Hermies is a town in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, approximately 3.5 kilometres south of the road (D930) from Bapaume to Cambrai. From the D930 take the D34 for 3.2 kilometres to its junction with the D5E where the first CWGC sign is situated. The Cemetery lies on the left side of the road, 150 metres from the junction.
GPS | N | E | OSM |
---|---|---|---|
Decimal | 50.111125 | 3.031932 | Map |
Hermies was seized on the morning of the 9th April 1917, by a surprise attack of the 2nd and 3rd Australian Infantry Battalions. It was held against the advancing Germans on the 22nd March 1918, by the 17th Division, but evacuated on the following day; and it was retaken in September 1918.
It was later “adopted”, with Havrincourt, by the County Borough of Huddersfield. The cemetery was begun in November 1917, and carried on by fighting units until March 1918, and further graves were added in the following September.
These original burials comprise nearly the whole of Plot I; the remaining three Plots were added after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from a wide area round Hermies and from certain small cemeteries, including :
There are now over 1,000, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly 300 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 28 soldiers from the United Kingdom and 3 from Australia, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 6 soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in two German Cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.
The cemetery covers an area of 3,629 square metres and is enclosed by a brick wall.
2nd Lieutenant Frank Young VC
1st Bn Hertfordshire Regiment
Died on 18th September 1918 aged 23
Son of Frank and Sarah Young
of 46, Wood Avenue, Folkestone, Kent
Grave: III B 5
The London Gazette 31067
13th December 1918
For most conspicuous bravery, determination and exceptional devotion to duty on 18th September 1918, south-east of Havrincourt, when during an enemy counter-attack and throughout an extremely intense enemy barrage he visited all posts, warned the garrisons and encouraged the men. In the early stages of the attack he rescued two of his men who had been captured, and bombed and silenced an enemy machine gun.
Although surrounded by the enemy, 2nd Lt. Young fought his way back to the main barricade and drove out a party of the enemy who were assembling there. By his further exertions the battalion was able to maintain a line of great tactical value, the loss of which would have meant serious delay to future operations.
Throughout four hours of intense hand-to-hand fighting 2nd Lt. Young displayed the utmost valour and devotion to duty, and set an example to which the company gallantly responded. He was last seen fighting hand to hand against a considerable number of the enemy.
Corporal Eric Hardy 34418
5th Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
Died on 15th September 1918 aged 19
Grave: II A 16
Private Frederick Pole 57602
2nd/6th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment
Died on 20th November 1917 aged 31
Son of James and Harriett Pole
of Belgrave, Leicester
Husband of Susan Pole
of 11, Belgrave Avenue, Leicester
Grave: IV E 27
Serjeant James Ellis 201002
2/4th Bn King’s Own Yorkshire LI
Died on 20th November 1917 aged 27
Son of Frank and Charlotte Ellis
of Castleford
Grave: I H 15