to visit his son Capt John Lauder up at Ovillers cemetery on the Somme.

I was reliably informed that he was buried in plot 1a6, 2 down from George Nugent (found at La Boiselle in 1998)who is buried in plot 1a8. George Nugent is in the 'right place', but Capt Lauder seems to have dissapeared. In plot 1a6 there is a relatively new headstone to an 'Unknown'.

Could anyone please explain where he has 'moved' to, why he has been moved, or if indeed he was there in the first place?

Danke

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George Nugent's grave number is I.A.26A which does not agree with your post! This would seem to be some distance from I.A.6.

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George Nugent is in I. A. 26A

Mick

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Hallo

I was given George Nugent to be 1a8, to which I found him at this spot. If you say it is I.A.26A so be it. I found him anyways.

I was told Capt John Lavender was only 2 down from him, but he was not there. Does anyone have his plot number?

Danke

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I think there is an error here. If I remember rightly Lauder's grave is one of those Special Memorials at the front of the cemetery facing in. I think to the right of the entrance, the Mash Valley memorials, but it may be to the left,

Bob

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I recall that Lauder is buried very close to an old boy of my school. I also have the diary of a labour corps man who was an early battlefield tourist visiting Lauder's grave early in 1917 while he was engaged in salvage work near Ovillers.

I seem to recall that there have been rumours over the years that Captain Lauder was real tyrant and may have died at the hands of his own men. I think there has been a previous thread about this.

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Hallo

This confuses things even further :huh:

I have heard 3 different places now. All say to the right of the cemetery as you walk in.

George Nugent is a few rows up on the right hand side as you walk through the entrance.

Then it was reported Capt Lauder was near him. I have seen Nugents headstone, but not Lauders.

You are correct in saying he was a bit of a tyrant and official sources say he was killed by sniper fire, but in fact it has been said (and I believe documented) he was killed by his own men.

Danke

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Hallo

I was given George Nugent to be 1a8, to which I found him at this spot. If you say it is I.A.26A so be it. I found him anyways.

I was told Capt John Lavender was only 2 down from him, but he was not there. Does anyone have his plot number?

Danke

Lauder is I.A.6, according to CWGC, I remember seeing it when I was there 3 or 4 years ago

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John Lauder's is not a Special Memorial, here he is from a low res shot I took about four years ago.

post-7183-1150387676.jpg

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Lauders's grave is on the right as you enter the cemetery and is a few rows back from Nugent's grave.

I posted a thread on Lauder's demise a couple of years ago. He wasn't a nice fellow by all accounts.

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Hallo

It seems I was misinformed of to the whereabouts of the graves. Capt Lauder is in the correct place, but Mr Nugent seems to be elswhere, in releation to where I was looking . It seems I struck on luck that I found Mr Nugent, as I did (as I was told it was IA8). I walked in looked up that plot and found within that area, Mr Nugent.

I then proceeded to look for Capt Lauder, but obviously failed to find him.

The well respected people who told me that George Nugent was buried in plot Ia8 now have a lot to answer for.

Many thanks for your kind replies and the photo.

Exactly how many rows behind and to the left or to the right?

Danke

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George Nugent's grave number is I.A.26A which does not agree with your post! This would seem to be some distance from I.A.6.

Hallo

I know this does not agree with my original post. The original post was to establish the whereabouts of Capt John Lauder and not the whereabouts of George Nugent. I knew of the final resting place of George Nugent as I laid a flower at his Graveside. I was confused as to the plot numbers, as I had been previously quoted.

It now transpires it is not a great deal distance at all from the 2 graves. Merely within spitting distance, not too far it seems.

Danke.

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The well respected people who told me that George Nugent was buried in plot Ia8

From my notes I have John Lauder's grave as 1 A 6 so you could have been just 2 graves from him as you looked for Nugent at the incorrect location of 1 A 8 :rolleyes:

I have Nugent's grave recorded as 1 A 26A which is to the right but in the same area.

post-172-1150446195.jpg

post-172-1150446205.jpg

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Hallo Derek

Many thanks for your reply. I think a pic of the layout of the cemetery was in order here. You provided it.

The thing is, I was told George Nugent was IA8 and only a couple of headstones down, I would find John Lauder at IA6, as you said.

Subsequently I found George Nugent, abeit by a fluke, but I found him neverless in roughly the area I was aiming for. I thought it was IA8, went looking for John Lauder and he wasn't there. Now I know why.

Many thanks for your many replies and I guess I will have to look for John Lauder next time I'm over there.

Danke.

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