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Yorkshire
Regiment War Graves, - Ypres Town Cemetery Extension, Belgium |
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Ypres
Town Cemetery Extension (1)
Photo : Richard Roberts, <richard.nsw@googlemail.com>
From October 1914 to the summer of 1918, Ypres (now Ieper) formed the centre of a salient held by Commonwealth (and for a while French) forces. From April 1915, the town was bombarded and destroyed more completely than any other town of its size on the western front. By the outbreak of the Second World War, Ypres had been completely rebuilt, but saw heavy fighting before it fell to the Germans on 29 May 1940. YPRES TOWN CEMETERY, close to the Menin Gate, was used from October 1914 to May 1915, and once in 1918. The cemetery contains 145 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, grouped in plots among the civil graves. The EXTENSION, on the east side of the town cemetery, was also begun in October 1914 and was used until April 1915, and on two further occasions in 1918. The extension was much increased after the Armistice when 367 graves were brought in from small cemeteries and isolated positions east and north of Ypres.
There are now 598 Commonwealth casualties of the First World
War buried or commemorated in the extension. 137 of the burials are unidentified
and there are special memorials to 16 servicemen known or believed to be buried
among them.
Amongst the headstones seven are for soldiers of the Yorkshire Regiment. Several
were members of the 2nd Battalion who first fought near Ypres in October 1914.
Select one of the thumbnail images, below, for a larger sized image which
opens in a new window.
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Private Bernard Chapman. 7921.
2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 28 October 1914. Born Leeds, Enlisted Leeds. Buried in the same plot as Private J Shand of the Black Watch. Died 28 October 1914. Photo : Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>. |
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Private Ernest Sandby Clarkson.
6972. (alias) 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 30 October 1914. Born Bradford, Enlisted Bradford. (Clarkson was an alias, - "Hall" was the true family name, and the name in which he is listed with the 2nd Battalion). Private Ernest Sandby Hall. 6972. (true family name) Buried in the same plot as Private J Watson of the Border Regiment. Died 29 October 1914. Photo : Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>. |
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Private Sidney Duke. 7446. 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late Mrs. E. Duke, of Gosport, Hants; husband of Lucy Sarah Perrin (formerly Duke), of Station Cottages, Steyning, Sussex. Killed 31 October 1914. Aged 29. Born Dorchester, Enlisted Gosport. "NOT DEAD BUT GONE BEFORE" Buried in the same plot as Private H Clements of the Welch Regiment. Died 31 October 1914. Photo : Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>. |
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Private Basil Thomas Martin.
9837. 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William James and Emily Martin, of 20, Avenue Rd., Swindon, Wilts. Born at Bicester, Oxon. Killed 1 November 1914. Aged 19. Born Bicester (Oxford), Enlisted Bristol, Resided Alerchurch (Worcester) "MOTHER BEHOLD THY SON / BEHOLD THY MOTHER" Buried in the same plot as Private J Lightfoot of the Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 6 November 1914. Photo : Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>. |
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Private Thomas Spencely Myers,
38181. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Mrs. F. E. Myers, of "Bon-Lea," Great Broughton, Stokesley, Yorks. Native of Great Broughton. Killed 14 August 1917. Aged 29. Born Broughton (Yorks), Enlisted Stokesley, Resided Great Broughton. "THE BATTLE IS FOUGHT/ THE VICTORY WON" Photo : Richard Roberts, <richard.nsw@googlemail.com> |
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Private Myer Morris Rogozinkski,
10304. 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Abraham and Kate Rosen, of 84, Mulberry St., Commercial Rd., London, E.I. Born Kalisch, Poland. Killed 2 November 1914. Aged 19. Born London, Enlisted Stratford, Resided Stepney. Served as Marcus ROSEN. Photo : Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>. |
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Private Sydney Taylor, 8400.
2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. Pickles (formerly Taylor), of 35, Branch Church St., Low Rd., Hunslet, Leeds; husband of Jessie Beatrice Taylor, of Rosewood Cottage, High St., Bagshot, Surrey. Killed 1 November 1914. Aged 25. Born Harrogate, Enlisted Leeds. "AWAITING THE GREAT REVEILLE" Buried in the same plot as Private T Keen, of the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry. Died 30 November 1914. Photo : Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>. |
Eight soldiers of the Green Howards, who all died in May 1940, are buried in this cemetery. Photos of their headstones have been taken by Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>. If you would like a copy of one of these photos, please contact Edward Nicholl (<emn@enicholl.com>).
One other garve of interest in this cemetery is that of Lord Worsley.
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Lieutenant Lord Worsley. True name, Charles Sackville Pelham. Royal Horse Guards, Zandvoorde. Killed 20 October 1914. Aged 27. "HE DIED FIGHTING FOR GOD/AND RIGHT AND LIBERTY/AND SUCH A DEATH IS IMMORTALITY." Photo : Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>. |
Ypres
Town Cemetery Extension (2)
Photo : Christopher Weekes, <weebex12@hotmail.com>.