Details

Longueval is a village and commune in the Department of the Somme. 12 kilometres East of Albert.

Caterpillar Valley was the name given by the Army to the long valley which rises Eastwards past "Caterpillar Wood", to the high ground at Guillemont. Longueval village is on the Northern edge of this valley; and 450 metres West of the village, on the South side of the road to Bazentin, is Caterpillar Valley Cemetery.

The ground was captured, after very fierce fighting, in the latter part of July, 1916. It was lost in March 1918, and recovered by the 38th (Welsh) Division on the 28th August, 1918; and then a little cemetery was made (now Plot I of this cemetery) containing 25 graves of the 38th Division and the 6th Dragoon Guards. But after the Armistice, 31 plots were added, containing the graves of 5,511 officers and men buried in other small cemeteries, or found on the battlefield of the Somme. The great majority of these soldiers fell in the autumn of 1916, and almost all the rest in August or September, 1918.

The cemetery now contains the graves of 5,195 soldiers or Marines of the Royal Naval Division) from the United Kingdom, 214 from New Zealand, 98 from Australia, 18 from South Africa, six from Canada, two from Newfoundland and one from Rhodesia. The unnamed graves are 3,796 in number or more than two-thirds of the whole; and special memorials are erected to 30 soldiers from the United Kingdom and two from Australia, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three soldiers, buried in McCormick's Post Cemetery, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery stands on a ridge, from which Longueval and other villages, High Wood and Delville Wood and other woods are visible. It covers an area of 14,832 square metres. It is enclosed by a rubble wall.

Near the East side of the cemetery is the Memorial to those New Zealand soldiers who fell in the Battles of the Somme, 1916, and whose graves are not known, this is the subject of a separate Register.

Of the burial grounds from which Commonwealth War Dead were taken to Caterpillar Valley Cemetery :-

Clark's Dump Cemetery, Bazentin, was a little West of High Wood, on the road from Bazentin-le-Petit to Flers. It contains the graves of 26 soldiers from the United Kingdom, and two from South Africa, who fell in August-December, 1916.

Ginchy German Cemetery (450 Metres North of the village, between the Flers and Lesboeufs roads), in which two unknown British soldiers were buried.

McCormick's Post Cemetery, Flers, 1 kilometre West of Flers village. Here were buried 19 soldiers from the United Kingdom, nine from Australia and nine from New Zealand, who fell in September-November, 1916.

Martinpuich Road Cemetery, Bazentin, containing the graves of 41 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in July and August, 1916.

Snowdon Cemetery, Bazentin, in Bazentin-le-Grand village containing the graves of 24 soldiers of the 38th (Welsh) Division who fell in August and September, 1918.

Welsh Cemetery, Longueval, between Flers village and High Wood, in which were buried 17 soldiers of the 38th (Welsh) Division who fell in August and September, 1918.

Number of Burials by Unit

*Although unidentified by name, the country of the unit is shown below :-

United Kingdom 3643, New Zealand 89, Australia 45, South Africa 11, Canada 6, Newfoundland 2

Awards

Sgt. Robert Nathaniel Baldick M.M., 17th Bn. London Regiment. K.I.A. 15th Sept. 1916 aged 20. XII. H. 12/13

Capt. Alexander Russell Brown. Mentioned in Despatches, 7th Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers. K.I.A. 17th Aug. 1916 aged 27. XVI. K. 40

Sgt. Andrew McKenzie Brown M.M., 1st/5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders, died 31st July 1916 aged 25. XI. D. 26

Capt. William Henry Langdon Burgess. Mentioned in Despatches, 3rd, attd. 1st Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). K.I.A. at High Wood, 20th July 1916 aged 29. Spec. Mem. 25

Sgt. W. H. Chapman D.C.M., 9th Bn. Highland Light Infantry (Glasgow Highlanders). Died 15th July 1916. X. F. 23.

Sgt. E. Coyne M.M., 1st Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Died 20th July 1916 aged 21. XI. C. 27.

2nd Lt. A. J. Cunningham D.C.M., London Irish Rifles, K.I.A. 15th Sept. 1916 aged 25. XII. B. 11.

Sgt. J. Davies M.M., 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment, died 22nd Aug. 1916. XI. C. 11.

Sgt. Alfred James Dodd M.M., 2nd Bn. Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F., K.I.A. 15th Sept. 1916 aged 27. XIII. F. 9.

Lt. Col. William Drysdale D.S.O., 2nd Bn. Royal Scots. Commanding 7th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment. Died 29th Sept 1916 aged 39. VI. E. 11.

