Cheltonians Buried In Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, France

   LEAVING CHELTENHAM …………..and all that was dear

Cheltonians Buried In

 Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, France

Location:  Ficheux, south of Arras, Pas de Calais, France

In November 1916, the village of Ficheux was behind the German front line, but by April 1917, the German withdrawal had taken the line considerably east of the village and in April and May, the VII Corps Main Dressing Station was posted near for the Battles of Arras. It was followed by the 20th and 43rd Casualty Clearing Stations, which remained at Boisleux-au-Mont until March 1918, and continued to use the Bucquoy Road Cemetery begun by the field ambulances. From early April to early August 1918 the cemetery was not used but in September and October, the 22nd, 30th and 33rd Casualty Clearing Stations came to Boisleux-au-Mont and extended it. By the date of the Armistice, it contained 1,166 burials but was greatly increased when graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields and from small cemeteries in the neighbourhood.

Visited:  February 2005 (see Notes below)

“Cheltonians” buried in the Cemetery:   6

Copyright and source:  Commonwealth War Graves Commission

“Cheltonians” buried in this Cemetery

Gnr Arthur Ernest ALLSOPP, 133rd Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, is buried in Plot IV, Row E, Grave 24.

He died of wounds in a casualty clearing station near Arras on 8th October 1918, aged 29.

Gnr Allsopp is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial and on the St Paul’s Church War Memorial.

He left a widow, Mrs Florence Louisa Allsopp and two children who resided at 56 Burton Street, Cheltenham.

There is a special tribute to Gunner Allsopp here.

Arthur Ernest Allsopp

1889 – 1918

Captain Ebenezer Archibald BOYLE, MC, 8th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, is buried in Plot III, Row B, Grave 32.

He died of wounds in a casualty clearing station near Arras on 1st October 1918, aged 33.

Capt Boyle is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial and on the St Paul’s Church War Memorial.

His parents, Ebenezer and Mary Ann Boyle, resided at 6 Clarence Square, Cheltenham.

Ebenezer Archibald Boyle

1885 – 1918

A photo of Sidney Clappen’s headstone will be posted here in due course.

Pte Sidney Thomas CLAPPEN, 9th Battalion Devonshire Regiment, is buried in Plot I, Row L, Grave 10.

He was accidentally killed in a bomb explosion in the Arras area on 23rd August 1917, aged 23.

He is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial, the St Peter’s Church War Memorial and the Cheltenham Parish Church Boy’s School Roll of Honour.

His parents, Henry Charles and Annie Clappen resided at 41a Sun Street, Cheltenham.

Sidney Thomas Clappen

1894 – 1917

Private Alfred John HALL, 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (Princess of Wales’s Own) is buried in Plot I, Row A, Grave 2.

He originally enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery in Cheltenham prior to transfer to the Yorkshire Regiment.

Pte Hall died of wounds in the Arras area on 2nd April 1917, during the III Army operations following the German Army withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line.

He is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial, the Charlton Kings War Memorial, the Charlton Kings (St Mary’s Church) Roll of Honour and the St James’ School Roll of Honour.

His parents, James and Annie Hall, resided at 1 Moorend Cottage, Moorend Road, Cheltenham.

Pte Ernest James LEA, 5th Battalion Devonshire Regiment, is buried in Plot VI, Row D, Grave 13.

He died of wounds in a casualty clearing station in the Arras area on 26th August 1918, aged 20.

He is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial and the Cheltenham Parish Church Boy’s School Roll of Honour.

His parents, John Edward and Alice Lea, resided at 7 Station Street, Cheltenham.

Ernest James Lea

1898 – 1918

2nd Lieutenant George Frederick Maynard THOMSON, 11th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment, is buried in Plot I, Row G, Grave 18.

He was wounded in action during the 3rd Battle of the Scarpe during the Arras Offensive and died of these wounds on 19th May 1917 in a casualty clearing station in the Arras area.   He was 22 years of age.

2Lt Thomson is commemorated on the St Stephen’s Church Roll of Honour and also on the Paxford War Memorial.

He is also commemorated on the grave of his brother, Captain Aubrey Lloyd St Clair Thomson, MC, who died of wounds in a Manchester hospital on 14th November 1917, aged 26.   He is buried in Blockley Cemetery, Gloucestershire.

Notes:

1.   Sincere thanks to Mr Ian Chambers who kindly took these photos in February 2005 and allowed their use on this site.