Hangard Communal Cemetery Extension
Location
Hangard is a village 5 kilometres south of Villers-Bretonneux. Hangard Communal Cemetery is a little east of the village on the north side of the road to Démuin and the Extension is on the west side of the Communal Cemetery.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 49.82415 | 2.51922 | Map |
Historical Information
At the end of March 1918, Hangard was at the junction of the French and Commonwealth forces defending Amiens. From 4th to 25th April, the village and Hangard Wood were the scene of incessant fighting, in which the line was held and the 18th Division were particularly heavily engaged. On 8th August, the village was cleared by the 1st and 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles.
The original extension to the communal cemetery was made by the Canadian Corps in August 1918. It consisted of 51 graves in the present Plot I. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in, mainly from the battlefields of Hangard and Hangard Wood and from the following smaller cemeteries :
- Andechy German Cemetery, on the West side of Andechy village, contained one Irish soldier.
- Beaufort-en-Santerre German Cemetery (later removed), from which one Scottish soldier was brought.
- Belloy-en-Santerre Communal Cemetery German Extension (later removed), which contained one soldier from the United Kingdom and one from Australia.
- Fontaine-lès-Cappy Churchyard Extension (later removed), which was used for the burial of 22 soldiers from the United Kingdom in 1915.
- Gentelles French Military Cemetery, Cachy (later removed), on the road between the two villages. It contains the graves of over 200 French soldiers and 48 from the United Kingdom, who fell in April, 1918.
- Hangard Military Cemetery, a French extension (later removed) on the East side of the Communal Cemetery, containing, in addition to French graves, those of 38 soldiers from the United Kingdom, 18 from Canada, and 12 from Australia, who fell in April and August, 1918.
- Hangest German Cemetery (later removed), opposite Hangest Communal Cemetery, contained the grave of one soldier from the United Kingdom.
- Harbonnières German Cemetery (later removed), at the East end of the village, from which were brought the graves of six soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Australia.
- Herleville German Cemetery (later removed), from which were brought the graves of two soldiers from the United Kingdom.
- Le Quesnel Château Cemetery (later removed), in the wood on the South side of the village, contained one British grave.
- Saulchoy-Sur-Davenescourt Communal Cemetery German Extension (later removed), contained the graves of two R.A.F. officers.
- Sourdon French Military Cemetery (later removed), between Sourdon and Chirmont, contained the graves of 250 French soldiers and one Canadian Airman.
- Wiencourt-l’Équipée German Cemetery (later removed), at the East end of the village, contained the grave of one soldier from the United Kingdom.
Memorial to those whose graves were lost
The extension now contains 563 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 294 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known to be buried among them.
Other special memorials commemorate nine casualties buried in Fontaine-lès-Cappy Churchyard Extension and Gentelles French Military Cemetery, whose graves could not be found on concentration.
Certain graves in Plots II, III, and IV, identified collectively but not individually, are marked by headstones inscribed with the words “Believed to be buried near this spot”.
August 2013
Private David Carman 2646
50th Bn Australian Infantry
Died on 25th April 1918 aged 19
Son of David and Elizabeth Carman
of Kelvin Grove, Lockleys, South Australia
Grave: II A 18
Private Ivens Patchett 95185
5th Bn Tank Corps
Died on 8th August 1918 aged 21
Son of James and Fanny Patchett
of 82, Radford Rd., Exeter
Grave: II B 5
Lance Corporal G Harborne MM and Bar 13523
9th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Died on 21st March 1918
Grave: II G 14
Private J McMahon 10913
2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers
Died on 2nd October 1915 aged 23
Son of Mrs M McMahon
of 12, Legad Crescent, Clones, Co. Monaghan
Grave: I K 5