Marcoing British Cemetery
Location
Marcoing is a village seven kilometres south-west of Cambrai. Marcoing British Cemetery is two kilometres south-east of the village on the road (D15) towards Masnières.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 50.117992 | 3.187612 | Map |
Historical Information
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.
Fort Garry Horse
The Fort Garry Horse crossed near here
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.
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
Grave: I E 7
L/Corporal John Henderson 116075
Fort Garry Horse
Died on 20th November 1917 aged 33
Special Memorial: 13
Private Solomon Keeping 3116
1st Bn Newfoundland Regiment
Died on 20th November 1917
Son of John and Ann Keeping
of Ramea, Burgeo, Newfoundland
Grave: II G 11
Private Ernest Gardner 41216
2nd Bn South Wales Borderers
Died on 21st November 1917 aged 18
Son of Charles and Eleanor Gardner
of Clifton, Rugby
Grave: II C 17