Details

MARICOURT is a commune and a large village in the Department of the Somme, on the North side of the road from Albert to Peronne. The nearest convenient railway station is at Albert. The village was, at the beginning of the Battles of the Somme, 1916, the point of junction of the British and French forces, and within a very short distance of the front line; it was lost in the German advance of March, 1918, and recaptured at the end of the following August.
Peronne Road Cemetery (called at one time Maricourt Military Cemetery No. 3) is on the North side of the road to Albert, on the Western outskirts of the village. It was begun by fighting units and Field Ambulances in the Battles of the Somme, 1916, and used until August, 1917; a few graves were added later in the War, and at the Armistice it consisted of 175 graves which now form almost the whole of Plot I. It was completed after the Armistice by the concentration of 1,146 graves from the battlefields in the immediate neighbourhood and from certain smaller burial grounds.
The cemetery now contains the graves of 1,272 soldiers (and sailors of the Royal Naval Division and airmen) from the United Kingdom, 34 from South Africa, 14 from Australia, and one from Canada. The unnamed graves are 366 in number, and special memorials are erected to 26 soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found.
The cemetery covers an area of 4,530 square yards. It is enclosed on three sides by a low red brick wall and a thorn hedge, and on the road frontage by a thorn hedge and a bank. It is planted with white and scarlet thorns and Irish yews. It stands above the level of the road, looking over the valley towards the Somme.

The following were among the burial grounds from which British graves were removed to Peronne Road Cemetery :

AUTHUILE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, which was on the South side of the Communal Cemetery. It contained the graves of 108 French soldiers and those of 23 from the United Kingdom who fell in 1915 and early 1916.

BRIQUETERIE EAST CEMETERY, MONTAUBAN, on the East side of the brick-works between Maricourt and Montauban, containing the graves of 46 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in the latter half of 1916.

CARNOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, in which 36 French soldiers and one from the United Kingdom were buried in March, 1918.

CASEMENT TRENCH CEMETERY, MARICOURT, on the West side of the road to the Briqueterie, in which 163 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from South Africa were buried in 1916-1918

FARGNY MILL FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, CURLU, on the North bank of the Somme, in which six soldiers from the United Kingdom and two from Australia were buried in 1916-1918.

LA COTE MILITARY CEMETERY, MARICOURT, a little way West of Peronne Road Cemetery, containing the graves of 38 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Australia who fell in 1916-1917.

MARICOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, on the South side of the village, containing the graves of two soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in December, 1916.

MONTAUBAN ROAD FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, MARICOURT, in which six men of the 1st /8th King's Liverpools were buried in August, 1916.

TALUS BOISE BRITISH CEMETERY, CARNOY, between Carnoy and Maricourt, at the South end of a long copse. It was used in the latter half of 1916 and (chiefly by the 5th Royal Berks) in August, 1918, and it contained the graves of 175 soldiers from the United Kingdom and five from South Africa.

Number of burials by Unit

Those with awards buried in this cemetery:-

Anderson, Lt. Col. William Herbert, V.C. 12th Bn. Highland Light Inf. 25th March, 1918. Age 36. Son of W. J. Anderson, C.B.E., of Strathairly, Largo, Fife; husband of Gertrude Campbell Anderson, of 23, Abingdon Court, Kensington, London. An extract from the " London Gazette," dated 30th April, 1918, records the following:-- "For most conspicuous bravery, determination, and gallant leading of his command. The enemy attacked on the right of the battalion frontage, and succeeded in penetrating the wood held by our men. Owing to successive lines of the enemy following on closely there was the greatest danger that the flank of the whole position would be turned. Grasping the seriousness of the situation, Colonel, Anderson made his way across the open in full view of the enemy now holding the wood on the right, and after much effort succeeded in gathering the remainder of the two right companies. He personally led the counter-attack and drove the enemy from the wood, capturing twelve machine guns and seventy prisoners, and restoring the original line. His conduct in leading the charge was quite fearless and his most splendid example was the means of rallying and inspiring the men during the most critical hour. Later on the same day, in another position, the enemy had penetrated to within three hundred yards of the village and were holding a timber yard in force. Colonel Anderson reorganised his men after they had been driven in and brought them forward to a position of readiness for a counter-attack. He led the attack in person and throughout showed the utmost disregard for his own safety. The counter-attack drove the enemy from his position, but resulted in this very gallant officer losing his life. He died fighting within the enemy's lines, setting a magnificent example to all who were privileged to serve under him." II. G. 36.

Barham, Pte Frederick, 201162, M.M. 1st Bn Cambridgeshire Regt. 22nd Aug., 1918. Age 22. III. I. 5.

Barwick, L/Cpl W.R. G/6016 M.M. 7th Bn Royal Sussex Regt., 26th Aug., 1918. Age 23. IV. H. 2.

Bingham, Sgt W.C. 1743. M.M. 1st Bn Loyal North Lancs Regt. 17th Aug., 1916. IV. A. 20.

Brooke, Lt Charles Berjew D.S.O. 2nd Bn Yorkshire Regt., formerly Suffolk Regt. (Special Reserve), (formerley attd., 1st Bn The Queens). Killed in action near Montauban. 1st July 1916. Age 21. IV. H. 7.

