Naves is a small village about 5 kilometres north-east of Cambrai on the road to Saulzoir (D114). The Communal Cemetery is on the south side of the road a little south-west of the village at the entrance to the village coming from Cambrai.
GPS | N | E | OSM |
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Decimal | 50.197932 | 3.309299 | Map |
The Extension was begun by the 49th (West Riding) Division in October 1918, after the capture of the village on the 10th. The 31 graves then made are now in Plot V; Plots I to IV were made after the Armistice, by the concentration of graves from smaller cemeteries and from the battlefields of Cambrai.
Among the graves thus concentrated were those of many Lancashire Fusiliers and King’s Own Royal Lancasters who fell in August 1914.
The following were among the burial grounds from which British graves were removed to Naves Communal Cemetery Extension :
There are now nearly 450, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over a quarter are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four soldiers of the 8th Northumberland Fusiliers, buried in Eswars German Cemetery, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.
The grave of one American soldier has been removed to another cemetery.
The Extension covers an area of 1,446 square metres and is enclosed by a low red brick wall.
Private John Laurie 2356417
19th Bn Canadian Infantry
Died on 10th October 1918 aged 36
Grave: V A 19
Private W Ritters 17687
1st Regiment South African Infantry
Died on 19th October 1918 aged 22
Son of Mrs H Ritters
of Vereeniging, South Africa
Grave: II G 13
Private G Priest 49546
1st Bn Hertfordshire Regiment
Died on 8th October 1918 aged 19
Son of George and Mary Priest
of West View, Honey Hill, Blean, Canterbury
Grave: III C 9
Gone beyond the veil
From mum, dad
Brothers and sisters
Always in our thoughts
Private David Taylor 62176
1st Bn 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Died on 8th October 1918
Grave: IV E 20
Serjeant A Parsons 26910
3rd (King’s Own) Hussars
Died on 9th October 1918 aged 38
Son of J. and A. Parsons
Husband of Clara Parsons
of 34, Cholmley St., Hull
Grave: I D 5
Serjeant Archibald Gray 522845
15th Bn Canadian Infantry
48th Highlanders of Canada
Died on 1st October 1918 aged 30
Son of Archibald Gray
of 21, University St., Glasgow, Scotland
Grave: II B 1