Details

The Bois Delville (or d'Elville) was a tract of woodland, nearly 1 kilometre square, the Western edge of which touched the village of Longueval in the Somme, while its Eastern edge marked the boundary of the commune of Ginchy. It became famous in July and August, 1916. On the 14th July the greater part of Longueval village was taken by the 9th (Scottish) Division, and on the 15th the South African Brigade of that Division captured Delville Wood, except the North-West corner. The Wood at this time was a salient in a right-angle corner of the line, Waterlot Farm and Mons Wood, on the South flank, being still in the hands of the Germans; and, owing to the height of the trees, no close artillery support to the defence was possible. On the 18th, what remained of the Battalion's was forced back to "Buchanan Street"; and on the evening of the 20th, after six days of the fiercest fighting by day and night, the survivors, a mere handful of men, were relieved. On the 27th, the 2nd Division retook the wood and held it until the 4th August. The 17th Division then took it over. On the 18th and 25th August it was cleared of all enemy resistance by the 14th (Light) Division.

The Wood was lost at the end of April, 1918, and retaken by the 38th (Welsh) Division on the following 28th August.

The Cemetery is immediately South of the Wood, on the South side of the road from Longueval to Ginchy. It was made after the Armistice, by the concentration of a few small cemeteries and of isolated graves (almost all of July, August and September, 1916) from the battlefields. Fifteen French graves have been removed to another cemetery.

Of the cemeteries from which British graves were concentrated into Delville Wood Cemetery:

Angle Wood Cemetery, Ginchy, was a group of graves in an "excavated shell-hole" in Angle Wood, to the North-West of Maurepas; and in them were buried 27 soldiers from the United Kingdom (mainly of the London Regiment) who fell in August and September, 1916.

Battery Copse Cemetery, Curlu (called by the French Bois-Vieux No.2 Mixed Cemetery), was between Curlu and Maurepas. It contained, in addition to French graves, those of 17 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in 1916-1918.

Bazentin-Le-Petite German Cemetery was at the South -East end of the village; it contained the graves of 2,178 German soldiers, one French, and five (who fell in March and April, 1918) from the United Kingdom.

Courcellete Communal Cemetery German Extension contained the graves of three soldiers from the United Kingdom, one from Canada, and 1,040 German.

Ferme-Rouge French Military Cemetery, Curlu (called by the French CBois-Vieux "B" Cemetery), was close to Battery Copse Cemetery. It contained 138 French graves and that of one soldier from the United Kingdom who fell in March, 1917.

Guillemont German Cemetery No.1, at the West end of the village, containing 221 German graves and those of seven soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in May and July, 1918.

Lone Ridge Cemetery, Longueval, between Delville Wood and the centre of the village, contained the graves of 52 soldiers of the 38th (Welsh) Division and the 6th Dragoon Guards who fell at the end of August, 1918.

Maricourt (La Cote) Military Cemetery, on the South -West side of the village, was begun by British troops in 1916 and used by the Germans in 1918; it contained the graves of 45 soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom and one from Australia, of whom five were reburied at Delville Wood and the rest in Pèronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt.

Martinpuich German Cemetery No.1, at the North-East end of the village, contained the graves of six soldiers and one sailor from the United Kingdom who fell in March, 1918.

Martinpuich German Cemetery No.2, 2,184 metres West of No.1 contained the graves of one soldier from the United Kingdom.

Number of burials by Unit

Those with Awards buried in this Cemetery

Sergt. W.G. Blakemore, DCM, 6866, 1st Bn. The Cameronians (Sco. Rif.). 20th July, 1916 , aged 34. XXXI. L. 10

Capt. P.A. Blythe. MC. Mentioned in despatches, 18th Bn. Manchester Regt. 30th July, 1916, Age 21 XXII. K. 10

Rfn. J.W. Brownlow, MM. R/10060. 1st Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. Killed in Action 27th July, 1916 XI. A.7.

Pte. P, Byrne M.M. 3533, 7th Bn. Leinster Regt. 9th September 1916. XXVI. A. 8.

Lt.-Col. H.P.G. Cochran DSO, Middlesex Regt. Attd 15th Bn Cheshire Regt. Killed in Action 24th March 1918. Age 40. XXIII O.1

Lce Cpl. J.H. Connolly MM F/875. 17th Bn Middlesex Regt. 8th August 1916. Aged 22 XIII. K. 6.

Pte. R. Dalrymple. MM. 330601, 9th (Glasgow Hds.) Bn. Highland Light Infantry. Killed in Action 15th July, 1916. Aged 20. XXV. N. 10.

Pte. F. Doolan DCM., 1st Bn. The King's Liverpool Regt. 8th August 1916. VII. M. 6.

Capt. Humphrey Dowson MC., 9th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. Killed in Action 15th September, 1916. Aged 27. XII. P.1.

Pte. T. Duncan. MM., 7398, 91st Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Inf). Killed in action 1st September, 1916. XXII. B.2.

C.Q.M.S. H. Favell DCM., MM. 22nd Bn. London Regt. 2nd Sept, 1918. XXVI. J. 9.

