Details

Beaumont-Hamel is a village and commune in the Department of the Somme, six miles North of Albert, and a little West of the Ancre River. "Y" Ravine runs East and West about half a mile South of the village from "Station Road" to the front line of July 1916; it was a deep ravine with steep sides, lined with dug-outs, and extending two short arms at the West end.
The village was attacked and reached on the 1st July, 1916, by units of the 29th Division (which included the Royal Newfoundland Regiment), but it could not be held. It was attacked again and captured, with the Ravine, by the 51st (Highland) Division on the 13th November 1916. The Newfoundland Memorial Park, and the 29th and 51st Divisions memorials within it, commemorate these engagements, and "Y" Ravine Cemetery is within the Park, just South of the Southern fork of the Ravine.
The cemetery was made by V Corps in the spring of 1917, when these battlefields were cleared (It was originally called "Y" Ravine Cemetery No.1; No. 2 Cemetery was concentrated after the Armistice into Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel). It contains the graves of 328 soldiers (or sailors or Marines of the R.N.D.) from the United Kingdom and 38 from Newfoundland; almost all fell either on the 1st July, 1916 (29th Division), or on the 13th November, 1916 (51st and Royal Naval Divisions). The unnamed graves number 151, and special memorials are erected to 53 soldiers (or sailors or Marines) from the United Kingdom and 8 from Newfoundland, known or believed to be buried among them.

Number of burials by Unit

Awards

Sgt. Harry Bremner MM, 1st/5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders, died 15th Nov 1916, aged 21, Special Mem. B. 8

Pte. James Cotter MM, 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, k.i.a. 1st July 1916. B. 31

Sgt. C. E. Howcroft MM, 2nd Bn. South Wales Borderers, died 1st July 1916. D. 79

Pte. W. C. Millward MM, 2nd Bn. South Wales Borderers, died 1st July 1916. B. 5

Notes

C.S.M. Joseph Sydney Fairbrass of the 2nd Bn. South Wales Borderers who died on the 1st July 1916 aged 27 (C. 66.) after having served at Gallipoli in 1915, was one of six brothers who served during the War and of whom three fell, they were, Private William Samuel Fairbrass 45230, 7th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, who died on Wednesday, 25th April 1917. Aged 30. Buried at Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, Pas-de-Calais, France. IV. E. 35.and Ordinary Seaman J/85002 Walter Daniel Fairbrass H.M.S. "Pembroke I.", Royal Navy who died on Sunday 3rd November, 1918. Aged 18. Buried at Southend-on-Sea (Leigh-on-Sea) Cemetery, Essex, UK. V.5.