Borre

Location

Borre is a village 3 kilometres east of Hazebrouck on the N42. On reaching the village, turn right just before the church on the road signposted Sec Bois. The cemetery is 120 metres from the junction on the right hand side.

Take care during the day as you turn into this road as there is an infants' school close to the junction.

Borre British Cemetery

Historical Information

The cemetery was used from May to September 1918 by field ambulances and fighting Units, particularly those of the 1st Australian Division, during the interval between the German and Allied offensives of that year.

Borre British Cemetery

The cemetery on a frosty winter's morning

The cemetery now contains 367 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and three German war graves. There are also five burials of the Second World War.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

 
Private William Scholes

Private William Scholes 44174
2nd Bn South Wales Borderers
Died on 10th August 1918 aged 25
Son of Mary Ann and the late Job Scholes

Nothing to us
Can ever repay
The sacrifice
He made that day

Shot at Dawn

It would seem that Scholes repeatedly went absent as a protest against the small sum his widowed mother received. How he felt that getting himself shot (He was already under a suspended sentence) would help her situation I am not certain.

Grave: II G 11

 

In wandering amongst the graves I have noticed that there is an unusual wealth of interesting epitaphs - many of them on Australian graves.

Lieutenant Albert Retchford MC

Lieutenant Albert Retchford MC
11th Bn AIF
Died on 3rd June 1918 aged 23
Native of Albert Park, Victoria.
Son of Julia and the late Richard Retchford, of Boulder Road, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

Admired by all - our boy

Grave: II A 8

Captain Lindon Higinbotham

Captain Lindon Higinbotham
3rd Bn AIF
Died on 21st June 1918
Son of William and Alice Higinbotham, of New Brighton, Rillinudgel, North Coast, New South Wales
Native of Sydney, New South Wales

Our turn here is finished
Last words in his diary - 18 / 6 /18

Grave: II B 7

Sergeant Charlie Howell

Sergeant Charlie Howell 3936
1st Bn AIF
Died on 5th July 1918 aged 27
Native of Cootamundra, New South Wales
Son of Charles and Hannah Howell, of 23 Percival Road, Stanmore, New South Wales

He sleeps beside his comrades
In an honoured grave
In France

Grave: II C 27

Corporal William Roberts

Corporal William Roberts 1634
9th Bn AIF
Died on 19th July 1918 aged 33
Son of John and Mary Roberts
husband of Ethel Roberts, of 24 Little Edward Street, Springhill, Brisbane, Queensland
Native of Charters Towers, Queensland

Not dead - promoted
Merely changed his regiment
His duty nobly done

Grave: II D 20

Private Edgar Williams

Private Edgar Williams 7810
11th Bn AIF
Died on 19th July 1918 aged 24
Native of Geraldton, Western Australia
Son of John and Agnes Williams
Husband of Jane Williams, of 38 View Street, North Perth, Western Australia

No pen can write
No tongue can tell
The loss of him
I loved so well

Grave: II D 25

Private Aeneas Murray

Private Aeneas Murray 3898
11th Bn AIF
Died on 31st July 1918 aged 33
Son of John and Elizabeth Murray, of Gingin, Western Australia

One who has helped
To write Australia's history
In blood

Grave: II F 9

2nd Lieutenant Henry Forbes

2nd Lieutenant Henry Forbes
3rd Bn King's Own Scottish Borderers
Attached to 1st Bn KOSB
Died on 18th August 1918 aged 22
Son of Henry Forbes, BA, and Edith Forbes, of 17 Beverley Road, Barnes, London

A great companion
A galant soldier
and gentleman
Col Beattie-Pownall

Grave: II H 30

Capitaine-Aviateur C Schmitz

Capitaine-Aviateur C Schmitz
Belgian Air Force
Born on 23 November 1919
Died on 26th August 1944

Mort pour la Belgique
Patria Memor

Grave: II H 1