LILLERS COMMUNAL CEMETERY AND EXTENSION

Lillers

Pas de Calais

France

General Directions: Lillers is a small town about 15 kilometres west-north-west of Bethune and the Communal Cemetery and Extension lie to the north of the town. From the Mairie in the centre of the town, head north on the D182, after 500 metres turn right onto Rue St Venant. The cemetery is a further 200 metres on the left hand side. Within the Communal Cemetery the Commonwealth war graves are situated on the right hand side half way up the cemetery central path, and the Extension is at the far right end of the Communal Cemetery. Both cemeteries are signposted.

Lillers was used for billets and headquarter offices from the autumn of 1914 to April 1918. At that time it was a hospital centre with the 6th, 9th, 18th, 32nd, 49th and 58th Casualty Clearing Stations in the town at one time or another. These units buried their dead on the right of the central path of the communal cemetery, working back from Plot I. In April 1918, the Germans advanced as far as Robecq: Lillers came under shell-fire, and the units holding this front continued to bury beyond the cemetery boundary, in the extension.

Victoria Cross: Corporal, William Richard Cotter, VC. 6th Bn. The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), died of wounds 14/03/1916, plot IV. E. 45. (Communal)  Major, David Nelson, VC. Royal Field Artillery, died of wounds 08/04/1918, plot V. A. 16. (Communal)

Shot at Dawn: Private J. J. Dennis, 1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment, executed for desertion 30/01/1916, plot 4. E. 16. (C)

Another view of this cemetery

Casualty Details: UK 697, Canada 42, Australia 1, South Africa 1, India 153, France 15, Total Burials: 909 (Communal)

UK 64, Canada 2, Australia 3, South Africa 1 , India 1, Total Burials: 71 (Extension)

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