Gommecourt Wood
Location
Foncquevillers is a village about 18 kilometres south-west of Arras on the D3. Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery is situated a little way south-east along the D6. A CWGC signpost indicating the road is situated at the junction near the post office in Foncquevillers and the Cemetery is on the right hand side of the road just before arriving at Gommecourt.
Historical Information
Foncquevillers was in British hands in 1915 and 1916. On the 1st July 1916, Gommecourt Wood was attacked by the 46th (North Midland) Division, and the Southern part of the village by the 56th (London) Division.
Rows of men from the Notts and Derby Regiment
The attack met with temporary success, but could not be sustained; and Gommecourt remained a salient in the German line until the 27th 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.
It was later adopted by the County Borough of Wolverhampton.
Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery was made, after the Armistice, by the concentration of graves from certain smaller burial grounds and from the battlefields of July 1916, March 1917, and March, April and August 1918.
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.
The cemetery covers an area of 2,690 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.
The following were among the burial grounds from which British graves were brought to this cemetery.
Bastion Cemetery, Foncquevillers, in the old German line North of the Wood, where 55 men (nearly all unidentified) of the 46th Division were buried.
Bretencourt French Military Cemetery, on the West side of the bridge between Bretencourt and Blamont Mill, in the commune of Rivière. Here were buried 233 French soldiers and 38 from the United Kingdom; three men of the Indian Labour Corps; and one German prisoner.
Gommecourt Château Cemetery, at the North-East corner of the Château park, begun by the Germans. Here were buried 55 soldiers from New Zealand, who fell in July and August 1918, and 14 from the United Kingdom.
Gommecourt Wood Cemetery No. 1, or The Sap Cemetery, Foncquevillers, between the old front lines, in which were buried 111 men of the 46th Division, almost all unidentified.
Gommecourt Wood Cemetery No. 4, or Little Z Cemetery (from a strong point on the old German front line), Foncquevillers, which contained the graves of 22 men of the 46th Division and one other.
Gommecourt Wood Cemetery No. 5, on the North-West side of the Wood, containing the graves of 27 men of the 46th Division.
Gommecourt Wood Cemetery No. 6, close to No. 5, containing the graves of 40 men, almost all of the 46th Division.
Gommecourt Wood Cemetery No. 8, Foncquevillers, between the old front lines, containing the graves of 46 men of the 46th Division.
Point 75 British Cemetery, Foncquevillers, on the old German front line, containing the graves of 35 men of the 46th Division.
Lt Colonel Charles Boote
5th Bn North Staffordshire Regiment
Who died on 1st July 1916 aged 41
Son of Richard and Sarah Anne Boote, of Shallowford, Staffs
Husband of Gertrude Ethel Boote, of 62 St Michael's Rd, Bedford
Served in the South African Campaign
Grave: II B 12
Private Francis Septimus Hill 201676
1/5th Bn Manchester Regiment
Who died on 28 March 1918 aged 26
Son of Richard and Alice Hill, of Gorton, Manchester
On fields
Where once were battles
Will the fairest flowers
Be found
Grave: II J 7
Other nearby cemeteries:
Rossignol Wood
Owl Trench
Gommecourt British Cemetery No 2