POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY

and the

POZIERES MEMORIAL

Ovillers-la-Boisselle

Somme

France

 

General Directions: Pozieres is a village 6 kilometres north-east of the town of Albert. The Memorial encloses Pozieres British Cemetery which is a little south-west of the village on the north side of the main road, D929, from Albert to Pozieres. On the road frontage is an open arcade terminated by small buildings and broken in the middle by the entrance and gates. Along the sides and the back, stone tablets are fixed in the stone rubble walls bearing the names of the dead grouped under their Regiments. It should be added that, although the memorial stands in a cemetery of largely Australian graves, it does not bear any Australian names. The Australian soldiers who fell in France and whose graves are not known are commemorated on the National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux.

The village of Pozieres was attacked on 23 July 1916 by the 1st Australian and 48th (South Midland) Divisions, and was taken on the following day. It was lost on 24-25 March 1918, during the great German advance, and recaptured by the 17th Division on the following 24 August. Plot II of POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY contains the original burials of 1916, 1917 and 1918, carried out by fighting units and field ambulances. The remaining plots were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the cemetery, the majority of them of soldiers who died in the Autumn of 1916, but a few represent the fighting in August 1918. The following were among the more important burial grounds from which British graves were concentrated to Pozieres British Cemetery:- CASUALTY CORNER CEMETERY, CONTALMAISON, on the road from Pozieres to Fricourt, used in the summer and autumn of 1916, which contained the graves of 21 Canadian soldiers, 21 Australian and 13 from the United Kingdom. DANUBE POST CEMETERY, THIEPVAL (named from a trench and a Dressing Station), between the site of Thiepval village and Mouquet Farm. Here were buried, in the winter of 1916-17, 34 soldiers from the United Kingdom, mainly of the R.F.A. NAB JUNCTION CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE, at the crossing of the Thiepval-Pozieres Road and "Nab Valley", in which 60 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one German prisoner were buried in the winter of 1916-17. There are now 2,758 Commonwealth servicemen buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 1,380 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 23 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. There is also 1 German soldier buried here. The cemetery is enclosed by the POZIERES MEMORIAL, which relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died in France during the Fifth Army area retreat on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918. The Corps and Regiments most largely represented are The Rifle Brigade with over 600 names, The Durham Light Infantry with approximately 600 names, the Machine Gun Corps with over 500, The Manchester Regiment with approximately 500 and The Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery with over 400 names. The cemetery and memorial were designed by W H Cowlishaw.

Victoria Cross: Sergeant Claude Charles Castleton, VC, 5th Coy. Australian Machine Gun Corps. Killed in action 29/07/1916, plot IV. L. 43. Son of Thomas Charles and Edith Lucy Castleton, of 18, Wilson Rd., Lowestoft, England.

Citation: An extract from "The London Gazette", No. 29765, dated, 26th Sept., 1916, records the following:-"For most conspicuous bravery. During an attack on the enemy''s trenches the infantry was temporarily driven back by the intense machine gun fire opened by the enemy. Many wounded were left in "No Man's Land" lying in shell holes. Serjt. Castleton went out twice in face of this intense fire and each time brought in a wounded man on his back. He went out a third time and was bringing in another wounded man when he was himself hit in the back and killed instantly. He set a splendid example of courage and self-sacrifice"

Casualty Details: UK 1829, Canada 219, Australia 708, Germany 1, Total Burials: 2756

 

 

The Pozieres Memorial:

 

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918. The Corps and Regiments most largely represented are The Rifle Brigade with over 600 names, The Durham Light Infantry with approximately 600 names, the Machine Gun Corps with over 500, The Manchester Regiment with approximately 500 and The Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery with over 400 names. The memorial encloses POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY, Plot II of which contains original burials of 1916, 1917 and 1918, carried out by fighting units and field ambulances. The remaining plots were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the cemetery, the majority of them of soldiers who died in the Autumn of 1916 during the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme, but a few represent the fighting in August 1918. There are now 2,758 Commonwealth servicemen buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 1,380 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 23 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. There is also 1 German soldier buried here. The cemetery and memorial were designed by William Harrison Cowlishaw. Sculpture by Lawrence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

 

Victoria Cross:

 

HERBERT GEORGE COLUMBINE

Rank: Private, Service No: 50720, Date of Death: 22/03/1918, Age: 24, Regiment/Service: Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) 9th Sqdn. , Awards: V C, Panel Reference Panel 93 and 94., Son of Mrs. Emma Columbine.

