Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery, Fonquevillers

Historical Information (Source: CWGC)

Foncquevillers was in British hands in 1915 and 1916. On 1 July 1916, Gommecourt Wood was attacked by the 46th (North Midland) Division, and the Southern part of the village by the 56th (London) Division. The attack met with temporary success, but could not be sustained; and Gommecourt remained a salient in the German line until 27 February 1917, when it was evacuated. It was never retaken by the Germans; at the end of their offensive of March 1918, it was just within the British lines. Gommecourt was later "adopted" by the County Borough of Wolverhampton.

Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery was made, after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from the battlefields of July 1916, March 1917, and March, April and August 1918, and from certain smaller burial grounds.

There are now nearly 750, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly two-thirds are unidentified and special memorials are erected to ten soldiers from the United Kingdom, known or believed to be buried among them.  692 British, 1 Australian and 56 New Zealand Soldiers and Sailors.  The cemetery covers an area of 2,690 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.

 

Served with

  • United Kingdom (227)
  • New Zealand (56)
  • Australian (1)

Served in

  • Army (280)
  • Navy (4)
Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery
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