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Home > History > The British cemetery

 

The British cemetery

 

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is in charge of 820 cemeteries in Picardy,
and 2400 commemorative steles. The British cemetery lies along the old railway line.

These men sacrificed their lives away from their country for the freedom of our community. These 586 soldiers included 424 Australians, 146 British, 11 Canadians, 1 Indian, 2 British West Indies, and 2 British soldiers from the 39-45 war. The names of some of them are recorded below.

 

Cross of Sacrifice

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

AINSWORTH Joseph:

An Australian soldier in the 55th Infantry Battalion.
Joseph grew up in the Sydney area and worked as a laborer.
He was wounded in Corbie and died on April 27, 1918.

 

soldier

No known photo.

 

ALLAN William Arthur Francis:

Soldier in the Australian 9th Trench Mortar Battery, to the rank of corporal.

Native to Victoria, he had become a timber carter. He embarked from Melbourne in the HMAT Ceramic A40 in November 1915. During the attack at Sailly-le-Sec, he was killed in action on June 11, 1918, aged only 21.

ALLAN William Arthur Francis

Courtesy of Sharyn Roberts for Virtual War Memorial Australia vwma.org.au

 

ANTOGNIOLI Giovanni:

28th Australian Infantry Battalion. Giovanni, with an Italian-sounding name, had parents from the Province of Sonoco. His father, Pietro Antognioli, married Rosi Caterina and lived in Tresinda Vikelina. Certainly Tresenda, municipality of Teglio in the region of Sondrio, Valtellina mountain. For data: Intognoli, Jack Peter. He passed away on June 11, 1918.

soldier

 

 

ARTSO Edward Harold:

Soldier of the 29th Battalion AIF enlisted at the age of 23.
Edward was born in Victoria in 1892, and worked as a carpenter a few years later.

The crossing was made on board the ship HMAT A14 EURIPIDES from Melbourne.
Wounded in the back and in the right arm in Sailly-le-Sec on May 3, 1918, he died by gunshot on May 18, 1918.

ARTSO Edward Harold

Courtesy of Leone Fabre, website: livinginballan.blogspot.com

 

AUSTIN Norman:

Norman was a Canadian soldier from the 3rd Infantry Battalion. He grew up in the town of Haileybury, Ontario. He died of wounds on August 8, 1918, aged 31.

 

soldier

 

BAILEY Ernest Lionel

Ernest Lionel came from an English family and immigrated to Australia before the First World War. He was settled in the gold-mining region.

He was enlisted in the 51st Battalion AIF, then in the Australian Corps Salvage Section, for his technical skills. Subsequently, he joined the Australian War Records Section, reporting to Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean, commonly known as C.E.W. Lionel was accidentally killed at Ailly-sur-Somme on May 17th, 1918, while collecting battlefield relics.

 

Pte Bailey

Credit photo Australian War memorial - E01085 – made to Hoograaf – Ypres Sector - Belgium.

 

BATCHELOR Clement John Fell:

A soldier in the British Army, he was enrolled in the 2nd Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment.
Eight of them died in April 1918, and Clement on April 26, 1918.

Pte Batchelor

Clement John Fell photo courtesy of Terry, website: www.ww1cemeteries.com.

 

BEHAN William Charles:

Soldier of the Australian imperial forces who embarked from Brisbane on HMAT A75 (His Majesty's Australian Transport), aged 35.

More information on Beahan's plaque in Brisbane can be found at this link: Yeronga Memorial Park. He succumbed to one's wounds on May 25, 1918.

Behan William

 

 

BEST George William:

Lieutenant in the Australian Flying Corps, 4 Squadron. George William was born in 1896 in Hobart, Tasmania, an island on the south coast of Australia.
He was killed in a plane crash at the Poulainville airfield on April 12, 1918.

Best

Photo credit by courtesy of Sue Guinan - www.gravesoftas.com.au

 

BIRKIN Arthur:

Gunner in the 327th Royal Garrison Artillery Battalion.
Arthur grew up in Kimberley, a city in the United Kingdom known for its coal mines in Nottinghamshire County. He was a former miner, then a local councilor, and the father of five children. He died on July 19th, 1918, aged 38.