Capt. Alec Forbes. Mentioned in despatches. 2nd Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regt. Died 3rd September, 1916. Age 28. XVII. K. 2.

Lce. Cpl. C. Ford. MM., SP/2958 24th Bn. Royal Fusiliers. Died 31st July, 1916. Aged 23. III. M. 9.

Serjt. Albert Gill VC 2815, 1st Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died 27th July, 1916. Age 36. For most conspicuous bravery. The enemy made a very strong counter-attack on the right flank of the battalion and rushed the bombing post after killing all the company bombers. Sergeant Gill at once rallied the remnants of the platoon, none of whom were skilled bombers, and reorganised his defences, a most difficult and dangerous task, the trench being being very shallow and much damaged. Soon afterwards the enemy nearly surrounded his men by creeping up through the the thick undergrowth, and commenced sniping at about 20 yards range. Although it was almost certain death, Sergeant Gill stood boldly up in order to direct the fire of his men. He was killed almost at once, but not before he had shown his men where the enemy were, and thus enabled to hold up their advance. By his supreme devotion to duty and self-sacrifice he saved a very dangerous situation. IV. C. 3.

Gnr. E.F.Gilmore. MM. L/26261/ "Y" 18th Trench Mortar Battery. Royal Field Artillery. Died 5th September, 1918. Age 26. XXVI. J.6.

Capt. Edward Hegarty MC., 5432. 3rd Bn. Royal Irish Regt. Att 2nd Bn. Killed in action 3rd September, 1916. Age 35. V. K. 2.

2nd Lt. J.G.M.,Henderson MC., Mentioned in despatches., 3rd Bn. The Rifle Brigade. Killed in action 18th August, 1918. Age 22. IV. M. 4.

Sqdn S. M. Joe Higgins. Twice mentioned in despatches. Medal Militaire (France) .D/20357 6th Dragoon Guards. Killed in action 26th August, 1918. Age 32. XXII. M. 6.

Rfn. A.J. Joseph MM. 7th Bn. The Rifle Brigade. Killed in action 15th September, 1916. XII. I. 4.

Lce. Cpl. G. W. Knight MM. 11790. 1st Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. Killed in action 27th July, 1916. Age 22. VI. P. 9.

Sergt J. Litherland DCM., 11281. 7th Border Regt. Died 7th August, 1916. II. G. 8.

2nd Lt E.E.May DCM 20th Bn. Manchester Regt. Killed in action 28th August, 1916. Age 25. II. M. 4.

Pte J. Meston DCM. Order of St. Geroge 3rd Class (Russia) 6th Dragoon Guards Died 26th August 1918. V. M. 10

Pte Archer Bowles Neal MM. 15868 5th Bn. Coldstream Guards. Died 15th September, 1916. Age 20. XVI. B. 3.

CSM R. P. Page MM. 3/8190 8th Bn. Norfolk Regt. Killed in action 21st July, 1916. Age 33. VIII. J. 5.

Capt. Thoedore Oscar Purdon MC. "A" Coy. 7th Bn. Leinster Regt. Killed in action 9th September, 1916. Age 28. XXVI. C.3.

Pte J. Robertson DCM 1791 9th (Glasgow Hds.) Bn. Highland Light Infantry. Died 15th July, 1916. Age 21. XXVIII. F. 6.

CSM J. A. Rodwell MM., 570234. 17th Bn. London Regt. Died 6th September, 1918. Age 21 XXVI. J. 5.

Pte J. Starling MM., 8971. 1st Bn. Norfolk Regt. Died 4th September, 1916. Age 21. XXIV. M. 3.

Lt R. B. Thorburn. Mentioned in despatches. 4th Regt. South African Inf. Killed in action 20th July, 1916. II. G. 10.

Maj. G. E. Vaughan MC. 3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards. Died 15th September, 1916. Age 35. XIV. A. 5.

2nd Lt. Harold Ernest Wheeler DCM 1/7th Bn. Middlesex Regt. Died 16th September 1916. Age 19. XXXI. I. 8.

CSM Joe Williams MM 10728. 15th Bn. Cheshire Regt.. Died 24th March, 1918. Age 23 XXIII. O. 2.

Lce Cpl. Stanley Bejamin Williams MM. D/16749. 6th Dragoon Guards. Killed in action 26th August, 1918. Age 23. XI. J. 6.

Others buried in this cemetery

Pte. A. Pearce, 1823. 7th Bn. The Queens's. 13th July, 1916. Age 26 Son of Arthur and Louisa Pearce, of Church St., Crowthorne Berks. XXII. C. 8. His brother also fell in the Great War he was :-
Pte Frederick Pearce, 2179 10th Bn The Queen's 24th Feruary 1917 aged 27. Buried at Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery, Kemmel, Heuvelland, West-Vlanderen, Belgium. I. C. 14

Pte., Frank Webster, Private 2903. 1st/4th Bn., King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regt.) 11th September 1916. Age 21. Born at Flookburgh, Lancs. Son of Mrs. Sarah Webster, of 119, Rothsay Rd., Blackpool. XV. L. 6.