Details

Beaumont-Hamel is a commune in the Department of the Somme, on the right (or West ) bank of the Ancre river, containing the villages of Beaumont-Hamel and Hamel; and the Ancre British Cemetery is 2 kilometres South of the village, on the West side of the Albert-Miraumont road, a little West of the railway and the river.

The village of Beaumont-Hamel was attacked on the 1st July, 1916, by the 29th Division, with the 4th on its left and the 36th (Ulster) on its right, but without success. On the 3rd September, a further attack was delivered between Hamel and Beaumont-Hamel. On the 13th and 14th November, the 51st (Highland), 63rd (Royal Naval), 39th and 19th (Western) Divisions captured Beaumont-Hamel, Beaucourt-sur-Ancre and St. Pierre-Divion. In the spring of 1917, the V Corps cleared this battlefield and created a number of cemeteries, of which Ancre British Cemetery (then called Ancre River No. 1 British Cemetery, V Corps Cemetery No. 26) was one. It contained 517 graves, almost all of the 63rd and 36th Divisions; but after the Armistice 1,965 graves from the same battlefields, and from certain smaller burial grounds, were concentrated into it.

The cemetery now contains the graves of 2,446 soldiers (including sailors and marines of the Royal Naval Division) from the United Kingdom; 32 soldiers from Newfoundland, two from New Zealand and one from South Africa; and one German soldier. The unnamed graves are 1,335 in number, or rather more than half the total; and special memorials are erected to 33 officers and men from the United Kingdom and ten from Newfoundland, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 16 soldiers from the United kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The great majority of the officers and men buried here fell on the 1st July, the 3rd September or the the 13th November, 1916.

The following were among the burial grounds (all in the commune of Beaumont-Hamel) from which British graves were removed to this cemetery:-

Ancre River British Cemetery No.2 (V Corps Cemetery No. 27), about 364 metres East of No.1, containing the graves of 64 officers and men from the United Kingdom (mainly 1st H.A.C., 11th Royal Sussex, and Hood Battalion) who fell in September and November, 1916.

Beaucourt Station Cemetery, begun after the capture of Beaucourt by the R.N.D. on the 14th November, 1916, and containing the graves of 85 officers and men from the United Kingdom who fell in November, 1916- March, 1917. It was close to Beaucourt-Hamel station.

Green Dump Cemetery, on the South-West side of "Station Road", between Beaumont Hamel and the station. It was used from November, 1916, to March, 1917, and it contained the graves of 45 soldiers and one Marine from the United Kingdom.

R.N.D. Cemetery (V Corps Cemetery No.21), in the open country midway between Beaumont-Hamel and Hamel. It contained the graves of 336 officers and men from the United Kingdom, mainly from the Royal Naval Division.

Sherwood Cemetery (V Corps Cemetery No.20), about 637 metres North West of the R.N.D. Cemetery. It contained the graves of 176 officers and men from the United Kingdom, belonging chiefly to the 36th and Royal Naval Divisions, the 17th Sherwood Foresters and the 17th King's Royal Rifles.

Station Road Cemetery, on the South side of "Station Road", 450 metres West of the railway. This cemetery was used, from November, 1916, to March, 1917, for the burial of 82 officers and men from the United Kingdom.

"Y" Ravine Cemetery No.2 (V Corps Cemetery No. 18), about 270 metres South-East of the present "Y" Ravine Cemetery. Here were buried 140 officers and men from the United Kingdom and two from Newfoundland who fell in July, September and November, 1916.

Number of burials by Unit

Those having Awards buried in this cemetery

Lt. Alec Edward Boucher M.C., 11th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regt. Died 18th Nov. 1916 aged 27. C. 40

Sgt. John Boyd M.M., 1st/7th Gordon Highlanders. Died 13th Nov. 1916 aged 27. A. 28

Ldg. Smn. T. Brown M.M., R.N.V.R., "Howe" Bn. Royal Naval Division. Died 13th Nov. 1916. C. 38

Lt. Cyril Arthur Edmondson, Mentioned in Despatches. R.N.V.R. "Hood" Bn. Royal Naval Division. Killed in action 13th Nov. 1916 aged 24. A.26

Pte. T. J. Fulbrig M.M., 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Died 1st July 1916 . E. 38

Capt. John Griffiths, Mentioned in Despatches. 12th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles. Killed in action 1st July 1916 aged 34. D. 38

Capt. Arthur Henry Hall M.C., 2nd Bn. Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in action 19th Nov. 1916 aged 25. E. 7

Able Smn W. Montgomery D.S.M., Mentioned in Despatches. R.N.V.R. "Howe" Bn. Royal Naval Division. Died 13th Nov. 1916. C. 30

C.S.M. F. J. Rowe D.C.M. (South Africa 1900) "C Coy" 17th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died 3rd Sept. 1916 aged 39. B. 22

Others buried in this cemetery

Able Smn. E. J. Bowen, R.N.V.R. "Hood" Bn. Royal Naval Division. Died 13th Nov. 1916. Native of South Barre, Mass. U.S.A. C. 20

Able Smn. Wm. Gordon Brown, R.N.V.R. "A" Coy. "Hawke" Bn. Royal Naval Division. Killed in action near Beaumont Hamel 13th Nov. 1916 aged 21. Author of article in Philosophical Magazine of August 1915, and of articles published in Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh in July 1922. C. 6

2nd Lt. B. T. Chippindall, 3rd Bn. Somerset Light Inf. Killed in the advance on Beaucourt 16th Nov. 1916 aged 39. Son of the Rev. Wm. Chippindall, formerly vicar of Tilton-on-the-Hill, Leics. Engaged in Tea and Rubber planting in Ceylon when he volunteered for active service and returned to England in 1915. F. 50

Pte. James Ford, brother of Martin Ford mentioned below. 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, killed in action 1st July 1916 aged 21. Son of Annie Ford of Montreal, Canada and the late John Ford. B. 11

Pte. Martin Ford, brother of James Ford mentioned above. 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Died 1st July 1916 aged 22. Son of Annie Ford of Montreal, Canada and the late John Ford. C.22

Sub-Lt. Arthur Reginald Hart, R.N.V.R. "Hood" Bn. Royal Naval Division. Killed in action 13th Nov. 1916 aged 25. Classical Grecians of Christ's Hospital, subsequently took high honours at London University. First Arts Scholarship at Westminster Hospital in 1910. B. 23

Pte. George Richard Hanan, "A" Coy. 10th Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Died 13th Nov. 1916 aged 39. Formerly served in Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps. A. 9

Able Smn. John David Thomson. R.N.V.R. 189th Brig. Machine Gun Coy. Royal Naval Div. Killed in action 13th Nov. 1916 aged 22. Son of Matthew Thomson (H.M. Consul) of Sao Paulo, Estado de Sao Paulo, Brazil. E. 40