forgotten front

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The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is responsible for the commemoration of almost 1,700,000 members of the Commonwealth forces who gave their lives in the two world wars. The graves and memorials of these men and women, who came from all parts of the Commonwealth and who were of many faiths and of none, are found around the globe in 153 countries. Enquiries on location of individual burials or commemorations may be directed to the offices below or to the Commission’s web site at www.cwgc.org CWGC France Area Tel: +33 (0) 3 21 21 77 00 Email: [email protected] CWGC Head Office Tel: +44 (0) 1628 507200 Email: [email protected] The Forgotten Front Remembrance Trail, Pas de Calais www.cwgc.org The trail is yours to explore as you choose, but we recommend starting at Gorre British and Indian Cemetery and finishing at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery. Take a look at the map inside for the clearest route. Total distance: Approximately 30 kilometres. Estimated completion time: 4 hours. Discover more: Why not download a free QR code reader to your phone before tackling the trail? This will allow you to scan the QR code on the information panel in each cemetery – giving you access to further information about the cemetery and those commemorated there. *Please be aware that although scanning the QR code costs nothing, you may incur data roaming charges from your mobile phone operator, depending on your contract. Front Cover: Officers of the 1/5th King's Liverpool Regiment in the line at Givenchy, March 1918 How to use the trail

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Forgotten Front Remembrance Trail

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Page 1: Forgotten Front

For one of the great untold storiesof the First World War, follow theForgotten Front Remembrance Trailin Pas de Calais. This oftenoverlooked sector of the formerWestern Front lies north of theSomme Battlefields and south of theYpres Salient and was the scene ofsome of the heaviest fighting of theearly years of the War.

The trail tells the stories of men likeAlbert Whippy, one of eight childrenborn to Arthur and Alice Whippy inthe East End of London.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission isresponsible for the commemoration of almost1,700,000 members of the Commonwealth forceswho gave their lives in the two world wars. Thegraves and memorials of these men and women,who came from all parts of the Commonwealthand who were of many faiths and of none, arefound around the globe in 153 countries.

Enquiries on location of individual burials orcommemorations may be directed to the officesbelow or to the Commission’s web site atwww.cwgc.org

CWGC France AreaTel: +33 (0) 3 21 21 77 00Email: [email protected]

CWGC Head OfficeTel: +44 (0) 1628 507200 Email: [email protected]

The Forgotten Front R

emembrance Trail, Pas de C

alais

www.cwgc.org

In January 1915 Albertjoined a draft ofreinforcements to theNorthamptonshireRegiment who wereholding the line nearNeuve Chapelle. On 9 May, his battalionattacked just south ofRue du Bois and wascut to pieces by enemyfire. Over 540 officersand men were killed,

wounded or taken prisoner. Albert’s body wasnever found and he is now commemorated onthe Le Touret Memorial.

Private Whippyis just one of manythousandsof Commonwealth servicemen buried orcommemorated in this region in some of themost striking cemeteries and memorialsmaintained by the Commonwealth WarGraves Commission.

Along the trail, personal stories of some of themen who fought and died here can be accessedusing your mobile phone to create a movingpicture of life and death on the Western Front.

The trail is yours to explore as youchoose, but we recommend starting atGorre British and Indian Cemetery andfinishing at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood)Military Cemetery. Take a look at themap inside for the clearest route.

Total distance: Approximately 30kilometres.

Estimated completion time: 4 hours.

Discover more: Why not download afree QR code reader to your phonebefore tackling the trail? This will allowyou to scan the QR code on theinformation panel in each cemetery –giving you access to further informationabout the cemetery and thosecommemorated there.

*Please be aware that although scanning theQR code costs nothing, you may incur dataroaming charges from your mobile phoneoperator, depending on your contract.

THEIRNAMELIVETHFOREVERMORE

Front Cover: Officers of the 1/5th King's LiverpoolRegiment in the line at Givenchy, March 1918

Battle of Estaires 1918: A party of the 55th Division going into action near Béthune

How to use the trail

The Forgotten FrontRemembrance Trail, Pas de Calais

RemembertrailA3DL leaflet_Layout 1 29/08/2012 16:36 Page 1

Page 2: Forgotten Front

For one of the great untold storiesof the First World War, follow theForgotten Front Remembrance Trailin Pas de Calais. This oftenoverlooked sector of the formerWestern Front lies north of theSomme Battlefields and south of theYpres Salient and was the scene ofsome of the heaviest fighting of theearly years of the War.

