London Cemetery
Location
Neuville-Vitasse is a village in the department of the Pas-de-Calais, 5 kilometres south-east of Arras on the D5. London Cemetery stands on the west side of the road to Arras in a shallow valley.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 50.254065 | 2.806149 | Map |
Historical Information
Neuville-Vitasse was attacked by the 56th (London) Division on 7th April 1917 and captured by the same Division on 9th April. The village was almost entirely lost at the end of March 1918 but regained at the end of the following August.
It was later adopted by the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington.
The London Cemetery was made by the 56th Division in April 1917 and greatly extended after the Armistice when graves were brought in from other burial grounds and from the battlefields between Arras, Vis-en-Artois and Croisilles.
London Cemetery contains 747 burials and commemorations of the First World War.
The screen
318 of the burials are unidentified and on a screen wall are panels bearing the names of casualties buried in the following five cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire :
- Wancourt Road Cemetery No.2, just East of Neuville-Vitasse
- Neuville-Vitasse Mill Cemetery, close to a German strong point on the road to Mercatel
- Beaurains Road Cemetery No.2, just North-West of Neuville-Vitasse
- Beaurains German Cemetery
- Erchin German Cemetery (Nord).
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Captain Paul Meautys MC
Brigade Major 53rd Brigade
2nd Bn North Staffordshire Regiment
Died on 16th June 1917 aged 26
Son of Thomas and E Meautys
of Hammond Place, Burgess Hill, Sussex
Grave: II B 20
Sergeant Reginald Tate 470646
12th Bn London Regiment
(The Rangers)
Died on 9th April 1917 aged 19
Son of Richard and Katherine Tate
of 34 Park Avenue, Wood Green, London.
Was recommended for a Commission
Grave: I A 83
Lt Colonel Valerio Magawly de Calry DSO
6th Dragoons (Inniskilling)
Commanding 7th Bn Rifle Brigade
Died on 10th May 1917 aged 34
Legion of Honour.
Son of 6th Count Magawly Cerati de Calry and
Countess Magawly Cerati de Calry
husband of Sheila Magawly de Calry
Grave: I B 7
Private Colin Calder 512054
14th Bn London Regiment
(London Scottish)
Died on 9th April 1917 aged 22
Son of Ronald Calder and Mary Calder
of 21 Seagry Rd, Wanstead, Essex.
A Bank clerk
Grave: I A 15
Also in memory of his brother
Capt.J.S. Calder, M.C. and bar
Fell at Gavrelle 28.3. 1918
Greater love hath no man than this
Captain John Calder
1st/5th Bn London Regiment
(London Rifle Brigade)
is commemorated on the Arras Memorial
Rifleman Percy Godley 473374
12th Bn London Regiment
(The Rangers)
Died on 9th April 1917 aged 19
Son of Richard and Elizabeth Godley
of 9 Tilbury Rd, East Ham, London
Grave: I A 77