Citation: An extract from "The London Gazette," dated 30th April, 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice displayed, when, owing to casualties, Pte. Columbine took over command of a gun and kept it firing from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. in an isolated position with no wire in front. During this time wave after wave of the enemy failed to get up to him. Owing to his being attacked by a low-flying aeroplane the enemy at last gained a strong footing in the trench on either side. The position being untenable he ordered the two remaining men to get away, and, though being bombed from either side, kept his gun firing and inflicting tremendous losses. He was eventually killed by a bomb which blew up him and his gun. He showed throughout the highest valour, determination and self-sacrifice."

EDMUND DE WIND

Rank: Second Lieutenant, Date of Death: 21/03/1918, Age: 34, Regiment/Service: Royal Irish Rifles 15th Bn. , Awards: V C, Panel Reference Panel 74 to 76., Son of the late Arthur Hughes De Wind, C.E., and Margaret Jane De Wind, of "Kinvara", Comber, Co. Down.

Citation: An extract from "The London Gazette," dated 13th May, 1919, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice on the 21st March, 1918, at the Race Course Redoubt, near Grugies. For seven hours he held this most important post, and though twice wounded and practically single-handed, he maintained his position until another section could be got to his help. On two occasions, with two N.C.O.'s only, he got out on top under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and cleared the enemy out of the trench, killing many. He continued to repel attack after attack until he was mortally wounded and collapsed. His valour, self-sacrifice and example were of the highest order."

WILFRITH ELSTOB

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel, Date of Death: 21/03/1918, Age: 29, Regiment/Service: Manchester Regiment 16th Bn. , Awards: V C, D S O, M C, Panel Reference Panel 64 to 67., Son of the Rev. Canon J. G. Elstob and Frances Alice Elstob, of "Fanshawe", Chelford, Cheshire.

Citation: An extract from the "London Gazette", dated 6th June, 1919, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery, devotion to duty and self-sacrifice during operations at Manchester Redoubt, near St. Quentin, on the 21st March, 1918. During the preliminary bombardment he encouraged his men in the posts in the Redoubt by frequent visits, and when repeated attacks developed controlled the defence at the points threatened, giving personal support with revolver, rifle and bombs. Single-handed he repulsed one bombing assault driving back the enemy and inflicting severe casualties. Later, when ammunition was required, he made several journeys under severe fire in order to replenish the supply. Throughout the day Lieutenant-Colonel Elstob, although twice wounded, showed the most fearless disregard of his own safety, and by his encouragement and noble example inspired his command to the fullest degree. The Manchester Redoubt was surrounded in the first wave of the enemy attack, but by means of the buried cable Lieutenant-Colonel Elstob was able to assure his Brigade Commander that "The Manchester Regiment will defend Manchester Hill to the last." Sometime after this post was overcome by vastly superior forces, and this very gallant officer was killed in the final assault, having maintained to the end the duty which he had impressed on his men - namely, "Here we fight, and here we die." He set throughout the highest example of valour, determination, endurance and fine soldierly bearing."

 

 

No. of Identified Casualties: 14654

 

 

 

 

43101 Private

Lawrence Bunting

16th Bn. Manchester Regiment

21/03/1918, aged 28.

Son of Mrs. Ann Eliza Bunting, of 10, East View, Carcroft, Doncaster.

Panel 64 to 67, Pozieres Memorial

 

Picture courtesy of Julie Hawksworth

 

 

202543 Private

Frederick Robinson

2nd/4th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment

21/03/1918, aged 21.

Panel 56 and 57 Pozieres Memorial

Army Form B 104-82A records that he was missing from the 21st March to the 3rd April 1918 and that his death took place between those dates. His friend reported to the family that he had been wounded and had been taken to a field hospital. Shortly thereafter the hospital received a direct hit and there was no record or knowledge of his whereabouts after that time.

 Picture courtesy of Christopher Hutchinson, great nephew of this soldier

28476 Private

Henry Herniman Phillpotts

2nd Bn. Devonshire Regiment

26/03/1918, aged 20.

Son of James and Annie Phillpotts, of 5, New Walk, Totnes, Devon.

