Bully-Grenay Communal Cemetery British Extension, Bully-Grenay, Pas de Calais, France

BULLY-GRENAY COMMUNAL CEMETERY, BRITISH EXTENSION

Bully-Grenay

Pas de Calais

France

General Directions: Bully is approximately 20 kilometres north of Arras. From Arras, take the D937 towards Bethune. At Sains-en-Gohelle, turn right onto the D166E towards Bully. At the first (Casimir Beugret) roundabout, turn right into the Rue Ferdinand Marche. The Cemetery (known locally as the 'Cimetiere de Bully-les-Mines') is 200 metres down this road on the right. The Commonwealth war graves plot is reached via 'Allee 8'.

Bully-Grenay is the name of the railway station (on the main Hazebrouck-Arras line) serving this village and Grenay, but the double name was generally applied to the village and the communal cemetery of Bully by the troops. The French Extension was made by French troops on the west side of the communal cemetery, and Commonwealth forces, who took their place in this part of the line in June 1915, buried in it until June 1916. The French extension contains 91 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. The British Extension, on the south-west side of the communal cemetery, was begun at the end of April 1916, and was used until October. From April 1917 to March 1918, (Plot II, Row E to the last row of Plot IV), it was very largely an artillery burial ground. At the Armistice, Plot VI, Rows A-C, had been completed, and the cemetery contained 595 graves. After the Armistice, Plots V (D-G), VI (C and D) and VII to IX were made when graves were brough in from isolated positions and small burial grounds on the battlefields east of Grenay. Three came from Grenay Churchyard, which had been damaged by shell fire and was closed. One came from the German Extension of Sallaumines Communal Cemetery.

Shot at Dawn: Private J Smith, 1st Bn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, executed for desertion 02/07/1916, plot 2. A. 9. Private E Young, 25th Bn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, executed for desertion 29/10/1916, plot 2. B. 14. Private D Stevenson, 13th Bn. Middlesex Regiment, executed for desertion 18/07/1918, plot 5. G. 1.

Casualty Details: UK 591, Canada 172, Total Burials: 763