It was in Essex Farm Cemetery that Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian Army Medical Corps wrote the poem ' In Flanders Fields' in May 1915.
Essex Farm Cemetery Cross of Sacrifice |
Essex Farm Cemetery |
There is the too familiar site of the graves of Royal Artillery all together, that died on the same date or near.
The counter battery fire on the Salient could result in an entire gun detachment being killed in a single incident. With in the cemetery 5 Gunners from 261 Siege Battery are buried together, four lost on 10th August 1917, the remaining casualty recorded as 12th August 1917. The Battery was equipped with 6 inch Howitzers and in August 1917 was part of the 65th HAG.
Royal Garrison Artillery
261st Siege Battery
Gnr GA Moore Cpl T Teague Gnr D Marnock Gnr AW Dodd Gnr LJ Drury
Rank | Initials | Surname | Age | Date of Death | Service No. | Grave Ref |
Gunner | G A | MOORE | 19 | 10/08/1917 | 296660 | I. Q. 24. |
Corporal | T | TEAGUE | 24 | 10/08/1917 | 43943 | I. Q. 25. |
Gunner | D | MARNOCK | 19 | 10/08/1917 | 344204 | I. Q. 26. |
Gunner | AW | DODD | 31 | 10/08/1917 | 147759 | I. Q. 27. |
Gunner | L J | DRURY | 12/08/1917 | 147756 | I. Q. 28. |