Panel 24 & 25 Pozieres Memorial

 

Picture courtesy of niece, Diana Hill

 

Second Lieutenant

Richard Gardiner Brewster

7th (South Irish Horse) Bn.

Royal Irish Regiment

21/03/1918, aged 25.

Panel 6, Pozieres Memorial

Son of Susan M. Brewster, of "Audenville," Iona Rd., Glasnevin, Dublin, and the late William Theodore Brewster.

 

Picture courtesy of Patrick Brewster

 

242279 Private

Samuel Shufflebottom

2nd/5th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment

21/03/1918, aged 18.

Son of the late John and Ellen Shufflebottom.

Panels 42 and 43 Pozieres Memorial

 

In Memory of my great Uncle Samuel who, like so many others (some only children), never had the chance to live the life that he deserved.

Samuel was the young brother of my paternal grandmother who had already lost her husband when HMT Royal Edward was torpedoed August 1915.

Picture courtesy of great niece, Susan Riley

 

Lieutenant

Paul Douglas Farmer

1st Regt. South African Infantry

24/03/1918, aged 30.

Son of the Rev. Canon E. Farmer and Mrs. Farmer, of The Vicarage, Stanford-in-the-Vale, Faringdon, Berks; husband of M. J. Farmer, of The Rectory, Chagford, Devon.

Panels 95-98 Pozieres Memorial

Killed in action during the battle at Marrieres Wood

 

Picture courtesy of Bernard Harris

 

 

Second Lieutenant

Henry Thomas Bayard Smith

4th Bn. (Queen's Own) Hussars

Attd. 9th Bn. Tank Corps.

25/03/1918

Panel 3. Pozieres Memorial

 

Picture courtesy of great nephew, John Page

 

G/20510 Private

Francis Charles Howlett

6th Bn. Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)

02/07/1918

Son of Mr Frank and Mrs Susan Howlett of Clarendon Square, London NW1

Panels 58 & 59 Pozieres Memorial

 

Picture courtesy of great nephew, Darren Howlett

 

351762 Private

James Shelmerdine, MM.

9th Bn. Manchester Regiment

21/03/1918, aged 28.

Husband of Mary E. Shelmerdine, of 6, Ashlynne, Ashton-under-Lyne.

Panel 64 to 67 Pozieres Memorial

 

Private James Shelmerdine, 351762, of the 9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, was born 21 January, 1890. He was the son of James Shelmerdine and Sarah Burrows and was born in Arlington Street, Ashton under Lyne. He worked for Ashton Electric Company. He married my great aunt, Mary Elizabeth Dean, daughter of John Herbert and Charlotte Alice Dean of Ashlynne, Ashton under Lyne, 12 June, 1915. He was awarded the Military Medal in 1918. This was reported in the Ashton Reporter in July 1918.He was killed Thursday, 21 March, 1918. His name is on the Ashton under Lyne War Memorial and his medals are in the Manchester Regiment Museum in Ashton under Lyne. He, along with my other great aunt's husband, George Dickinson, are also remembered on John Herbert and Charlotte Alice Dean's headstone in Leyland cemetery.


 

Picture courtesy of Vivien Ellis, great niece.

 

 

121817 Private

Frank Charles Millard

36th Bn. Machine Gun Corps. (Infantry)

24/03/1918, aged 19.

Son of Sidney and Emily Millard, of 42, Flint St., Poplar, London.

Panel 90 to 93 Pozieres Memorial

 

Pte Millard died on 24th March 1918. I was told
many years ago by my grandmother that he was shot by a sniper's bullet
but I have no written confirmation of this.

 

Picture courtesy of great niece, Carol Kerby

 

 

Second Lieutenant

Lloyd Wilson

15th Bn. Durham Light Infantry

24/03/1918, aged 21.

 

Pictured with his two Brothers; Alan (left) a Sergeant in the Durham Light Infantry Regiment who fell and is buried at Maroeuil on 18th of February 1918, aged 22; and Howard (right), who was also severely injured on the Somme, but was repatriated to their home town of Scarborough and died of his injuries in hospital there, aged 19. He was therefore buried at home.

The second picture shows them as small boys, in the same positions.

In peace, children inter their parents; war violates the order of nature and causes parents to inter their children’. Herodotus (484 BC - 430 BC)

Picture courtesy of Paula Smith; their Great Niece and Granddaughter of the surviving son Stanley, who was not allowed to sign up, due to the loss the family had already suffered.