Arthur BIRKIN

Photo copyright Nottinghamshire County Council - Nottinghamshire.gov.uk

 

BOOKER, Charles Dawson:

Major in the Royal Air Force.
His parents, Louis and Ada Booker, lived in southeast London.

Information about his military career is available at www.theaerodrome.com.
He died at the age of 21, on August 13, 1918, in the west of Rosières.

 

Booker Charles

Photo by courtesy of Scott Hamilton

 

BRADLEY Lewis:

Driver of the Royal Field Artillery in the 410th Battalion, 96th Brigade.
Lewis was a native of Gloucestershire, a county in southwest England, and the youngest of four brothers and two sisters. He was a rugby player, a huge favorite at Wigan with undeniable talents, and a much-loved player.
He died of multiple injuries on June 20, 1918, at the age of 29.

Lewis Bradley

Photo by courtesy of Mr. Ron Hunt - website www.wiganworld.co.uk

 

BRAY Aubrey Mellish:

Captain, 8th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment.
Son of Lieutenant-Colonel Reginald Edward Traherne Bray from West St. Ashburton, Devon. The photo of the first grave was taken by Louis Thuillier. (ref. AWM P10550-863).
He died from injuries at the age of 24, on August 8, 1918.

Bray Aubrey Mellish

Photo courtesy of Isabel Hutchinson, and George Graham.

 

BUCKLAND William Alexander John:

Lieutenant Australian Flying Corps No. 3 Squadron.
Native of Mirboo Victoria, he was a brilliant student and worked as an engineer.
He was killed, aged 24, on May 6, 1918.

Buckland

William Alexander John BUCKLAND -
by courtesy of M. Dennis Freeman: www.Wesley-college.

 

CANFIELD George William:

British rifleman in the 2nd Bn Rifle Brigade.
George William grew up in a family located in Tunbridge Wells City, West Kent.
The date of his death was on April 25, 1918.

Canfield

Courtesy of Mr. Martin Edwards - www.roll-of-honour.com

 

CARMICKAEL Archibald:

Soldier of the Royal Field Artillery within the 108th Brigade, as a second lieutenant.
Archibald came from a small town in Scotland, in County Berwickshire. Before the war, he worked with his father as a merchant at Coldstream.
He had been killed a few weeks after his arrival, on May 22, 1918. His brother George had been killed three months later.

Archibald Carmichael

Courtesy of Will Murray from the website: www.coldstreamhistorysociety.co.uk

 

CARTER Thomas Augustine:

He was a Corporal in the 28th Bn Australian Infantry. "Like many Australians, he was so affected by Gallipoli that he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on May 14, 1915.
He died in Vignacourt on  June 1 1918," said Mrs. Amanda Underwood.

Thomas

Thomas Augustine CARTER by courtesy of Amanda Underwood

 

CHIGWIDDEN, Edward George

Soldier of the 33rd Australian Infantry Battalion.

The birthplace of Edward George was in Hillgrove, New South Wales. He worked as a laborer at Howell, near Inverell, a town in eastern Australia on the Macintyre River in an agricultural area 198 mi (319 km) from Brisbane.

The embarkation took place on the ship HMAT Beltana A72 in Sydney on May 13, 1916.
He had been wounded a third time and died the next day, on August 9, 1918.

 

Chigwidden Edward George

Edward George CHIGWIDDEN by courtesy of www.inverellremembers.org.au

 

COOK Ernest Arthur:

Soldier of the 59th Bn AIF. He was born in Australia, New South Wales. His occupation was that of a farmer. He embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Afric on November 3, 1916.

He died on August 9, 1918, with multiple shell wounds. He was reportedly first admitted to the 8th Australian Field Ambulance after being transferred to the Vignacourt hospital.

It seems that they were located in the Petit-Camon sector next to Allonville on August 1, 1918. ("du petit-camon" Street in Allonville, IMHO). Edward Roy Onley had been transferred to Vignacourt in the same way.

Pte COOK

Courtesy of Rebecca Cook, Kiama Municipal Council. www.kiama.nsw.gov.au

 

COYNE David Emmett:

David Emmett lived in Queensland and joined the Australian Imperial Force in January 1916. He was the only Australian recipient of the Albert Medal following his death. This reward was established in 1866. A specialist in pomegranate, he died protecting his comrades on May 15, 1918.

