|
| Additional Information: | Son of William Henry and Mary Elizabeth Shakespeare, of 11, Clifton St., Wolverhampton. |
| Cemetery: | FONCQUEVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERYPas de Calais, France |
| Grave or Reference Panel Number: | I. E. 2. |
| Location: | Foncquevillers is a village about 18 kilometres south-west of Arras on the D3. The Military Cemetery is on the western outskirts of the village and a CWGC signpost indicating the direction of the site is situated at the junction just beyond the village green on the D3, coming from Arras. |
| Historical Information: | In 1915 and 1916 the Allied front line ran between Foncquevillers and Gommecourt. The cemetery was made by French troops, and taken over by the British in the summer of 1915; the first British burials were those of the 10th Royal Fusiliers in September. It remained in use by units and Field Ambulances until March, 1917, the burials in July, 1916 (particularly in Plot I, Row L) being especially numerous. It was used again from March to August, 1918, when the German offensive brought the front line back to nearly the old position. Seventy-four graves were brought in after the Armistice from the battlefields of 1916 and 1918 to the East of the village; and the 325 French military graves were removed to La Targette French National Cemetery, near Arras. There are now over 650, 1914-18 and a small number of 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 50 from the 1914-18 War are unidentified and special memorials are erected to two soldiers from the United Kingdom known to be buried among them. There is 1 French civilian burial, unmarked, in front of Plot 1. Row A, and there are also 4 German Foreign National burials, 2 of which are unidentified. The cemetery covers an area of 3,444 square metres and is enclosed by a brick wall. The cemeteries included in this Part contain the graves of many officers and men of the Sherwood Foresters, and the village of Foncquevillers was later "adopted" by the town of Derby. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
