Marcoing is a village 7 kilometres south-west of Cambrai. Marcoing British Cemetery is 2 kilometres south-east of the village on the road (D15) towards Masnières.
Marcoing and Masnières were captured by the 29th Division on the 20th November 1917, the first day of the Battle of Cambrai. On the 30th November and the 1st December, Masnières was held by the same Division against repeated attacks, but it was evacuated, under orders, on the night of the 1st-2nd; and Marcoing was left a few days later.
Marcoing was retaken on the 28th September 1918, and Masnières on the following day, by the 62nd (West Riding) Division.
Marcoing British Cemetery was made after the Armistice, by the concentration of graves (almost all of November 1917 or September-October 1918) from Rumilly German Cemetery and from the local battlefields.
There are now nearly 400, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over half are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 19 soldiers from the United Kingdom, four from Canada and one from New Zealand, known or believed to be buried among them.
The Cemetery covers an area of 1,404 square metres and is enclosed by a low stone rubble wall.
On the main road between Masnières and Cambrai you will find the Masnières Newfoundland Memorial, recalling the share of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment (then part of the 29th Division) in the Battle of Cambrai, 1917.
Masnières Newfoundland Memorial
Private Keywood Rideout 3320 |
Private Solomon Keeping 3116 |
Lance Corporal John Rose MM 2079 |
Grave: II G 12 |
Grave: II G 11 |
Grave: II G 10 |
On the 20th November 1917 on the first day of the Battle of Cambrai the Fort Garry Horse made a spectacular charge across the fields on the opposite side of Masnières towards Rumilly.
Eight of their fallen from that charge lie within this cemetery - see the photos below
The Fort Garry Horse monument is along the canal bank in the village of Masnières.
Private Cecil Conrad 115059
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917 aged 22
Son of B F and Isabella Conrad. Native of Ontario
Grave: I E 10
Corporal Albert Webb 109664
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917 aged 27
Son of James and Florence Webb, of 8 Earl St, Stafford
He answered England's call
Duty nobly done
Grave: I E 7
Private C McArthur 177084
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917
Grave: II C 34
Private Arthur Jensen 552449
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917 aged 21
Son of James and Mary Jensen, Aetna, Alberta
Grave: II C 1
Lance Corporal J Henderson 116075
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917
Special Memorial 13
Lance Corporal O Dunning MM 114768
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917 aged 24
Special Memorial 9
Private R Conklin 657
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917
Special Memorial 7
Private Kenneth MacDonald 552768
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917 aged 22
Son of Kenneth and Sarah MacDonald, Aldersyde, Alberta, Canada
Special Memorial 18