Ovillers-La-Boisselle is a commune in the Department of the Somme, to the North-east of Albert. It contains the villages of Ovillers, on the North-west side of the Albert-Bapaume road, and La Boisselle, on the South-east side of the road. Gordon Dump Cemetery is about half a mile due East of La Boisselle village, and about four miles from Albert.

On the 1st July, 1916, Ovillers was attacked by the 8th Division and La Boisselle by the 34th; but the villages were not captured, although both Divisions gained ground. La Boisselle was taken by the 19th (Western) Division on the 3rd and 4th July. Ovillers was attacked again by the 12th (Eastern), 25th and 32nd Divisions, and on the 17th July, it was taken by the 48th (South Midland) Division. The tow villages were lost in March, 1918, and retaken the following August.

Plot I of Gordon Dump Cemetery was made by fighting units after the 10th July, 1916, and closed in September. It contained the graves of 95 soldiers, mainly Australian. It was called variously Gordon (of Gordon's) Dump Cemetery or Sausage Valley Cemetery (from the name given to the broad shallow valley that runs down from it to Becourt). The remainder of the cemetery was formed after the Armistice by the incorporation of three existing graves and the concentration of 1,543 from the battlefields immediately surrounding the cemetery. The great majority of the soldiers thus reburied fell in July, 1916.

The cemetery now contains the graves of 1,546 soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom, 92 from Australia, two from Canada and one from India. No fewer than 1,052 graves are those of unidentified soldiers; and special memorials are erected to 33 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Australia, known or believed to be buried among them. The graves of three French soldiers have been removed to another cemetery.

The wooden memorial of the 10th Lancashire Fusiliers to their officers and men who fell on the 7th July, 1916, in the capture of Quadrangle Trench, was removed to this cemetery.

The area covered by the cemetery is 5,585 square yards, and it is bounded on two sides by a rubble wall and on two by a curb and a hornbeam hedge. Maples, cypresses and other trees have been planted. The cemetery is sheltered by hills except on the South-west side from which Becourt and Becordel can be seen.

Number of burials by Unit

Those having awards in the cemetery

2nd Lt. Donald Simpson Bell VC., 9th Bn. Yorkshire Regt. (The Green Howards), died 10th July 1916, aged 25. Son of Smith and Annie Bell of Weston Flats, Queen's Road, Harrogate, husband of Rhoda Bell, of Wilmslow, Cheshire. An extract from the London Gazette, No. 29740, dated 8th Sept. 1916 records the following, "For most conspicuous bravery. During an attack a very heavy enfilade fire was opened on the attacking Company by a hostile machine gun. 2nd Lt. Bell immediately, and on his own initiative, crept up a communication trench and then, followed by Cpl. Colwill and Pte. Batey, rushed across the open under very heavy fire and attacked the machine gun, shooting the firer with his revolver, and destroying gun and personnel with bombs. This very brave act saved many lives and ensured the success of the attack. Five days later, this very gallant officer lost his life performing a very similar act of bravery" 6A.8

Capt. John Hamilton Betts M.C., 12th Bn. Manchester Regt. Died 7th July 1916, aged 28. 3.J.5

Maj. G. B. Bosanquet M.C., Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. 1st Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. Died 1st July 1916. 4.H.10

Sgt. Albert Frederick Cawston M.M., 73rd Bty. 5th Brig. Royal Field Artillery. Died 5th Sept. 1916 aged 27. 1.A.1

C.S.M. H. Davis M.C., 1st Bn. East Yorkshire, died 1st July 1916, aged 39. 10.B.5

Pte. Myer Freedman M.M., 10th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt.) Killed in action 19th Sept. 1916, aged 23. 4.A.7

Sgt. P. Hennessy M.M., 8th Bn. Somerset Light Infantry. Killed in action 1st July 1916, aged 36. 2.P.7

Capt. Thomas Leslie Jackson M.C., 9th Bn. Cheshire Regt. Killed in action 2nd July 1916, aged 23. 10.H.2

Lt. John Woodall Marshall M.C., 27th (Tyneside Irish) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers. Died 1st July 1916, aged 24. A law student, native of Westoe. 9.B.2

Sgt. Ernest Ralph Smith M.M., 4th Bn. Australian Field Artillery. Killed in action 26th Aug. 1916, aged 22. Native of Victoria, Australia. 1.A.20

Sgt. F. W. Taylor M.M., 40th Bty. 26th Brig. Royal Field Artillery. Died 11th Aug. 1916, aged 26. 9.E.8

Sgt. N. Walshaw M.M., 10th Bn. Yorkshire Regt. (The Green Howards). Died 1st July 1916, aged 19. 7.D.8

L/Sgt. J. Whiteley M.M., 8th Bn. Yorkshire Regt. (The Green Howards). Died 10th July 1916. 4.A.9

Sgt. L. L. Williams M.M., "A" Coy. 2nd Bn. South Staffordshire Regt. Died 29th July 1916, aged 22. 4.A.10

Others buried in this cemetery

Pte. James Moore Hopson, 10th Bn. Lincolnshire Regt. Killed in action 2nd July 1916, aged 19. Born at El Puerto Bahia Blanca, Argentina. Special Memorial B.24

Capt. Octavius Ralph Featherstone Johnston, 4th Bn. Middlesex Regt. Died 1st July 1916. Son of Sir Charles John Johnston, Kt., and Lady Johnston of Wellington, New Zealand. 4.K

Sgt. Walter Harold Oldroyd, "A" Coy. 10th Bn. Lincolnshire Regt. Killed in action 1st July 1916, aged 18. Enlisted Sept. 1914. 9.P.10

Capt. D. C. T. Twentyman, 10th Bn. York & Lancaster Regt. Died 1st July 1916, aged 26. Educated at Bromsgrove; B.A. Cambridge. 2.Q.4