Yorkshire Regiment War Graves, - Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension (France, Nord)

Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension (1)
Photo : Chris Cosgrove (<trainscpc@aol.com>)

Part of the II Corps retired through this area during the Retreat from Mons in August 1914, and in October 1918, Commonwealth forces returned during the Advance to Victory.

Briastre was captured on 10 October 1918, Belle Vue Farm on 20 October, Romeries itself and Beaudignies on 23 October and Englefontaine on 26 October. The Battle of the Sambre, the last great action of the war, carried the front forward into Belgium and ended with the Armistice. Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension is one of the burial grounds of those who died between these dates.

The original extension is Plot I, made by the 3rd and New Zealand Divisions, and containing 128 graves. The remaining plots were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated positions on the battlefield, including (in Plot X) a few graves of 25 August 1914, and from small cemeteries.

There are now 832 burials and commemorations of the First World War in the extension. 129 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 15 casualties believed to be buried among them.

Amongst the graves are those of 6 men who served with the Yorkshire Regiment.

We are extremely grateful to Chris Cosgrove (<trainscpc@aol.com>) who has generously provided the photographs on this page.

Click on thumbnail image of a headstone for a larger version of the photo which open in a new window.

		Private James Pattison Iley. G/77940. 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), formerly 23914 Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 23 October 1918. Born Workington, Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Middlesbrough.

		Private Robert Harold Peacock. 35901. 9th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), formerly 60265 the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 4 November 1918. Born Bowes (Yorks), Enlisted York, Resided Bowes.

		2nd Lieutenant Frederick William Selch. 9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, attached to 7th Battalion East Yorks Regt. Killed 14 November 1918.

		Private Cecil Walker. 79942. 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, formerly 22497 Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 29 October 1918. Born Darlington, Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Middlesbrough.

		2nd Lieutenant Edwin Wilson. The Yorkshire Regiment, attached to 9th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment). Son of John and Elizabeth Wilson, of Selwood House, Harton, South Shields, Co. Durham. Killed 4 November 1918. Aged 21. The following additional biographical information is taken from Roberts Coulson's Biographies of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;- "On November 4th 2nd Lt Wilson and his men crossed the Englefontaine to Louvignies road at 5-30 a.m. and then fought their way through orchards and into the village of Futoy. The battalion suffered heavy losses and of the officers and men who went into the action less than half came out. 2nd Lt Edwin Wilson was killed in the attack on Futoy on November 4th 1918 at the age of 21."

Private Albert Edward Wright. 35911. 9th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), formerly 60332 Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 4 November 1918. Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.

Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension (2)
Photo : Chris Cosgrove (<trainscpc@aol.com>)

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