The trail tells the stories of men likeAlbert Whippy, one of eight childrenborn to Arthur and Alice Whippy inthe East End of London.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission isresponsible for the commemoration of almost1,700,000 members of the Commonwealth forceswho gave their lives in the two world wars. Thegraves and memorials of these men and women,who came from all parts of the Commonwealthand who were of many faiths and of none, arefound around the globe in 153 countries.

Enquiries on location of individual burials orcommemorations may be directed to the officesbelow or to the Commission’s web site atwww.cwgc.org

CWGC France AreaTel: +33 (0) 3 21 21 77 00Email: [email protected]

CWGC Head OfficeTel: +44 (0) 1628 507200Email: [email protected]

The Forgotten Front Remembrance Trail, Pas de Calais

www.cwgc.org

In January 1915 Albertjoined a draft ofreinforcements to theNorthamptonshireRegiment who wereholding the line nearNeuve Chapelle. On 9 May, his battalionattacked just south ofRue du Bois and wascut to pieces by enemyfire. Over 540 officersand men were killed,

wounded or taken prisoner. Albert’s body wasnever found and he is now commemorated onthe Le Touret Memorial.

Private Whippy is just one of many thousandsof Commonwealth servicemen buried orcommemorated in this region in some of themost striking cemeteries and memorialsmaintained by the Commonwealth WarGraves Commission.

Along the trail, personal stories of some of themen who fought and died here can be accessedusing your mobile phone to create a movingpicture of life and death on the Western Front.

The trail is yours to explore as youchoose, but we recommend starting atGorre British and Indian Cemetery andfinishing at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood)Military Cemetery. Take a look at themap inside for the clearest route.

Total distance: Approximately 30kilometres.

Estimated completion time: 4 hours.

Discover more: Why not download afree QR code reader to your phonebefore tackling the trail? This will allowyou to scan the QR code on theinformation panel in each cemetery –giving you access to further informationabout the cemetery and thosecommemorated there.

*Please be aware that although scanning theQR code costs nothing, you may incur dataroaming charges from your mobile phoneoperator, depending on your contract.

T H E I R N A M E L I V E T H F O R E V E R M O R E

Front Cover: Officers of the 1/5th King's LiverpoolRegiment in the line at Givenchy, March 1918

Battle of Estaires 1918: A party of the 55th Division going into action near Béthune

How to use the trail

The Forgotten FrontRemembrance Trail, Pas de Calais

RemembertrailA3DL leaflet_Layout 1 29/08/2012 16:36 Page 1

Page 3: Forgotten Front

Gorre British and Indian CemeteryIn the Spring of 1918 the men of the WestLancashire Division held the line here during thelast major German offensive of the war.

Post Office Rifles Cemetery, FestubertNamed after a volunteer unit largely composed ofPost Office employees. In two weeks of fighting in1915, this close-knit unit suffered some 600casualties out of an original strength of 900.

Le Touret Memorial and Military CemeteryMore than 14,000 men are buried orcommemorated here – most of whom died duringthe first 12 months of the war.

St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L'avoueClose to this cemetery, in June of 1916, men ofthe South Downs Pals attacked the “Boar’s Head”Salient and in just over five hours of fighting,suffered 1,000 casualties.

Neuve-Chapelle MemorialCommemorating almost 5,000 Indian soldiers wholost their lives on the Western Front during theFirst World War this memorial marks the vitalcontribution and sacrifice of Indian servicemen.

Laventie Military Cemetery, La GorgueThe men of the 61st (2nd South Midland) Divisionbegan burying their fallen comrades here at theend of June 1916.

Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, FleurbaixOriginally the site of 12 Battalion burialgrounds this large cemetery contains thegraves of men from almost every nationthat served with the Commonwealthforces during the First World War, manyof whom died of wounds in a nearbydressing station.

Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery, FleurbaixOne of the most aesthetically strikingcemeteries on the Western Front, Le Troucontains more than 350 burials of menkilled in fighting from 1914 to 1916.

V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery andMemorial, FromellesThe only uniquely Australian cemetery onthe Western Front. It contains the gravesof 410 Australian soldiers who werekilled during the Battle of Fromelles and amemorial to a further 1,200 whosegraves are not known.

Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) MilitaryCemeteryThe first CWGC cemetery to be built inmore than 50 years, it is the final restingplace of 250 soldiers whose remains wererecovered from six mass graves in 2009.

Men of the 2nd Australian Division in the front line at Croix du Bac, near Armentières, May 1916

T H E I R N A M E L I V E T H F O R E V E R M O R E

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