David Coyne

David Emmett COYNE

 

DAWES Alfred Charles:

Soldier of the 6th Bn. Northamptonshire.
Alfred Charles was a native of Chipping Norton, in the United Kingdom, in Oxfordshire County. He passed away on August 2, 1918.

 

soldier

 

DUGGAN George William:

Soldier of the 13th Australian Light Horse.
George William was the son of Ellen and Michael Duggan of Ensay, Victoria, Australia.
He died of his wounds on August 9, 1918.

 

George William Duggan

Credit photo by courtesy of Laurie DUGGAN, graveneymarsh.blogspot.com

 

FARLEY LEACH, George William Harry:

Soldier of the Second World War, in the Royal West Kent Regiment, 6th Bn.
He came from Kensington, United Kingdom. He died in 1940 at the age of 21. He is buried in the communal cemetery.

 

Headstone of G.W. FARLEY LEACH in the French cemetery of Vignacourt

Headstone of George William Harry FARLEY LEACH in the central alley.

 

FIELDEN William:

Soldier in the Machine Gun Corps.
William was born in Shawforth, in Rochdale, north-east of Manchester, England.
He died of his injuries on September 28, 1916, at the age of 21.

Pte William Fielden

Portrait by courtesy of Pauline Journeaux: www.rochdaleonline.co.uk,
and Bernard Pratt of www.littleboroughshistory.org.

 

FITZGERALD Roy James:

35th squadron, Royal Air Force, Gloucestershire regiment (12Bn).
He was originally from Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, where his father had a shop downtown. Roy James became a naval engineer before the war.
He was killed in an air fight on July 1, 1918, at the age of 27.

Roy James

Credit photo by courtesy of www.aucklandmuseum.com
-C35319- No Known Copyright Restrictions

 

GARRICK Stanley McDonald:

Stanley Garrick was born in Gympie, 170 kilometers north of the Queensland capital, Brisbane. He worked as a dairy farmer.
He joined the Australian Imperial Force on August 21, 1915, two days after his 18th birthday. Embarkation took place for overseas service from Brisbane aboard the ship HMAT Seang Bee bound for the Middle East on October 21, 1915.
On March 26, 1916, he left Alexandria, Egypt, arriving in Marseille, France, on April 2. Later in the month, Stanley was evacuated to England after suffering from influenza.

After further training in the use of the Lewis Gun, Stanley left Folkestone on October 12, 1917. Two days later, he joined the 24th Machine Gun Company/4th Machine Gun Battalion.
Stanley was only 20 years old when he died of his wounds on August 10, 1918, while his company was the target of enemy shelling in the La Neuville area. He was buried in Vignacourt, where his cousin Tom Sharp had been buried four months earlier.

 

Stanley Garrick

Portrait by courtesy of Lisa Stubbs and Tom Sharp,
website: canungraansweredthecall.org.au

 

GILL John Thomas:

Soldier of the 14th Imperial Australian Infantry Battalion. He grew up in Victoria and embarked in 1915. He had been wounded several times and passed away on May 7, 1918, aged 33.

 

Pte Gill

Credit photo by courtesy of Kerry Errington for the Woodvale Progress Association,
and Dr. Dannielle Orr www.anzaccentenarybendigo.com.au

 

GITSHAM James:

35th Squadron, Royal Air Force.
James was born in Ballarat in 1894, in the state of Victoria.
He was enlisted in the 23rd Bn AIF and joined the Royal Flying Corps.
He was killed in action, the date of his death was June 29, 1918.

M. James GITSHAM

Credit photo by courtesy of Faithe - website: ww1nonaif.gravesecrets.net

 

HAMILTON Herbert Henry Parke:

He served as a lieutenant in the 26th Australian infantry battalion.
A native of the United Kingdom, he was born in Brentford on December 5, 1894. He worked as a teacher in Brisbane.
He died of gunshot wounds in Villlers-Bretonneux on August 14, 1918.

