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| Choques Military Cemetery |
The
Choques Military Cemetery contains a single row of graves from D Battery
251 Brigade, formerly 5th Durham Battery, 4th Northumbrian (County of
Durham) Howitzer Brigade from Hebburn. The men's names are recorded as killed
in action on the Roll of Honour in the 3rd Durham Volunteer Artillery Centenary
Book.
On the evening 18th April 1918 the men of D/251
Battery found themselves in the village of Gonnenham, on the River Lys.
Regimental archives record;
Gronnenhem April 1918
The morning brought sad news from
our wagon lines. The bombardment which had provided us with a lively
interlude had visited our comrades with disastrous results. A shell struck the
barn in which they were sleeping, bursting amongst the sleepers with deadly
effect. Many of the survivors rushed for the open, to be met by a second shell,
adding materially to the already heavy list of dead and wounded.
The look of grim determination to
be seen on the faces of our gunners indicate that there was one more account to
settle with the enemy; and if, at the end, any portion of the debt remained
unpaid, it was no fault of the officers or men of D/251.
The men are buried together in a single row in Choques Military Cemetery.
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Choques Military Cemetery
Men of D/251 Battery |
NORTHUMBRIAN GUNNERS
D/Battery 251 Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Killed In Action Gronnenhem 18th April 1918
- Hillbeck A Driver MM 2555
- Wilson F Driver 127301
- Allcott H Driver MM 4678
- Fewings RT Gunner 52505
- Harris AS Gunner 10235
- Hunt JAF Gunner 234324
- Bennet H Gunner 10315
- Jewell WS Driver 1288
- Maidment A Driver 10318
- Pearce EG Driver 82773
- Rich WG Driver 4546
- Richardson JH Driver 755887
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| Driver A Hillbeck MM |
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| Driver F Wilson |
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| Driver HB Allcott MM |
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| Gunner RT Fewings |
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| Gunner AS Harris |
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| Gunner JAF Hunt |
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| Gunner H Bennett |
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| Gunner WS Jewell |
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| Gunner AJ Maidment |
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| Driver EG Pearce |
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| Gunner WG Pearce |
Killed In Action 25th April 1918
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| Driver JH Richardson |
C/Battery 251 Brigade Royal Field Artillery
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| Lieutenant C St J Nevill |
Victoria Cross
Second Lieutenant Alexander Buller Turner VC
1st Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
Died of wounds 1st October 1915, aged 22.
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| 2/Lt AB Turner VC |
"For most conspicuous bravery on 28th Sept., 1915, at "Fosse 8," near Vermelles. When the regimental bombers could make no headway in Slag Alley, Second Lieutenant Turner volunteered to lead a new bombing attack. He pressed down the communication trench practically alone, throwing bombs incessantly with such dash and determination that he drove back the Germans about 150 yards without a check. His action enabled the reserves to advance with very little loss, and subsequently covered the flank of his regiment in its retirement, thus probably averting a loss of some hundreds of men. This most gallant Officer has since died of wounds received in this action."