C.S.M. Edward Henry Egerton M.S.M., 14th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 26th Aug. 1918. VIII. A. 11.

Sgt. J. Fenemore M.M., 64th Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Inf.). Died 15th July 1916. X. F. 34.

L/Cpl. T. R. Hanson M.M., 14th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Died 23rd July 1916. XV.C.8

L/Sgt. Lee Happell M.M., 12th Bn. Highland Light Infantry, died 13th Aug. 1916 aged 30. XIII.K.25

Capt. Alfred George Hayman M.C., "A" Coy. 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment. K.I.A. at High Wood 8th Sept. 1916 aged 32. XII. C. 9.

Sgt. Henry Hopwood M.M., 7th Bn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. K.I.A. 23rd July 1916 aged 27. V. F. 25.

Lt. Thomas Johnson M.C., 1st Bn. Black Watch. Died 3rd Sept. 1916 aged 34. II. H. 7.

Cpl. W. Lagdon M.M., "J" Bty. Royal Horse Artillery. Died 27th Oct. 1916. XVI. H. 5.

Capt. John Brine Mitchell M.C., Post Office Rifles, K.I.A. 15th Sept. 1916. XVI. G. 15.

Sgt. R. Phillips D.C.M., 17th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers, died 30th Aug. 1918. XVI. E. 33.

Sgt. Harold Arthur Pollard M.M., "B" Coy. 8th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment. K.I.A. 30th July 1916 aged 22. V. F. 22.

Pte. W. E. Robbins M.M., 1st Bn. Coldstream Guards, died 15th Sept. 1916. VII. B. 8.

Sgt. William Arthur Roulston D.C.M., 1st Bn. London Rifle Brigade. K.I.A. 9th Oct. 1916 aged 35. Son of a Wesleyan Minister. XXVII. G. 2

Capt. Tom Rushworth. Mentioned in Despatches. 7th Bn. London Regiment. K.I.A. 16th Sept. 1916 aged 35. X. D. 8.

Sgt. A. J. Seager M.M., 4th Bn. Suffolk Regiment. Died 18th Aug. 1916. IX. G. 21.

Cpl. Edwin Robert Seager M.M., 54th Field Coy. Royal Engineers. K.I.A. 14th July 1916 aged 29. XI. B. 33.

L/Cpl. H. d. Skeels D.C.M., 11th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died 21st Feb. 1917. XXVI. G. 5.

L/Cpl. Stimpson M.M., 1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 20th Aug. 1916. X. E. 17

Sgt. W. H. Stockwell M.M., 2nd Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 19th Aug. 1916. XVI. A. 29

Cpl. James Milne Taylor M.M., 5th Bn. Black Watch, died 30th July 1916 aged 21. IV. J. 4.

Lt. Samuel Raymond Thurnhill M.C., 2nd Brig. Australian Field Artillery. K.I.A. 5th Nov. 1916 aged 26. VI. H. 17.

2nd Lt. Laurence Hall Walker. Mentioned in Despatches. 2nd Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment. K.I.A. 12th Oct. 1916 aged 23. VIII. H. 16

Cpl. P. Wardlaw D.C.M., 1st Bn. Black Watch, died 3rd Sept. 1916. XII. H. 15.

L/Cpl. Alfred Westacott D.C.M., 2nd Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died 1st Sept. 1916 aged 28. XVIII. E. 4.

Lt. W. White M.C., 2nd Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment. Died 12th Oct. 1916 aged 23. McCormick's Post Memorial 1.

Sgt. E. Williams M.M., 14th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment. K.I.A. 23rd July 1916. X. D. 16.

L/Cpl. Gwilym Williams M.M., 2nd Bn. Welsh Regiment. Died 21st Aug. 1916 aged 33. X. E. 13??

Pte. F. Wilson M.M., 2nd Bn. Suffolk Regiment. Died 20th July 1916. X. H. 27.

Others Buried in this Cemetery

Corporal Albert William McGregor L/7814 2nd Bn., Royal Sussex Regiment Killed in Action on Saturday 9th September 1916, aged 32. Son of Mrs A. A. McGregor of 22, Hudson Road, Southsea, Portsmouth IX. D. 21

Notes

Two brothers are buried here in this cemetery, they are :-
Lance Corporal Thomas Sim, 3262 1st/5th Bn Gordon Highlanders, died 27th July, 1916 aged 33. II. K.3. and
Sergeant John Sim, 240487, 5th Btn Gordon Highlanders, died 30th July, 1916 aged 27 XI. H. 20.