Herbert HAMILTON

Photo by courtesy of Patricia HAMILTON www.larigan.com

 

HERRON Kenneth Chester:

Lieutenant Squadron, Royal Air Force
Kenneth Chester was born in Richmond, in the suburbs of London, on March 6, 1881. In the 1890s, the family moved to Newdigate. He was educated at Bradfield College, a school in the Tours region of France, and subsequently at Leipzig in Germany. In 1907, he married Alice Kate Smith, and they had three children.
A rifle bullet hit him, and he died almost immediately on April 24, 1918, while flying low over enemy lines in Villers-Bretonneux.
Stained glass to his memory was placed in the south aisle of Newdigate Church.

Lt Herron

Credit photo by courtesy of www.Newdigate local history society, and Erica Chambers,
the book "A village at war, Newdigate in the World War One" by John Callcut, Reveille Press.

 

HOLBROOK Thomas Charles:

The 2nd Australian Pioneers embarked on "HMAT from Melbourne.
He was born in England in June 1883. He was a carpenter in Bunbury South West, located 175 km south of Perth. He died from severe injuries on May 19, 1918, aged 35.

Thomas left behind two sons: Douglas, born in 1913 (his twin brother was stillborn), and Thomas, born in 1915. Following the death of Elizabeth (the wife of the soldier) in December 1918, the two young sons were raised by their grandfather, Thomas John Holbrook, in the small town of Balingup, Western Australia. Sadly, the younger son, also named Thomas, died in 1931 at the age of 18 from a tetanus infection.

Thomas Charles

Credit photo by courtesy of Jeff PEIRCE Military history researcher
Website: http://anzacheroes.com.au

 

JUDGES Franck Arthur:

A Canadian soldier in the 20th Bn infantry, the central Ontario regiment.
He died on the first day of the Battle of Amiens on August 8, 1918, aged 24.

Judges picture

Picture by courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial - link: www.veterans.gc.ca

 

KINGSLEY Jabez:

Soldier in the 32nd Bn Australian Imperial Force. He was a native of Maidstone, England, in the County of Kent. He lived in Perth, Western Australia; he was married.
He died of his injuries on June 25, 1918, at the age of 46.

soldier

 

LATHAM Sam:

Sam was a sapper in the Royal Engineers, in Z-Coy, a specialist sapper unit working on the Livens flame thrower.

He was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, and left behind five children. Only one of the three brothers, who was serving, returned home. He died of his injuries on July 25, 1918, aged 32.

 

Sam

Photo with the kind permission of Robert Sharp.

 

LE MOIGNAN John Francis:

Gunner in the 42nd Bn Royal Garrison Artillery.
John Francis was originally from the island of Jersey, on the French Atlantic coast, where his parents lived on Mary Street. He was a carpenter in civil life.
He was killed in an aerial bombardment on May 19, 1918.

soldier

 

LUPTON Charles:

English captain of the Royal Air Force.

Born in Leeds, Yorkshire, Charles was the only son of Charles and Katharine Lupton. His military career is detailed in the link hereafter, theaerodrome.com. He was killed in action on May 9, 1918, aged 19.

Lupton

Portrait by courtesy of Scott Hamilton

 

METCALFE James Beverley:

Enrolled in the 10th Field Ambulance, Army Medical Corps
James Beverley, born on January 13, 1888, on Norfolk Island in eastern Australia, graduated from Sydney University in medicine.
Seriously injured in the village of Bonnay, he died in Vignacourt on April 25, 1918. He was posthumously awarded the DSO Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross.

 

James Beverley Metcalfe

James Beverley METCALFE
by courtesy of Publisher D. Rosenberg for the book:
«Australian Doctors on the Western Front" by Colonel Robert Likeman, CSM.

 

MEYSEY HAMMOND George:

Captain on the 28th Australian Infantry Battalion.
George was born in the United Kingdom in the town of Pershore (10 miles from Worcester) and moved to Australia, where he lived for several years.
He sent the last letter from France with these words:
"I received a dose of shrapnel in my left leg on the glorious night when the battalion went over the top. The doctors have extracted the stuff, but goodness knows when I will start crawling about again." He was awarded the Military Cross.
He died of his wounds at Morlancourt on June 14, 1918.

