BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY,

BETHUNE, Nord, France

Bethune is 29 kilometres north of Arras. From the town centre of Bethune, turn right in front of the Tribunal and second right at the bottom of the road down to the cul-de-sac where the cemetery will be found.

For much of the First World War, Bethune was comparatively free from bombardment and remained an important railway and hospital centre, as well as a corps and divisional headquarters. The 33rd Casualty Clearing Station was in the town until December 1917. Early in 1918, Bethune began to suffer from constant shell fire and in April 1918, German forces reached Locon, five kilometres to the north. The bombardment of 21 May did great damage to the town and it was not till October that pressure from the Germans was relaxed. Bethune Town Cemetery contains 3,004 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, including 26 men of the 1/8th Manchester Regiment who were killed by a bomb on 22 December 1917 while marching to rest billets. Second World War burials number 19. There are also 122 French and 87 German war graves. The Commonwealth section of the cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

No. of Identified Casualties: 3181

Courtesy of the Commonwealth Wargraves Commission.

Name	Rank & Number	Battalion	Age	Died	Grave Ref	Cemetery	Notes
WWI
Sidney Ware AKEHURST	Serjeant SD/388	11th Bn.		10/07/1916 of wounds	V. F. 76	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Christchurch, Sussex Enlisted: Eastbourne
Robert BOTTING	Private SD/2857	13th Bn.		30/06/1916 of wounds	V. F. 13.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Balcombe Enlisted: Horsham
Lionel DENNIS	Private SD/409	11th Bn.	36	11/07/1916 of wounds	V. F. 75.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Willingdon Enlisted: Eastbourne Son of Thomas and Lucy Dennis, of Willingdon, Eastbourne.
Ambrose DRIVER	Private SD/912	11th Bn.	30	01/07/1916 of wounds	V. F. 24.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Framfield Enlisted: Lewes Son of Thomas and Ellen Driver, of Hawkhurst Gate, Blackboys, Uckfield, Sussex.
Thomas James EARL	L/Cpl SD/410	11th Bn.	22	13/07/1916 of wounds	V. F. 81.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Christchurch, Sussex Enlisted: Eastbourne Son of Charles and Mary Ann Earl, of Eastbourne.
Albert John GRAINGER	Private SD/2373	12th Bn.		23/07/1916 of wounds	V. G. 27.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Hove Enlisted: Worthing
Joseph Frank PELLETT	Private SD/2762	13th Bn.	22	14/07/1916 of wounds	V. F. 89.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Brighton Enlisted: Hove Son of Mr. and Mrs. Pellett, of 14, Holland St., Brighton.
Percival Philip PERRIN	Private SD/3188	13th Bn.	35	30/06/1916 of wounds	V. F. 18.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Liss, Hampshire Enlisted: Chichester Son of Alfred and Matilda Perrin, of Rake, East Liss, Hants.
Harold SLOMAN	Private SD/362	11th Bn.		27/07/1916 of wounds	V. G. 41.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Hampstead,Middx Enlisted: Eastbourne
Frederick James STURT	Serjeant L/8164	2nd Bn.	30	01/07/1916 of wounds	V. F. 23.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Son of Frederick and Elizabeth Sturt, of Tarrant St., Arundel, Sussex.
Charles Edward BRACHER	Private 4/4142	12th Bn.	29	03/08/1916 of wounds	V. G. 87.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Son of Samuel and M. Annie Bracher, of 43, George Rd., Farncombe, Surrey. Native of Plummers Plain, Horsham.
Norman Cecil CARTER	Second Lieutenant	13th Bn.	22	23/07/1916 of wounds	III. K. 33.	BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY	Born: Oxford Son of W. C. and Lucy Carter, of 46, Claverton St., Pimlico, London.