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Yorkshire
Regiment War Graves, - Strand Military Cemetery, Hainaut (Belgium) |
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Strand Military Cemetery, Hainaut (Belgium) - 1
Photo : Christopher Weekes <weebex12@hotmail.com>
'Charing Cross' was the name given by the troops to a point at the end of a trench called the Strand, which led into Ploegsteert Wood. In October 1914, two burials were made at this place, close to an Advanced Dressing Station,
The cemetery was not used between October 1914 and April 1917, but in April-July 1917 Plots I to VI were completed. Plots VII to X were made after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from some small cemeteries and from the battlefields lying mainly between Wytschaete and Armentieres. The cemetery was in German hands for a few months in 1918, but was very little used by them.
The following are some of the burial grounds concentrated into Strand Military
Cemetery:-
EPINETTE ROAD CEMETERY, HOUPLINES (Nord), LA BASSE-VILLE GERMAN CEMETERY,
WARNETON (West Flanders), LE BIZET CONVENT MILITARY CEMETERY, PLOEGSTEERT,
NACHTEGAAL No.1 GERMAN CEMETERY, MERCKEM (West Flanders),
PLOEGSTEERT WOOD NEW CEMETERY, WARNETON, PROWSE POINT LOWER CEMETERY, WARNETON,
TOUQUET-BERTHE GERMAN CEMETERY, PLOEGSTEERT, and WARNETON CHURCHYARD.
There are now 1,143 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 354 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to six casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to 13 whose graves in four of the concentrated cemeteries were destroyed by shell fire.
The eight Second World War burials (three of which are unidentified) all date from May 1940 and the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary force to Dunkirk ahead of the German advance.
Amongst the graves are 8 of soldiers who served with the Yorkshire Regiment.
Photos of the cemetery and the gravestones are by Christopher
Weekes <weebex12@hotmail.com>.
Select one of the thumbnail images, below, for a larger sized image which
opens in a new window.
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Private James William Brough,
1499.
5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Thomas William and Susan Brough; husband of Rhoda A. Benson (formerly Brough), of Middleton, Pickering, Yorks. Native of Pickering, Yorks. Killed 26 July 1915. Aged 28. Born Pickering, Enlisted Malton, Resided Pickering. "THY WILL BE DONE" |
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Private George Dowding, 1541.
4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 26 July 1915. Born Redcar, Enlisted Redcar. |
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Private William Hastings. 2091.
5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William and Louisa Hastings, of 9, Caledonia St., Scarborough. Killed 8 September 1915. Aged 20. Born Scarborough, Enlisted Scarborough. "TO MEMORY DEAR
AND SADLY MISSED AT HOME" |
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Lance Corpoal Herbert Hildred Marston, 1362.
4th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Marston; husband of Eveline Coates (formerly Marston), of 10, Dalton St., Darlington, Co. Durham. Died 5 September 1915. Aged 24. Born Yarm (Yorks), Enlisted Yarm. |
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Corporal Charles Stanger. 1392.
4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 4 August 1915. Born King's Lynn, Enlisted Guisborough. |
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Serjeant Edward Thirkell. 1689.
4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late J. B. and May Ann Thirkell, of 74, Redcar Rd., South Bank, Yorks. Killed 6 August 1915. Aged 20. Born Normanby, Enlisted Normanby, Resided South Bank. "THY WILL BE DONE"
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Private John Charles Watson,
1328. 4th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Godfrey and Elizabeth A. Watson, of 35, Cecil St., Stockton-on-Tees. Native of Yarm-on-Tees. Died 1 September 1915. Aged 21. Born Yarm (Yorks), Enlisted Yarm. |
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Private John Robert Webster. 2161.
2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 17 August 1916. Born Thornton Dale, Enlisted Pickering, Resided Thornton Dale. |
Memorial Headstones to 3 Soldiers Whose Graves in Nearby Cemeteries Have been
Lost
Select the above image for a larger sized one which opens in a new window
(to read the commemorations)
Photo : Christopher Weekes <weebex12@hotmail.com>
Strand Military Cemetery, Hainaut (Belgium) - 2
Photo : Christopher Weekes <weebex12@hotmail.com>
Strand Military Cemetery, Hainaut (Belgium) - 3
Photo : Christopher Weekes <weebex12@hotmail.com>