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Yorkshire
Regiment War Graves, - Maroc British Cemetery, Grenay (Pas de Calais, France) |
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Maroc British Cemetery (1)
Photo : Chris Weekes (<weebex12@hotmail.com>)
The cemetery was begun by French troops in August 1915, but it was first used as a Commonwealth cemetery by the 47th (London) Division in January 1916. During the greater part of the war it was a front-line cemetery used by fighting units and field ambulances, and protected from German observation by a slight rise in the ground. Plot II was begun in April 1917 by the 46th (North Midland) Division and by the middle of October 1918, Plot III, Row A and part of Row B, had been filled. The remainder of Plot III, and the ends of certain rows in Plot I, contain graves brought in after the Armistice from the battlefields and small cemeteries (including Maroc Churchyard), north and east of Grenay.
Maroc British Cemetery now contains 1,379 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 264 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 89 casualties known to be buried among them. In particular, 87 officers and men of the 6th London Regiment, who died on 25 September 1915 in the capture of Loos, are now buried (but without individual identification) in Plot III, Rows H, J, K and L. The cemetery also contains 45 French and German burials.
Amongst the graves are those of 19 soldiers who served with the Yorkshire Regiment.
We are very grateful to Chris Weekes (<weebex12@hotmail.com>) for having taken the photos of the cemetery and the Yorkshire Regiment headstones.
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Private Edwin Adams. 29467. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 28751 Notts & Derby Regt. Husband of Elsie Nixon (formerly Adams), of 25, Leonard Rd., Birches Head, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Killed 24 July 1916. Aged 21. Born Hanley (Staffs), Enlisted Tenton, Resided Hanley (Staffs). "IN LOVING MEMORY FROM HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN" |
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Lance Corporal Fred Blackburn. 23147. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of David Lodge Blackburn and Eleanor Kate Blackburn, of 16, Bath St., Elland, Yorks. Killed 19 July 1916. Aged 26. Born Huddersfield, Enlisted Huddersfield. "THY WILL BE DONE"
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Lance Corporal James Devereux.
29783. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 32015 Notts & Derby Regt. Killed 25 August 1916. Born Enniscorthy (Wexford), Enlisted Enniscorthy. |
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Private Alfred Dredge. 29483.
13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 28341 Notts & Derby Regt. Killed 25 August 1916. Aged 19. Born Litchurch (Derby), Enlisted Derby. |
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Private Albert Driver. 29874.
13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 32841 Notts & Derby Regt. Husband of Leah Driver, of 23, Old Square, Sidemoor, Bromsgrove, Worcs. Killed 19 July 1916. Aged 28. Born Brant Green (Worcestershire), Enlisted Leicester. |
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Serjeant Arthur Footitt. 29691. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 31057 Notts & Derby Regt. Killed 23 August 1916. Born Matlock (Derby), Enlisted Leeds. Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) has found that there are additional biographical details of Sergeant Footitt on the website for "Matlock & Matlock Bath : The War Memorials";- "....s/o Henry and Harriett Footitt. Living Temple Road, Matlock Bath in the 1891 census. He moved to Holbeck Leeds and was a Police Constable. Married Rebecca (surname unsure of, but probably Tyson). 1 daur, 2 sons. " (Widow lived at No 15, St. Luke's Terrace, Beeston, Leeds. Ref : Yorkshire Evening News, Christopher Noble, <cjnoble01@virginmedia.com>) |
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Private James Hancock, 29571.
13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, attached 173rd Tunnelling Coy Royal Engineers. Formerly 30769 Notts & Derby Regt. Son of Annie M. and the late Charles Hancock, of 7, East St., Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs. Killed 22 February 1917. Aged 33. Born Kidsgrove (Staffs), Enlisted Tunstall, Resided Golden Hill (Staffs). "HE LIES BENEATH
THE SOIL OF FRANCE SOMEWHERE IN A GRAVE UNKNOWN TO US R.I.P." |
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Private Sidney Harris, 29746.
13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 31669 Notts & Derby Regt. Son of Elizabeth Jane Harris, of 86, Bracebridge St., Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Killed 2 September 1916. Aged 22. Born Honiton (Devon), Enlisted Hinchley (sic), Resided Stoke Golden (sic). |
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Lance Corporal George Hazelden,
24961. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Joseph and Emily Hazelden, of 35, George St., Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Killed 19 July 1916. Aged 32. Born Rasthall (Kent), Enlisted Tonbridge, Resided Tunbridge Wells. |
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Private Henry John Markham. 22772.
12th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Henry and Sarah Markham, of 33, Upper Graham St., South Bank, Yorks. Killed 4 July 1916. Aged 19. Born South Bank (Yorks), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided South Bank. "THY WILL BE DONE"
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Private James McCamley. 23110. 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 3 September 1916. Born Sevilmoor (Co. Down), Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Cargo Fleet. |
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Private Jabez Henry Bond Redfern.
29842. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 29842 Notts & Derby Regt. Killed 22 August 1916. Born Hayfield (Derby), Enlisted Buxton, Resided Hayfield. |
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Private Edwin Reynolds. 23635. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Stabler Reynolds and Jane Reynolds, of Newton-on-Ouse, York. Killed 16 August 1916. Aged 28. Born Newton-on-Ouse (Yorks), Enlisted York, Resided Newton-on-Ouse. |
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Private William Ernest Routh. 25589. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Margaret Routh, of 26, Seymour St., Leeds Rd., Bradford. Killed 27 July 1916. Aged 31. Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Bradford. |
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Private Robert Sydney Shorten.
23246. 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs Metcalfe, of Park View Terrace, Guisborough, Yorks. Killed 5 August 1916. Aged 18. Born Guisborough, Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Guisborough. |
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Company Serjeant Major James Thorley.
29393. 13th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 6741 North Staffs Regt. Son of James Thorley, of Longton, Staffs; husband of Catherine Mary Thorley (nee Duckering), of 34, Wolfa St., Derby. Killed 21 August 1916. Aged 33. Born Longton (Staffs), Enlisted Lichfield, Resided Longton. |
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Lieutenant Noel Muschamp Vickers.
13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 3 August 1916. Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) has found additional biographical details of Lieutenant Noel Vickers;- Formerly 18th Bn Sherwood Foresters. Son of James Muschamp & Annie Elizabeth Vickers, husband of Linda. KIA 3/8/1916 Age 35. Born Mitcham, Surrey. Resided at Great Waltham, Essex and Mayfair, London. Barrister at Law and his name appears on the Lincoln's Inn War Memorial in the City of Westminster, London. Lieutenant Vickers is also remembered on a family memorial plaque inside St Mary & St Lawrence Church, Main Road, Great Waltham, Essex. |
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Private Horace Webster. 45549. 19th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, formerly 25493 the Yorkshire Regiment. Brother of John William Webster, of 22, Bell Nagg Rd., Walkley, Sheffield. Killed 1 October 1916. Aged 29. Born St. George's (Sheffield), Enlisted Sheffield. "FOR MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN" Photo : jofen of the Find a Grave website. |
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Private William Winterbottom.
24922. 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Robert T. and Sarah Winterbottom, of 43, Wecklow St., Middlesbrough. Died 21 August 1916. Aged 19. Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough. "O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST GRANT HIM THY ETERNAL REST" |
Maroc British Cemetery (2)
Photo : Chris Weekes (<weebex12@hotmail.com>)
Maroc British Cemetery (3)
Photo : Chris Weekes (<weebex12@hotmail.com>)