Burrows, Lt William Edward Montegu. 42nd Bty. 2nd Bde. Royal Field Artillery. Mentioned in despatches. Killed in action 26th Aug., 1916. Age 24. V. H. 12.

Cooper, L/Cpl William James, 17421, M.M. 6th Bn Northamptonshire Regt., 14th July, 1916. Age 21. I. C. 7.

England, Sgt H .G. 9636, D.C.M. 9th Bn Duke of Wellingtons's Regt. 8th Feb, 1917.Age 27. IV.C. 18.

Every, Bmd William Henry, 1688, M.M. 47th Seige Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 2nd Sept., 1916. Age 31. II. F. 10.

Folpp, Cpl Norman Vincent, 2068, M.M. 3rd Bn Australian Machine Gun Corps. Killed in action 28th Aug,, 1918. Age 21 II. D. 29.

Fraser, 2 Lt Allan Cumming, M.C. 7th Bn London Regt., 31st Aug., 1918. Age 32. Sp Mem B. 4.

Hannah, Capt R.L. M.C. 12th Bn Highland Light Inf. 25th March, 1918. Age 22. III. A. 10.

Jones, Lt/Col Frank Aubrey, C.M.G., D.S.O. 4th Regt., South African Inf., formerly Welsh Regt., 11th July, 1916. Age 42. I. G. 21.

Kither, Sgt Harold George, 252834, M.M. and Bar, 3rd Bn London Regt., (R. Fus.) 28th Aug., 1918. Age 23. I. G. 27.

March, Cpl A.P.V.G., 723000, D.C.M., M.M. H.Q. Coy 24th Bn London Regt., 29th Aug., 1918. Age 36. II. A. 23.

Martin, Sgt Edwin, 21181, M.M. 7th Bn The Queens. Killed in action 28th Aug., 1918. Age 21. II. H. 37.

Mawhinney, Act/Bmdr J.R. 33291, D.C.M. "C" Bty. 52nd Bde. Royal Field Artillery. 20th July, 1916. Age 24. I. F. 24.

Moore, Sgt Wilfred Hubert, 530032, M.S.M. P.W.O. Civil Service Rifles. 1st Sept. 1918. Age 27. IV.A. 4.

Morris, Pte O. C. 17388, M.M. 7th Bn Royal Sussex Regt., 26th Aug., 1918. IV. H. 3.

Mowbray, Major John Leslie, D.S.O. 41st Bde. Royal Field Artillery. 24th July, 1916. Age 41. IV. F. 20.

Nicholl, L/Cpl Gilbert Thompson, 9906, M.M. "A" Coy 18th Bn Manchester Regt., 9th July, 1916. Age 39. IV. H. 24.

Oakley, Capt Christopher Herbert, M.C. and Bar., "C" Coy 22nd Bn London Regt., Died of Wounds 2nd Sept., 1918. Age 20. III. D. II

Parker, Sgt John William, 3/12021 M.M. 2nd Bn Durham Light Inf. 20th Sept. 1916. Age 35. III. C. 20.

Pettifer, Pte G., 11514. M.M. 5th Bn Royal Berkshire Regt., Bronze Medal for Valour (Italy) 26th Aug., 1918. Age 20. III. C. 35.

Rotherforth, Sgt Edmund, 95101, M.M. Royal Fusiliers, posted to 2nd/4th Bn London Regt., (R.Fus) 28th Aug., 1918. age 32. II. D. 5.

Simpson, Pte Murray, 24594, M.M. 18th Bn The King's Liverpool Regt., Killed in action 1st July, 1916. Age 20. Sp Mem A. 12.

Spicer, Sgt E.A. 10042, M.M. 5th Bn Royal Berkshire Regt., 26th Aug., 1918. Age 21. III. C. 30

Stretch, 2/Lt Thomas Noel Heath, M.C. and Bar. Machine Gun Corps (Inf) attd. Royal Army Service Corps 25th March, 1918. Age 24. III. B. 21.

Tarr, L/Sgt W.R., 650659 M.M. First Surrey Rifles. Killed in action 1st Sept., 1918. Age 24. III. B. 20.

Trotter, Lt/Col Edward Henry, D.S. O. Grenadier Guards, attd. 18th Bn The King's Liverpool Regt., Killed in action 8th July, 1916. Age 44. IV. H. 28.

Tutton, 2 Lt Francis James, 2nd Lt. Francis James M.M. Royal Berkshire Regt., attd., 5th Bn. 26th Aug.,1918. Age 28. III. C. 39.

Weeks, Sgt W.S. 550 D.C.M. 41st Bn Australian Inf. 27th Aug., 1918. II. B. 14

Weir, Q.M.S. Lewis Robert, 88138. 66th Seige Bty Royal Garrison Artillery. Long Service & Good Conduxt Medal. 23rd July 1916. Age 44. I. D. 38.

Willis, S/Sgt W.C. 1073, M.M. Royal Army Ordnance Corps Attd., "U" Bty Royal Horse Artillery. 2nd March, 1917. Age 37. I. E. 28