Bethune Town Cemetery, Bethune, Pas de Calais, France

BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Bethune

Pas de Calais

France

General Directions: Bethune is 29 kilometres north of Arras. From the town centre of Bethune, turn right in front of the Tribunal and second right at the bottom of the road down to the cul-de-sac where the cemetery will be found.

For much of the First World War, Bethune was comparatively free from bombardment and remained an important railway and hospital centre, as well as a corps and divisional headquarters. The 33rd Casualty Clearing Station was in the town until December 1917. Early in 1918, Bethune began to suffer from constant shell fire and in April 1918, German forces reached Locon, five kilometres to the north. The bombardment of 21 May did great damage to the town and it was not till October that pressure from the Germans was relaxed. Buried within this cemetery are 26 men of the 1/8th Manchester Regiment who were killed by a bomb on 22 December 1917 while marching to rest billets.

Victoria Cross: Lieutenant Frank Alexander De Pass, VC, 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse, killed in action 25/11/1914, plot 1. A. 24.

Shot at Dawn: Private R. Morgan, 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment, executed for murder 15/02/1915, plot 4. A. 17. Lance Corporal W Price, 2nd Welsh Regiment, executed for murder 15/02/1915, plot 4. A. 18. Private E Bryant, 10th Bn. Cheshire Regiment, executed for desertion 27/10/1917, plot 6. H. 3.

Another view of this cemetery

Casualty Details: UK 2923, Canada 55, India 26, Germany 87, France 122, Total Burials: 3295