2163 Lance Corporal

William Percival Green

1st/4th Bn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry

23/07/1916, aged 21.

Plot I. E. 25.

Son of Percival John and Marion Alice Green, of 34, St. Mary's Rd., Cowley Rd., Oxford.

 

This picture was kept by the bedside of his sister Dorothy until her death in 2005.

 

Picture courtesy of Anne Cranstone, William was her mother's cousin.

Number of burials by Unit - Pozieres British Cemetery

Australian
460
  Canadian
151
Royal Warwickshire Regt
61
  Ox and Bucks Light Inf
60
Royal Field Artillery
53
  Royal Fusiliers - City of London Regt
52
Gloucestershire Regt
47
  Worcestershire Regt
33
Bedfordshire Regt
28
  Loyal North Lancs Regt
27
Royal Garrison Artillery
26
  Royal Berkshire Regt
24
Cheshire Regt
19
  Royal Irish Rifles
19
East Lancashire Regt
18
  West Yorkshire Regt
18
East Surrey Regt
15
  East Yorkshire Regt
14
Lancashire Fusiliers
12
  Rifle Brigade
12
Dorsetshire Regt
10
  Manchester Regt
10
Duke of Wellington's - West Riding Regt
9
  Gordon Highlanders
9
King's Royal Rifle Corps
9
  Sherwood Foresters - Notts & Derby Regt
9
Border Regt
8
  Cameron Highlanders
8
Machine Gun Corps (Inf)
8
  Welsh Regt
8
Durham Light Inf
7
  Essex Regt
7
Northumberland Fusiliers
7
  Royal Engineers
7
South Staffordshire Regt
7
  King's Liverpool Regt
6
Middlesex Regt
6
  Northamptonshire Regt
6
South Lancashire Regt
6
  Army Service Corps
5
Highland Light Inf
5
  Royal Army Medical Corps
5
Royal West Kent Regt - Queens Own
5
  South Wales Borderers
5
Norfolk Regt
4
  Seaforth Highlanders
4
Buffs - East Kent Regt
4
  Yorkshire Regt - Green Howards
4
Army Cyclist Corps
3
  King's Own Yorkshire Light Inf
3
Lincolnshire Regt
3
  North Staffordshire Regt
3
Royal Scots Fusiliers
3
  5th Bn London Regt - London Rifle Brigade
2
Black Watch - Royal Highlanders
2
  Duke of Cornwall's Light Inf
2
King's Own Scottish Borderers
2
  Leicestershire Regt
2
Royal Flying Corps
2
  Royal Scots - Lothian Regt
2
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
2
  Suffolk Regt
2
Wiltshire Regt
2
  York and Lancaster Regt
2
10th Hussars
1
  Cambridgeshire Regt
1
Devonshire Regt
1
  Dragoon Guards
1
Hampshire Regt
1
  Inniskilling Dragoons
1
Kings Royal Rifle Corps
1
  Prince Albert's Own Hussars
1
Identified burials
1,382
   
 
Unidentified UK burials:
1,023
   
 
Unidentified Australian burials:
259
   
 
Unidentified Canadian burials:
64
   
 
Wholly unidentified
7
   
 
Total Unidentified burials
1,353
   
 
Total burials
2,735
   Breakdown courtesy of Barry Cuttell

 

