Norfolk Cemetery
Location
Becordel-Becourt is a village 2.5 kilometres east of Albert on the D938 (Albert-Peronne) road. Follow the C1 north to Becourt, pass under a bridge and Norfolk Cemetery will be found 700 metres along on the east side of the road.
Historical Information
The Cemetery was begun by the 1st Norfolks in August 1915, and used by other units (including the 8th Norfolks) until August 1916. After the Armistice it was nearly doubled in size by the concentration into Plot I, Row D, and Plot II of graves from the battlefields near by.
There are now nearly 550, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 220 are unidentified.
The Cemetery covers an area of 2,539 square metres and is enclosed on the road side by a brick wall.
Major Stewart Loudoun-Shand VC
10th Bn Yorkshire Regiment
Died on 1st July 1916 aged 36
Son of Mr J Loudoun-Shand, of 27, Alleyn Park, Dulwich, London
The London Gazette No. 29740, dated 8th September 1916
For most conspicuous bravery. When his company attempted to climb over the parapet to attack the enemy's trenches, they were met by very fierce machine gun fire, which temporarily stopped their progress.
Major Loudoun-Shand immediately leapt on the parapet, helped the men over it, and encouraged them in every way until he fell mortally wounded. Even then he insisted on being propped up in the trench, and went on encouraging the non-commissioned officers and men until he died.
Grave: I C 77
In his memoires: Reflections of a Veteran the poet Harry Fellows remembers with great respect the action by Loudon-Shand whose encouragement to his own men to press home their attack saved many lives from Fellows's 12th Northumberland Fusiliers who were in reserve.
Had we not been in reserve that day
Would I be spared to tell
Summer on the Somme - Harry Fellows
Lieutenant Wolfred Cloutman
178th Tunnelling Coy Royal Engineers
Died on 21st August 1915 aged 25
Son of Alfred and C Cloutman, of 17 South Grove, Highgate, London
Born at Wealdstone, Harrow, Middx.
Killed in rescuing a Sergeant whom he carried on his shoulder 45 feet up a ladder from the bottom of a mine. As soon as the Sergeant was lifted off, this officer, overcome with foul gas, fell to the bottom.
He lives, he wakes
'Tis death is dead
Not he
Grave: I A 14
Lt Colonel Colmer Lynch DSO
9th Bn KOYLI
Died on 1st July 1916 aged 35
Son of Mrs Florence Lynch, of Stoke, Guildford, and the late Maj General William Lynch
Grave: I B 87
Captain William Walker
9th Bn KOYLI
Died on 1st July 1916
Son of James Walker, of 17 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh
Grave: I B 91
Captain Gordon Haswell
9th Bn KOYLI
Died on 1st July 1916 aged 24
Son of Robert and Jessie Haswell, of 27 Thornhill Gardens, Sunderland
Grave: I B 92
Both the 10th Yorkshire Regiment and the 9th KOYLI were involved in the assault on Fricourt on the 1st July 1916. The 178th Tunnelling Company were responsible for the mines at the Tambour which were detonated that morning.
Fricourt: 1st July 1916
There are two other cemeteries within the immediate area of Becordel Becourt.
Dartmoor Cemetery
Becourt Military Cemetery
In the former there are the graves of a father and son, a Victoria Cross holder and the soldier believed to be the eldest to have died.
In the latter is the grave of Robert Gilson a close friend and fellow writer of the author JRR Tolkien.