ROYAL IRISH RIFLES GRAVEYARD

Laventie

Pas de Calais

France

General Directions: Laventie is a village about 11 kilometres south-west of Armentieres and the Graveyard is 3 kilometres south-east of the village on a minor road from Fleurbaix to Couture.

Laventie is a village and commune in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais. The Rue-du-Bacquerot runs South-East of the village, towards Fleurbaix; and the position of the road behind the British front line, during the greater part of the war, made it the natural line of a number of small British cemeteries. One of these was begun in November, 1914, and used, at first, particularly by the 1st Royal Irish Rifles. The Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, was carried on by fighting units until July, 1916; and these original burials are now in Plots I and II. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves (chiefly of 1914-15 and 1918) from other cemeteries and from the battlefields East of Estaires and Bethune.

These are the burial grounds from which British graves were brought to the Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard: Laventie South German Cemetery, on the road to La Flinque: 3 U.K. from April, 1918. Rue-du-Bacquerot (Wangerie Post) New Military Cemetery, Laventie, at the hamlet of Wangerie: 22 U.K. from 1915. Sailly-sur-la-Lys German Cemetery, near the road to Bac-St. Maur: 8 U.K. from April, 1918. Winchester Road Cemetery, Laventie, a little West of Chapigny Farm: 18 U.K. (Royal Scots Fusiliers and Connaught  Rangers), 1914-15.

Victoria Cross: Company Serjeant Major, Nelson Victor Carter, VC, 12th Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment, died 30/06/1916, plot VI. C. 17.

Shot at Dawn: Private O. W. Hodgetts, 1st Bn. Worcestershire Regiment, executed for cowardice 04/06/1915, plot 4. D. 2.

Casualty Details: UK 800, Canada 2, India 2, Germany 2, Total Burials: 806

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