Citadel New Military Cemetery, Fricourt (Somme)

Details

Fricourt is a village and commune in the Department of the Somm, five kilometers East of Albert. The village was captured by the 17th Division on the 2nd July, 1916; but the Southern part of the commune, in which this cemetery is situated, at about 2.5 kilometres from Fricourt was already in British hands.

On the road from Fricourt to Bray-Sur-Somme before it reaches the top of the plateau are two points, 71 metres above sea level, known to the Army as 71 North and 71 South; and a little further on is "The Citadel." The cemetery is about 150 metres North-East of the road and the Citadel, and about eight kilometres from Albert. It was begun by French troops; and from August 1915, when the British burials were made, it was known as the Citadel Military Cemetery * (Point 71). It was used until November, 1916, and once in August, 1918. The great majority of the burials were carried out from Field Ambulances before the Battles of the Somme, in the Autumn of 1916, the Citadel became a large camp for units withdrawn from the line.

* The introduction of "New" into the name cannot be explained.

Number of burials by Unit.

Manchester Regiment
52
Border Regiment
39
Royal Warwickshire
33
Lancashire Fusiliers
25
Royal Engineers
22
Royal Welch Fusiliers
19
Queen's - Royal West Surrey Regiment
17
Royal Field Artillery
16
Gordon Highlanders
15
Cheshire Regiment
13
South Staffordshire Regiment
13
Devonshire Regiment
12
Norfolk Regiment
11
Royal Berkshire Regiment
11
Bedfordshire Regiment
9
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
6
Duke of Welling's - West Riding Regiment
5
Grenadier Guards
5
Royal Irish Regiment
5
Royal Fusiliers - City of London Regiment
4
Essex Regiment
3
Machine Gun Corps - Infantry
3
Welsh Guards
3
East Yorkshire Regiment
2
Green Howards - Yorkshire Regiment
2
Irish Guards
2
Middlesex Regiment
2
Royal Army Medical Corps
2
9th Bn. London Regiment - Queen Victoria's Rifles
1
Black Watch - Royal Highlanders
1
Coldstream Guards
1
 Dorsetshire Regiment
1
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
1
 King's Liverpool Regiment
1
North Staffordshire Regiment
1
 Royal Artillery
1
Royal Garrison Artillery
1
 Royal Horse Artillery
1
Royal Sussex Regiment
1
 Suffolk Regiment
1
Identified burials
363
Unidentified UK burials
15
Total burials
378

Those with Awards in this cemetery

Lt. Col. The Hon. Guy Victor Baring, Twice Mentioned in Despatches. 1st Bn. Coldstream Guards. Died 15th Sept. 1916 aged 43. Son of 4th Baron Ashburton. A, 9

Capt. H. W. Crippin M.C., 56th Div. H.Q. Royal Field Artillery. Died 8th Sept. 1916. A.2

Capt. Alfred Keith Smith Cuninghame, Mentioned in Despatches. 2nd Bn. Grenadier Guards. Killed in action at Lesboeufs on the
25th Sept. 1916 aged 25. Son of Lt. Col. Cuninghame of Kilmarnock. Served continuously with the 2nd Bn. from 14th Aug. 1914 and was last survivor of the original Bn. C.3

Lt. Maurice Astley Knatchbull-Hugessen M.C. 2nd Bn. Grenadier Guards (Special Reserve), died 25th Sept. 1916 aged 28. Son of the Rev. Knatchbull-Hugessen. C.2

Lt. A. V. Lowry-Corry M.C., 1st Bn. Grenadier Guards, killed in action 12th Sept. 1916 aged 20. Son of Brig. Gen. Noel L. Corry of Llangattock Court. A.10

Sgt. James Henry Ovens, Mentioned in Despatches. 1st Bn. Norfolk Regiment. Died 25th Nov. 1915 aged 26. Born at Gibraltar. C.13

Brig. Gen. Louis Murr Phillpotts C.M.G., D.S.O., Royal Artillery, 24th Div. H.Q. Died 8th Sept.
1916 aged 46. A. 1

2nd Lt. A. W. Powell D.C.M., 8th Bn. The Queen's. Died 21st Aug. 1916 aged 27. C.15

Lt. Charles Richard Tisdall M.C., 1st Bn. Irish Guards. Killed in action 15th Sept. 1916 aged 23.
A. 12

Others buried in this cemetery

Lt. Harold Llewellyn Twite. 9th Bty. 1st/3rd (London) Brig. Royal Field Artillery. Attd. To 183rd Tunnelling Coy. Royal Engineers. Killed in action 1st Dec.1915 aged 36. A highly qualified mining engineer of London, A.R.S.M., M.I.M.M. A.16

2nd Lt. Lancelot William Vallange. 21st Bty. 2nd Brig. Royal Field Artillery. Died 31st Oct. 1916 aged 25. Came from America to enlist. A.7