Chapelle d'Armentières Old Military
Location
La Chapelle-d'Armentières is a village 1.5 kilometres to the west of Armentières, a large town in the north of France. From the Mairie in La Chapelle-d'Armentières turn left onto the main road. The Old Military Cemetery will be found 500 metres along on the left.
Historical Information
The village of La Chapelle-d'Armentières was in the hands of Commonwealth forces from October 1914 until the fall of Armentières on 10 April 1918.
It was retaken in the following October. During the Allied occupation, the village was very close to the front line and its cemeteries were made by fighting units and field ambulances in the earlier days of trench warfare.
Chapelle-d'Armentières Old Military Cemetery was begun in October 1914 by units of the 6th Division and used until October 1915.
The cemetery contains 103 First World War burials three of them unidentified. The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.
Looking towards the New Military Cemetery
Captain Eric Reid
1st Bn North Staffordshire Regiment
Died on 20th October 1914 aged 34
Third son of Maj General A Reid (Bombay Staff Corps)
Grave: A 6
Captain Norman Leslie
3rd Bn The Rifle Brigade
Died on 19th October 1914 aged 28
Son of Sir John and Lady Leslie, of Glaslough, Co Monaghan
The beloved son
Of Sir John Leslie
Of Glaslough Ireland
The family home is still Castle Leslie and it was there that Sir Paul McCartney held one of his marriages.
Grave: A 8
Shot at Dawn
There are three executed soldiers within the cemetery
Private Alfred Atkinson 8014
1st Bn West Yorkshire Regiment
(Prince of Wales's Own)
Died on 2nd March 1915 aged 24
Shot for desertion
Having won a sum of money gambling, he spent it all on drink and decided to go missing. He managed to evade the Military Police for three weeks before being arrested.
Having a good conduct record the court recommended that he should be treated with mercy. General Smith-Dorrien, however, thought otherwise and confirmed the death sentence.
Like his battalion comrade Ernest Kirk he was shot at Armentières Asylum.
Grave: B 8
Private Ernest Kirk 7981
1st Bn West Yorkshire Regiment
(Prince of Wales's Own)
Died on 6th March 1915
Shot for desertion
Within a few days of Atkinson's execution, the battalion was required to furnish a second firing squad for Kirk.
Grave: B 9
Corporal Alexander Chisholm 14780
20th Army Troops Company
Royal Engineers
Died on 17th May 1915 aged 31
Son of James and Hannah Chisholm, of Heaton, Newcastle-on-Tyne
Husband of Janet Chisholm, of Moline, Manitoba, Canada
Mentioned in Dispatches
Shot for murder
Whilst working on a job near Bailleul Chisholm fell out with one of his work party Lance Corporal Robert Lewis. Other members of the party bore witness to the effect that Lewis had accused Chisholm of falsifying the pay records. There had already been a lot of animosity between the two men and it culminated on the 4th May 1915 when Chisholm shot Lewis dead outside the Estaminet du Pelican in Bailleul.
His death certificate states that he also was shot at Armentières Asylum.
Shortly after his execution Chisholm was mentioned in dispatches for previous good work !
Lewis is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Grave II A 172.
Grave: B 27
Chapelle-d'Armentières New Military Cemetery
Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension
List of Soldiers Shot at Dawn