Bécourt Military Cemetery

The Bécourt 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 those who died in a variety of dates from August 1915 to April 1917 manning the front line near the village of Bécordel-Bécourt and is managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Location The cemetery is located on the southern side of the Rue de Becourt, the road linking the village of Becourt to the town of Albert, France. It is on the western edge of Becourt Wood. The village of Becourt is located approximately 2 kilometers east of Albert.

Establishment of the cemetery

History The cemetery was begun in August 1915 by the 51st Highland Division and was used by other divisions near the front line until the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. During and after the battle, until April 1917, the cemetery was used by nearby field ambulances. In August 1918, Plot II was started by the 18th Division. Three German graves have been removed from the cemetery since its inception.

Layout The cemetery covers an area of 4327 square meters and is enclosed by a rubble wall.

Statistics There are a total of 713 World War I casualties buried in the cemetery, of which 5 are unidentified. A special memorial is dedicated to a British soldier believed to be buried among the unknown.

Eighteen Yorkshire Regiment soldiers are buried in the cemetery, including 12 officers. +Identified Burials by NationalityNationalityNumber of BurialsUnited Kingdom602Australia72Canada31South Africa3 +Number of Burials by UnitAustralian burials72Northumberland Fusiliers65Royal Field Artillery38Royal Berkshire Regiment32Canadian burials31Royal West Kent Regiment30Queen's – Royal West Surrey Regiment27Royal Engineers27Essex Regiment25Highland Light Infantry20Royal Garrison Artillery19Royay Scots – Lothian Regiment19Durham Light Infantry18Green Howards – Yorkshire Regiment17Suffolk Regiment17Buffs – East Kent Regiment16Black Watch15King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry15Royal Irish Rifles12Cameron Highlanders11Royal Warwickshire Regiment11Seaforth Highlanders11Gordon Highlanders9Machine Gun Corps9Lincolnshire Regiment8Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders7East Lancashire Regiment7Border Regiment6Duke of Wellington's – West Riding Regiment6Gloucestershire Regiment6Royal Fusiliers – City of London Regiment6Royal Sussex Regiment6Royal Welsh Fusiliers6West Yorkshire Regiment6Loyal North Lancashire Regiment5Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment5Rifle Brigade5Royal Army Medical Corps5Cameronians – Scottish Rifles4King's Liverpool Regiment4Royal Army Service Corps4Bedfordshire Regiment3King's Royal Rifle Corps3London Regiment – 22nd Bn. The Queen's3South African burials3York & Lancaster Regiment3East Yorkshire Regiment2London Regiment – 7th Bn.2London Regiment – 18th Bn. London Irish Rifles2Northamptonshire Regiment2Royal Scots Fusiliers2South Wales Borderers2Welsh Regiment2Cheshire Regiment1Connaught Rangers1Devonshire Regiment1East Surrey Regiment1Leinster Regiment1London Regiment – 8th Bn. Post Office Rifles1London Regiment – 15th Bn. Civil Service Rifles1London Regiment – 17th Bn. Poplar & Stepney Rifles1London Regiment – 19th Bn. St. Pancras1London Regiment – 23rd Bn.1Norfolk Regiment1Somerset Light Infantry1South Staffordshire Regiment1Worcestershire Regiment1

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