The Auchonvillers Military Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Somme region of France commemorating British and Commonwealth soldiers who fought in the Battle of the Somme in World War I. The cemetery contains soldiers who died manning the Allied front line near the village of Auchonvillers.
Location The cemetery is located on the outskirts of Auchonvillers, which is approximately 20 kilometers south of Arras, France. The two towns are linked by the D919 road. The coordinates of the cemetery are .
Establishment of the Cemetery
History Between the beginning of the war and mid-1915, the front was held by French troops, who started the cemetery in June 1915. From 1915 until the German retreat in February 1917, the cemetery was used by Commonwealth units including the 51st Highlanders and military hospitals, who referred to it as "Ocean Villas". The cemetery was rarely used after 1917. After the Armistice agreement ended hostilities in the Great War, 15 more graves were created for soldiers who died in the area east of the cemetery. French graves have since been moved to separate burial grounds. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and William Cowlishaw.
Statistics
Currently, 528 Commonwealth soldiers are buried in the cemetery. 487 soldiers are identifiable, including 457 British, 8 Canadians, and 2 New Zealanders. +Identified Burials by NationalityNationalityNumber of BurialsUnited Kingdom457Canada8New Zealand2 +Identified Burials by UnitLancashire Fusiliers47Border Regiment33Royal Dublin Fusiliers25Middlesex Regiment23New Zealand burials22Royal Sussex Regiment18Black Watch17Royal Fusiliers - City of London Regiment16Royal Engineers15Royal Field Artillery15Duke of Wellington - West Riding Regiment13Worcestershire Regiment13Royal Warwickshire Regiment12Seaforth Highlanders12Gordon Highlanders11Hampshire Regiment11Lincolnshire Regiment11Royal Irish Rifles11Royal Irish Fusiliers9Essex Regiment8Gloucestershire Regiment8Royal Irish Regiment8Royal Newfoundland Regiment8Royal Scots8South Wales Borderers8Suffolk Regiment8Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders7East Yorkshire Regt.7Highland Light Infantry7King's Own Scottish Borderers7East Lancashire Regiment6French burials6Royal Garrison Artillery6West Yorkshire Regiment6King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry5Machine Gun Corps5Northumberland Fusiliers5Rifle Brigade5Hertfordshire Regiment4Loyal North Lancashire Regiment4Manchester Regiment4Royal Navy Division - Infantry4Bedfordshire Regiment3Monmouthshire Regiment3Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment3King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment3South Lancashire Regiment3York & Lancaster Regiment3Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers2Royal Welsh Fusiliers2Buffs - East Kent Regiment1King's Liverpool Regiment1King's Royal Rifle Corps1King's Shropshire Light Infantry1Norfolk Regiment1Queen's - Royal West Surrey Regiment1Royal Berkshire Regiment1Royal Scots Fusiliers1
References