BELLICOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
Bellicourt
Aisne
France
General Directions: Bellicourt is a village 13 kilometres north of St. Quentin and 28 kilometres south of Cambrai on the N44 road which connects the two cities. The Cemetery is signposted at the junction of the D331 and N44 and is 100 metres from the main road along the D331 in the direction of Peronne.
The Canal de St. Quentin passes under the village of Bellicourt in a tunnel five kilometres long, built under the orders of Napoleon I. The Hindenburg Line ran west of the village, and the barges in the tunnel were used to shelter German reserves. About five kilometres south of Bellicourt, where the canal is open, is the village of Bellenglise, where another great tunnel or dug-out was made by the Germans. On 29 September - 2 October 1918, the Battle of the St. Quentin Canal was fought. The 46th (North Midland) Division stormed the Hindenburg Line at Bellenglise and captured 4,000 prisoners and 70 guns. The 30th United States Division captured Bellicourt and Nauroy, which were cleared by the 5th Australian Division. The North Midland and Australian dead of this engagement fill most of the graves in Bellicourt British Cemetery. The cemetery was made after the battle, when 73 dead were buried in what is now Plot I. It was greatly enlarged after the Armistice, when graves were brought from smaller cemeteries and from the surrounding battlefields.
Victoria Cross: Lieutenant Colonel Bernard William Vann, VC, MC and Bar, 8th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) attached 1/6th Bn. of the same regiment, killed in action 03/10/1918, plot II. O. 1.
Casualty Details: UK 891, Canada 1, Australia 307, South Africa 5, Total Burials: 1204
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19790 Gunner John (Jack) Edward Griffiths 8th Bde. Australian Field Artillery. 08/10/1918, aged 27. Plot I. B. 11. Son of Florence Ellen Preedy (formerly Griffiths), of 83, Albert Avenue, Maindee, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, and the late James Griffiths.
My Mother's cousin John (Jack) Edward Griffiths enlisted in the A.I.F. in Western Australia although he was from the UK and only there on holiday. He joined A.I.F. 8th Bde. A.F.A. 29-9-1915. That was later crossed out on his papers and changed to 20th Battery on 6-10-1915. He then became a Gunner in the 30th Battery 01-04-1916. My Grandparents live 104 miles out of Kalgoorlie in the bush, Jack became the mail man for the area and travelled long distances. For a man he had beautiful handwriting and although he never married he was engaged to a lady in Melbourne, Victoria, when he died.
Image courtesy Fay Widdicombe of Western Australia, Fay would be delighted to hear from any of Jack's relatives so she can pass on the information she has gathered, please contact us by email and we will pass on details.
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5706 Private Herbert Leslie Parkes 17th Bn. Australian Infantry 03/10/1918, aged 19. Plot V. R. 7 Brother of Amelia Parkes
Herbert Parkes' original grave marker in Bellicourt British Cemetery >>>
Pictures courtesy of Craig Hill |
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