THISTLE DUMP CEMETERY,
HIGH WOOD
Longueval
Somme
France
General Directions: Longueval is a village 11 kilometres east of Albert. Travel north-east from Albert on the D929 in the direction of Bapaume. After 10 kilometres take the D6 in the direction of Martinpuich, then follow the signs for Longueval. At the D6/D20 junction stands a CWGC signpost for Thistle Dump Cemetery. The Cemetery is situated off the D20 down a track to the right.
High Wood was fiercely fought over during the Battle of the Somme until cleared by 47th (London) Division on 15 September 1916. It was lost during the German advance of April 1918, but retaken the following August. Thistle Dump Cemetery was begun in August 1916 and used as a front line cemetery until February 1917. It was later increased after the Armistice by the concentration of 56 graves from the Somme battlefields. There are now 196 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 59 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known to be buried among them. The cemetery also contains seven German war graves.
Further Information: this cemetery can be found at the bottom of a rough track and involves a 5 minute walk, the track is unsuitable for vehicles. It should also be noted that parking is difficult around the top of the track, as the road can be quite busy.
Casualty Details: UK 122, Australia 36, New Zealand 38, Germany 7, Total Burials: 203
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