Pozieres Memorial - Number of Commemorations by Unit

Rifle Brigade
660
  Durham Light Infantry
618
Machine Gun Corps
567
  Manchester Regt
494
Royal Field Artillery
447
  Royal Irish Rifles
402
King's Royal Rifle Corps
395
  Royal Engineers
387
Northumberland Fusiliers
334
  East Lancashire Regt
333
Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys Regt)
328
  Lancashire Fusiliers
320
South African Infantry
320
  King's Liverpool Regt
299
Northampton Regt
286
  Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
278
Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt)
275
  Royal Berkshire Regt
272
Royal West Kent Regt (Queen's Own)
252
  Royal Dublin Fusiliers
244
Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt)
233
  Royal Scots (Lothian Regt)
230
Bedfordshire Regt
219
  London Regt (Royal Fusiliers)
208
Royal Sussex Regt
207
  Leicestershire Regt
199
Ox. & Bucks. Light Infantry
195
  Cheshire Regt
194
Essex Regt
182
  East Surrey Regt
177
Gloucestershire Regt
162
  Royal Irish Regt
162
Yorkshire Regt (The Green Howards)
162
  Lincolnshire Regt
158
Middlesex Regt
152
  West Yorkshire Regt
152
Royal Warwickshire Regt
151
  King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
145
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
141
  East Yorkshire Regt
125
Worcestershire Regt
125
  Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
124
South Lancashire Regt
122
  Highland Light Infantry
117
Buffs (East Kent Regt)
112
  Somerset Light Infantry
112
Royal Munster Fusiliers
110
  Royal Welsh Fusiliers
110
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
106
  Devonshire Regt
106
North Staffordshire Regt
104
  Royal Garrison Artillery
98
Wiltshire Regt
91
  Royal Irish Fusiliers
88
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
85
  Suffolk Regt
83
Border Regt
80
  Gordon Highlanders
77
Tank Corps
76
  Seaforth Highlanders
71
London Regt (Post Office Rifles)
70
  Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry)
67
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
61
  King's Own Scottish Borderers
59
Connaught Rangers
58
  Leinster Regt
57
Royal Naval Division
55
  Lancers (The Queen's)
50
Norfolk Regt
47
  Royal Scots Fusiliers
47
Cambridgeshire Regt
43
  Cameron Highlanders
39
Royal Army Medical Corps
38
  Hampshire Regt
37
London Regt (Queen Victoria's Rifles)
37
  London Regt (The Rangers)
37
Hertfordshire Regt
34
  Hussars
34
Hussars (King's Royal Irish)
34
  Royal Horse Artillery
34
Royal Army Service Corps
31
  Lancers (Queen's Royal )
30
Lancers (Royal Irish)
30
  London Regt (The Rifles)
30
Dorsetshire Regt
29
  Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
29
Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)
27
  London Regt
27
Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's)
25
  Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
25
Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys)
21
  Hussars (The King's )
21
London Regt (Hackney)
21
  Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)
20
Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own Royal )
20
  Hussars (Queen's Own)
19
Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales's)
17
  Hussars (Queen Alexandras' Own Royal)
16
Dragoon Guards (Princess Royals )
13
  Dragoons (Inniskilling)
13
Hussars (King's Own)
13
  Hussars (Prince Albert's Own)
13
Dragoons (Royal )
11
  London Regt (London Rifle Brigade)
11
Lancers (Prince of Wales's Royal
10
  Welsh Regt
10
Army Cyclists Corps
9
  Bedfordshire Yeomanry
8
Labour Corps
8
  London Regt (PWO Civil Service Rifles)
8
London Regt (Poplar & Stepney Rifles)
8
  Dragoon Guards (Royal Irish)
7
Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt)
7
  London Regt (Queen's Westminster Rifles )
7
Hertfordshire Regt
6
  London Regt (The Queen's)
6
Dragoon Guards (King's Royal)
5
  Army Service Corps
4
London Regt (Kensington)
4
  London Regt (London Irish Rifles)
4
Machine Gun Corps (Motors)
4
  South Wales Borderers
4
Cavalry
3
  Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
3
London Regt (Artists' Rifles)
3
  London Regt (Cyclist Bn)
3
London Regt (Finsbury Rifles)
3
  Loyal North Lancashire Regt
3
Northumberland Hussars
3
  Essex Yeomanry
2
London Regt (Blackheath & Woolwich)
2
  London Regt (1st Surrey Rifles)
2
Machine Gun Corps (Inf)
2
  Machine Gun Corps (Tanks)
2
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
2
  Royal Scots (Queens Edinburgh Rifles)
2
York & Lancaster Regt
2
  1st Life Guards
1
Grenadier Guards
1
  Lanarkshire Yeomanry
1
Leicestershire Yeomanry
1
  London Regt (St. Pancras)
1
Military Police Corps
1
  Monmouthshire Regt
1
North Somerset Yeomanry
1
  Queens Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
1
Reserve Regiment of Cavalry
1
  Royal Army Veterinary Corps
1
Royal Artillery
1
  Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
1
2nd Life Guards
1
  South African Medical Corps
1
Surrey Yeomanry
1
     
Total
14,684
   Breakdown courtesy of Barry Cuttell
 

 

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