VERMELLES BRITISH CEMETERY
Vermelles
Pas de Calais
France
General Directions: Vermelles is a village 10 kilometres north-west of Lens. From Lens take the N43, towards Bethune, to its junction with the D75 in Mazingarbe. Turn right at this junction and continue for approximately 900 metres when Vermelles British Cemetery will be found on the left hand side of the road.
Vermelles was in German hands from the middle of October 1914 to the beginning of December 1914, when it was recaptured by the French. The cemetery was begun in August 1915 (though a few graves are slightly earlier), and during the Battle of Loos, when the Chateau was used as a dressing station, Plot I was completed. It was laid out and fenced by the Pioneers of the 1st Gloucesters, and known for a long time as "Gloucester Graveyard". The remaining Plots were made by the Divisions (from the Dismounted Cavalry Division onwards) holding the line 1.6 kilometres East of the cemetery until April 1917, and they incorporated a few isolated French graves of October 1914. From April 1917, to the Armistice, the cemetery was closed; but after the Armistice graves were brought in (to Plots II, IV and VI) from the battlefields to the East.
Casualty Details: UK 2122, Canada 7, India 1, Germany 4, France 7, Total Burials: 2141
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13150 Private David Grant Petrie "D" Coy. 6th Bn. Cameron Highlanders 19/07/1916, aged 22. Plot IV. H. 37
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David was born 22 April 1894 in Dundee, Scotland to Jemima Harris Petrie and lovingly adopted by his Great Uncle and Great Aunt Alexander and Annie Petrie of 'Wellwood', Rattray, Blairgowrie, Scotland. David Grant Petrie was Killed In Action aged 22, on 19 July 1916 in France. "Remembered by relative Heather Johnson" Picture courtesy of Heather Johnson |
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