Moeuvres Communal Cemetery Extension

Historical  Information (Source: CWGC)

Moeuvres remained in German hands during the Battle of Cambrai, 1917, in spite of three days of desperate attack by the 36th (Ulster) Division. It was partly taken by the 57th (West Lancashire) Division on 11 September 1918 and cleared by the 52nd (Lowland) Division on the 19th. The communal cemetery was extended to the west by the Germans between November 1917 and March 1918. The British Extension, was made between September and October 1918 and was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields on the Cambrai-Bapaume road.

 

The extension now contains 565 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 263 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials are erected to 31 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate three casualties whose graves could not be found. The cemetery also contains 93 war graves of other nationalities, most of them German.

 

Served with

  • United Kingdom (273)
  • German (44)
  • Canadian (21)
  • Australian (8)
  • Russian (4)

Served in

  • Army (321)
  • Navy (28)
  • Air Force (1)
Moeuvres Communal Ext
PDF – 120,2 KB

VICTORIA CROSS

Lieutenant Charles POPE - 

11th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

Died 15 April 1917 Age 34

Country of Service: Australian

Awards: Victoria Cross

Pope London Gazette
PDF – 130,9 KB
Pope NAA Item Number 8021228
PDF – 8,0 MB
Pope Roll Of Honour
PDF – 47,8 KB
Pope Red Cross
PDF – 288,9 KB
Pope Awards Rec 1
PDF – 30,2 KB
Pope Awards Rec 2
PDF – 34,4 KB

Citation

An extract from "The London Gazette," dated 8th June, 1917, records the following:-"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when in command of a very important picquet post in the sector held by his battalion, his orders being to hold this post at all costs. After the picquet post had been heavily attacked, the enemy, in greatly superior numbers, surrounded the post. Lt. Pope, finding that he was running short of ammunition, sent back for further supplies. But the situation culminated before it could arrive, and in the hope of saving the position, this very gallant officer was seen to charge with his picquet into a superior force, by which it was overpowered. By his sacrifice Lt. Pope not only inflicted heavy loss on the enemy, but obeyed his order to hold the position to the last. His body, together with those of most of his men, was found in close proximity to eighty enemy dead, a sure proof of the gallant resistance which had been made."

Grave Reference: V. D. 22.

(Source: Wikipedia)