BANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
Bancourt
Pas de Calais
France
General Directions: Bancourt is a village which lies approximately 4 kilometres due east of Bapaume on the north side of the D7, Bapaume to Bertincourt road. Bancourt British Cemetery is situated east of Bancourt village, 300 metres off the D7 on the north side. The CWGC direction signs on the D7 indicate the best approach to the cemetery.
Bancourt was occupied by Commonwealth forces in March 1917. It was lost a year later during the German offensive in the spring of 1918 but recaptured by the New Zealand Division (in particular, the 2nd Auckland Battalion) on 30 August 1918. The cemetery was begun by the New Zealand Division in September 1918; the original cemetery is now Plot I, Rows A and B. The remainder of the cemetery was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields east and south of Bancourt and from certain Allied and German cemeteries. The great majority of these graves dated from the winter of 1916-1917, the retreat of March 1918, or the advance of August-September 1918.
Victoria Cross: Serjeant David Jones, VC, 12th Bn. The King's Liverpool Regiment, died 07/10/1916, plot. V. F. 20
Shot at Dawn: Private W Clarke, 2nd Bn. Durham Light Infantry, executed for desertion on 09/02/1918, plot 1. D. 18.
Casualty Details: UK 2040, Canada 13, Australia 249, Newfoundland 1, New Zealand 177, Total Burials: 2480
|
|
|||
|
474 Private Michael Byrne B. Company 29th Bn. Australian Infantry Force. Killed in action 02/03/1917, aged 24. Plot VII. F. 16. Michael was killed March 2nd 1917, in an attack by the 29th Battalion to take Sunray Trench from the 8th Bavarian Regiment. Michael was born in Harbour Grace Newfoundland in 1893. He was the son of John William and Elizabeth Byrne of Harbour Grace, and one of five siblings. Although listed by the CWGC as an Australian casualty, Michael was actually a Newfoundlander and the casualty statistics above have been altered to show this. Image courtesy John Michael Byrne, Michael Byrne's Great nephew.
|
Latest additions to the site | Belgian Cemetery Index | French Cemetery Index
Other Cemeteries and Memorials around the world | British Cemeteries and Memorials |
Cemeteries with Victoria Cross burials | Cemeteries with "Shot at Dawn" burials | Regimental Badge Archive | Roll of Honour
Information on how to submit a photograph or image to the site | Book Reviews | About Us and our task | Links
Site Map | Miscellaneous articles