Le Touret Military Cemetery
Location
From Béthune follow the signs for Armentières until you are on the D171. Continue on this road through Essars and Le Touret village.
Approximately 1 kilometre after Le Touret village and about 5 kilometres before you reach the intersection with the D947, Estaires to La Bassée road, the Cemetery lies on the right hand side of the road.
Located at the east end of the cemetery is Le Touret Memorial, which commemorates over 13,000 servicemen who fell in this area before 25th September 1915 and who have no known grave.
From the Indian Memorial at Neuve Chapelle the Cemetery and Memorial are well signposted.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 50.56043 | 2.72269 | Map |
Historical Information
The Cemetery was begun by the Indian Corps (and in particular by the 2nd Leicesters) in November 1914, and it was used continuously by Field Ambulances and fighting units until March 1918.
It passed into German hands in April 1918, and after its recapture a few further burials were made in Plot IV in September and October.
The grave of one Officer of the London Regiment was brought in in 1925 from a position on the Éstaires-La Bassée road near Port Arthur, and the 264 Portuguese graves of March 1917 and April 1919 were removed to Richebourg-L’Avoué Portuguese National Cemetery after the Armistice.
There are now over 900, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site.
The graves of three men of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, which were destroyed by shell fire, are now represented by special headstones.
The Cemetery covers an area of 7 036 square metres and is enclosed by a low brick wall.
Lt Colonel Harry Fisher
Wiltshire Regiment
Commanding
12th Bn York and Lancaster Regiment
Died on 3rd October 1916 aged 38
Son of the late Colonel and Mrs Fisher
of Ty Mynydd, Radyr, Cardiff
Husband of Annabella Fisher
of Manor House, Richards Castle, Ludlow.
Grave: IV B 31
Major William Evans
11th Bn Royal Scots
Died on 14th August 1915 aged 42
Son of J Evans, of Montreal
Husband of May Evans
of 791, University St, Montreal, Canada.
Grave: II G 26
2nd Lieutenant Cyril Crichton
3rd Bn London Regiment
Royal Fusiliers
Died on 10th March 1915 aged 21
Son of Lionel and Fannie Crichton
of Abbotsfield, Goring Heath, Oxon
Grave: IV C 34
There is a memorial to Cyril Crichton just outside the Indian Memorial at Neuve Chapelle.