Commonwealth War-Graves Commission database
Wat's thread on Mediaeval English military records here;
http://www.theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6286
... prompted me to revisit the Following Link:
http://www.cwgc.org/debt_of_honour.asp?menuid=14
I had looked a few years ago, but am now armed with more detailed genealogical knowledge, thanks to the husband of a distant cousin.
I found my Great Great Uncle Tom's records, and copied the little 'certificate' they make for each entry;
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8...masshields.jpg
I regret not having had the information of the whereabouts of his grave on my recent Flanders trip.
Quote:
Villers-Faucon is a village about 12 kilometres north-east of Peronne, in Somme Departement, France. The Cemetery is situated north of the village on the road to Guyencourt-Saulcourt.
Historical Information:
Villers-Faucon was captured by the 5th Cavalry Division on 27 March 1917, lost on 22 March 1918, and retaken by the III Corps on 7 September 1918. The Commonwealth graves in the COMMUNAL CEMETERY are those of soldiers who died in February-August 1917, or (in the case of two who are buried in Row B) in September 1918. They were made by the cavalry, the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, and other fighting troops. The communal cemetery contains 227 First World War burials, five of them unidentified, and 91 German graves. The adjoining EXTENSION was begun in April 1917 and used until March 1918. It was then used by the Germans, and Commonwealth burials were resumed in September and October 1918. Further Commonwealth graves were brought in after the Armistice from a wide area round Villers-Faucon. The extension contains 459 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 144 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to six casualties believed to be buried among them. The extension also contains 66 German graves. The Commonwealth plots were designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
Tom's case was especially sad. He was killed at the age of 25, only two years after the death of his only son Myles, who hadn't lasted a year. His wife Minnie lived only another five years, to die at 33.
Just one of MILLIONS of such stories from all over Europe. The decimation of that generation set us on the path we're on now. Needless to say, Ardwick is rather different a place today.
