Bethune Town

BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY,

BETHUNE, Nord, France

Bethune is 29 kilometres north of Arras. From the town centre of Bethune, turn right in front of the Tribunal and second right at the bottom of the road down to the cul-de-sac where the cemetery will be found.

For much of the First World War, Bethune was comparatively free from bombardment and remained an important railway and hospital centre, as well as a corps and divisional headquarters. The 33rd Casualty Clearing Station was in the town until December 1917. Early in 1918, Bethune began to suffer from constant shell fire and in April 1918, German forces reached Locon, five kilometres to the north. The bombardment of 21 May did great damage to the town and it was not till October that pressure from the Germans was relaxed. Bethune Town Cemetery contains 3,004 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, including 26 men of the 1/8th Manchester Regiment who were killed by a bomb on 22 December 1917 while marching to rest billets. Second World War burials number 19. There are also 122 French and 87 German war graves. The Commonwealth section of the cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

No. of Identified Casualties: 3181

Courtesy of the Commonwealth Wargraves Commission.

Name Rank & Number Battalion Age Died Grave Ref Cemetery Notes

WWI

Sidney Ware AKEHURST Serjeant SD/388 11th Bn. 10/07/1916
of wounds
V. F. 76 BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Christchurch, Sussex
Enlisted: Eastbourne

Robert BOTTING Private SD/2857 13th Bn. 30/06/1916
of wounds
V. F. 13. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Balcombe
Enlisted: Horsham

Lionel DENNIS Private SD/409 11th Bn. 36 11/07/1916
of wounds
V. F. 75. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Willingdon
Enlisted: Eastbourne
Son of Thomas and Lucy Dennis, of Willingdon, Eastbourne.

Ambrose DRIVER Private SD/912 11th Bn. 30 01/07/1916
of wounds
V. F. 24. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Framfield
Enlisted: Lewes
Son of Thomas and Ellen Driver, of Hawkhurst Gate, Blackboys, Uckfield, Sussex.

Thomas James EARL L/Cpl SD/410 11th Bn. 22 13/07/1916
of wounds
V. F. 81. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Christchurch, Sussex
Enlisted: Eastbourne
Son of Charles and Mary Ann Earl, of Eastbourne.

Albert John GRAINGER Private SD/2373 12th Bn. 23/07/1916
of wounds
V. G. 27. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Hove
Enlisted: Worthing

Joseph Frank PELLETT Private SD/2762 13th Bn. 22 14/07/1916
of wounds
V. F. 89. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Brighton
Enlisted: Hove
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Pellett, of 14, Holland St., Brighton.

Percival Philip PERRIN Private SD/3188 13th Bn. 35 30/06/1916
of wounds
V. F. 18. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Liss, Hampshire
Enlisted: Chichester
Son of Alfred and Matilda Perrin, of Rake, East Liss, Hants.

Harold SLOMAN Private SD/362 11th Bn. 27/07/1916
of wounds
V. G. 41. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Hampstead,Middx
Enlisted: Eastbourne

Frederick James STURT Serjeant L/8164 2nd Bn. 30 01/07/1916
of wounds
V. F. 23. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Son of Frederick and Elizabeth Sturt, of Tarrant St., Arundel, Sussex.

Charles Edward BRACHER Private 4/4142 12th Bn. 29 03/08/1916
of wounds
V. G. 87. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Son of Samuel and M. Annie Bracher, of 43, George Rd., Farncombe, Surrey.
Native of Plummers Plain, Horsham.

Norman Cecil CARTER Second Lieutenant 13th Bn. 22 23/07/1916
of wounds
III. K. 33. BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY

Born: Oxford
Son of W. C. and Lucy Carter, of 46, Claverton St., Pimlico, London.