George

Photo by courtesy of Trudy Burge, pershoreww1.webs.com

 

MOLLOY Maurice:

Lance corporal, 21st Bn Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Parents James and Mary Julia Molloy were located at Lake Cargellico - NSW. Maurice was Albert KELLE's grandson. Albert was a native of Nancy city, he moved to Australia with his family in 1865. Maurice died of wounds at the age of 21, on 22 May 1918.

"Such a long way to go and die so far from home so long ago at so young an age. Just a boy from Lake Cargellico who took off for an adventure with his uncle" Helen Castle.

 

Maurice MOLLOY

Credit photo with the kind permission of Helen Castle.

 

MOLYNEAUX Thomas Francis:

5th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery.
Thomas Francis, originally from Paddington in the state of New South Wales, was born on September 1, 1890.

The crossing took place on the HMAT Aeneas A60 in Sydney on September 30, 1916.
He died at the age of 27 in Ribemont, near Albert, on June 4, 1918, a few days after being gassed. (40 km–25 mi).

 

Thomas MOLYNEAUX

Image courtesy of Tom McDonald and work of Terry.

 

MONTAGU Herbert:

Canadian Lieutenant of the Infantry Regiment of Ontario. He was enlisted in the 48th Highlanders in September 1915 and appointed to the 134th Battalion in January 1916.

Native to Saskatchewan, he moved later to British Columbia. He was a student in Victoria (Vancouver Island), then at the University of Toronto.
He passed away on July 9, 1918, following a plane crash near Amiens.

M.MONTAGU Herbert

Portrait by courtesy of Simon Godly - 15thbattalioncef.ca

 

NILSEN John Howard:

Gunner of the 49th Battery, 13th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery.
John Howard was born in Tasmania in Beaconsfield, a town located on the north side of the island. He died of his injuries on August 10, 1918.

 

John Howard

Photo by courtesy of Sue Guinan - www.tasmanianwarcasualties.com

 

OERTLING Lewis John Francis:

Lieutenant - Bedfordshire Regiment - Royal Air Force.
Lewis John Francis was a native of Barnes Surrey.
He deceased on 8th August 1918.

Oertling

Portrait by courtesy of Steve Fuller – www.bedfordregiment.org.uk -

 

ONLEY Edward Roy:

8th Field Ambulance, Australian Army Medical Corps.
Edward Roy from the state of Victoria at Flynn. He became a railway clerk a few years later. He was wounded in battle on August 9, 1918, and died the next day, aged 23.

soldier

 

PYRTON Kkongji

Indian Labour Corps, 34th Khasi Coy. It appears the Indian Labour Corps' duties included transport and earthwork for RFC. (Khasi, the north- North Eastern part of India)
He died on April 3, 1918.

soldier

 

RICHTER, William Ernest

Gunner in the 5th Division Ammunition, Australian Field Artillery.
William Ernest came from Burnside, South Australia, in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide.
He died of his injuries on August 9, 1918.

William Ernest Richter

Photo courtesy of National Library of Australia.

 

ROLLS Charles Garrett.

Sergent lance served AIF, 33rd Bn.
Charles was raised in the Warialda area, and his occupation was a laborer.
He lived in the village of Graman, about 40 km north of Inverell in northern NSW.
Gassed in April 1918 in Villers-Bretonneux and wounded near Aroche Wood, he died on August 8, 1918, at the age of 31.

soldier

 

RUTHERFORD Henry Balfour:

Soldier of the 17th Bn AIF.
Henry Balfour was born in New South Wales, where he became a shearer.
His embarkation took place on HMAT A71. He died of his injuries on May 16, 1918.

soldier

 

SHARP Thomas (Tom):

Tom was born on July 6, 1894, in Torbanlea, part of the Fraser Coast Region of Queensland. He grew up on a dairy farm in Beechmont and, in turn, became a dairy farmer.
He left Sydney on board the HMAT Wiltshire On February 7, 1917, which docked in Devonport, England, on April 11.
Tom embarked for the Western Front from Folkestone, on October 3, 1917,
Arriving in France he was assigned to the 7th Machine Gun Company/2nd Machine Gun Battalion.
Tom had been wounded on 20 April 1918, trying to save a comrade wounded close to Villers-Bretonneux.
He had evacuated to the 20th Casualty Clearing Station in Vignacourt. Tom died of his wounds on April 21, 1918, aged 23.
Less than four months later, Tom’s cousin and best friend, Stanley Garrick, died of wounds received in action and was buried in Vignacourt, too.
At the request of his family, Tom’s grave displays the epitaph, "Not dead but gone before."

tom

Photo by courtesy of Lisa Stubbs and Tom Sharp,
website: canungraansweredthecall.org.au

 

SMITH Stanley William:

Stanley William was born in Homebush and became a farmer at Avoca. Enlisting on April 28, 1917, he embarked at Sydney on July 16 to serve with the 60th Battalion.
He died of his injuries on the road to Amiens on August 9, 1918.

