Bienvillers Military Cemetery

Historical Information (Source: CWGC)

Bienvillers Military Cemetery was begun in September 1915 by the 37th Division, carried on by other Divisions in the line until March 1917, reopened from March to September 1918, when the village was again near the front line, and completed in 1922-24 when a number of graves, mainly of 1916, were brought in from the battlefields of the Ancre. Its twenty-one plots show a remarkable alternation of original burials in regimental or divisional groups, and groups of concentrated graves.

 

The cemetery now contains 1,605 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 425 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to two casualties known or believed to be buried among them. The 16 Second World War burials all date from the early months of the war, before the German invasion in May 1940 forced the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from France.

 

Served with

  • United Kingdom (1184)
  • New Zealand (9)
  • Australian (5)
  • Canadian (1)
  • German (1)

Served in

  • Army (1187)
  • Air Force (11)
  • Navy (2)
Bienvillers MC
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VICTORIA CROSS

Lieutenant Colonel Walter Lorrain BRODIE _ 2nd Bn. Highland Light Infantry

Died 23 August 1918 Age 34

Country of Service: United Kingdom

Awards: Victoria Cross, Military Cross, Twice Mentioned in Despatches

Brodie London Gazette
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Citation

An extract from the "London Gazette," No. 29005, dated 12th Dec., 1914, records the following:-"For conspicuous gallantry near Becelaere on the 11th November, in clearing the enemy out of a portion of our trenches which they had succeeded in occupying. Heading the charge, he bayoneted several of the enemy, and thereby relieved a dangerous situation. As a result of Lt. Brodie's promptitude, 80 of the enemy were killed and 51 taken prisoners."

Grave Reference: XVIII. F. 15.

(Source: Wikipedia)