Pte Smith
Credit photo by courtesy of Mrs. Anne Young – http://ayfamilyhistory.blogspot.fr -

 

SMITH William Forbes:

30th Bn Australian Infantry
William was born in Rayne, Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He was a laborer at Inverell, Australia. He was wounded the first time, later gassed, and passed away on May 15, 1918.

soldier

 

STEVENS Walter Thomas:

Walter Thomas was a rifleman in the 9th Rifle Brigade of the British Army. A crown is on the top of the Rifle Brigade insignia.
His family was from the south of England, in the town of Saint Leonards, located on the seafront. He died around the Hamel area on April 5, 1918.

 

Walter Thomas Steven

Credit photo by courtesy of M. Kieron Pelling, website www.ww1rollofhonour.co.uk

 

TIVEY Alfred:

Soldier to the 33rd Battalion, Infantry Australian.
Alfred was born in New South Wales, in Nimmitabel, in the southeast of Australia. His father came from England. A girl named Muriel was born of his relationship with Dorie. Major General Edwin Tivey was the first cousin of Alfred.
He died of his injuries on May 9, 1918.

Alfred TIVEY
Credit photo by courtesy of Jan Tivey - http://tiveyfamilytree.com

 

TRETHEWEY Edwin Clifford

Gunner in the Australian Field Artillery. He was a native of Launceston in Tasmania.
He passed away on 11th August 1918, aged 31.

TRETHEWEY Edwin Clifford

Credit photo with the kind permission of Pippa Ettore.

 

WEEKS Reginald Charles:

2nd battalion Bedfordshire regiment.
Reginald Charles lived in Sundon in the English county of Bedfordshire.
He died of his injuries at the age of 21, on 7 August 1918.

soldier

 

WIDT Niss Peter Christensen:

A soldier from 31st Bn AIF.
He was the son of Anna J. B. Widt and the late Peter Christensen Widt, of Coolabunia, via Kingaroy, Queensland. Native of Brisbane. He was a laborer in Queensland. Died August 12, 1918, at 28 years old.

Obviously, Vignacourt and Australia will always be linked. Peter Widt, December 1, 2003.

 

WILLIS Justin Charles:

Major in the 18th Divisional Signalling company.

Justin Charles was from Birmingham. He was wounded by a shell on 6 August 1918 and died the next day at the age of 23. The epitaph: Qui ante diem periit sed miles et pro patria. He died young but as a soldier and for his fatherland.

 

Pte Willis Justin Charles

Courtesy of www.oundleschool.org.uk

 

bordure

 

For Remembrance ceremonies commemorating the victims of the two world wars, most Anglo-Saxons wear the red poppy of the Somme in tribute to dead soldiers.

In Australia and New Zealand, commemorations are held on April 25 for Anzac Day. (ANZAC: Australian and New Zealand Corps)

 

Inauguration ceremony in 1921

 

statue Soldier

Brothers in arms of the British Army, fallen to the field of honor,
Sleep in peace; we are watching over you.

 

The inauguration ceremony of the monuments to the memory of the soldiers took place on Sunday, August 7, 1921, in the presence of the French General Philippot, commander of the 2nd Army Corps, Colonel Dick-Cunyngham for the British Army, Mr. Thuillier-Buridard, Senator of the Somme, the Vignacourt Veterans, the schoolchildren, the municipal band, and Mr. Albert Roze, the sculptor of the statue. This event was reported in a national newspaper article in 1921.

 

General Philippot

General Philippot portrait,
courtesy of M. Bernard Roure, website: "Musée des étoiles".

 

Vignacourt British Cemetery