Track X Cemetery

Track X Cemetery. Authors image

The site of Track X CWGC cemetery was in No Man’s Land in June 1917 and the trenches in this area were no more than one hundred yards apart. The cemetery was begun by the 39th and 48th (South Midland) Divisions at the end of July, after Commonwealth forces advanced on this front. It was closed in November 1917, except for two burials in May 1918. The road that runs past the cemetery was known on trench maps as Admiral’s Road, named after a Captain in the 6th Division who, in 1915, used to ride up and down the road in an armoured car borrowed from the Royal Naval Division. On 27 April the Sirhind Division, Lahore Division attacked through here towards No Man’s Cottage and Minty Farm on the ridge with the 1st Gurkha Rifles (Failed attack by the Lahore Division

Major Bernard Maynard Lucas Brodhurst in La Brique No.2 Cemetery) reaching the crossroads of Admiral’s Road/Boundary Roads some 500m to the right of the cemetery entrance. The battalion went into the attack with thirty-eight officers and 1,640 men and by the time they had reached the crossroads they had three officers and thirty men remaining.

Captain Frederick Dudley Andrews M.C., 1/4th Battalion (City of Bristol Territorial),  Gloucestershire Regiment, 144th Infantry Brigade, 48th Division. Killed in action 14 August 1917, age 30. Grave D.21. The third son of Alderman Thomas and Edith Andrews, of Old College House, Lichfield, Staffs; husband of Gladys Ethel Andrews, of Shustoke, Warwickshire. His brother Major J. O. Andrews, Veterinary Service), and Noel Wilkie Andrews, Wireless Section, Royal Naval Air Service, survived the war. Frederick was employed as second brewer at Rogers of Bristol when he enlisted in August 1914. He was commissioned on 14 February 1915 and went to France in July 1915 and promoted to Acting Captain from 5 September 1916. He received the Military Cross gazetted on 1 January 1917. The War Diary records that on 14 August 1917, the Battalion was in the line north of St Julien holding the line at the Steenbeek with the Company HQs located at Regina Cross, Alberta, Canoe Trench, and Canadian Farm. This was during The Battle of Pilkem Ridge and before the opening of the Battle of Langemarck on 16 August. There is no mention of casualties.

Royal Engineers

There are thirteen men from the Royal Engineers buried here. The details of eight men are shown. All from various Field Companies.  A typical Field Company consisted of 217 men with specialized trades like carpenters, blacksmiths, and masons. The company was organized into ‘Mounted’ and ‘Dismounted’ sections, with the former including officers and NCOs with riding horses and the latter comprising all the tradesmen and general labourers. Four men from the 474th (1st South Midland) Field Survey Company, Royal Engineers This was Territorial unit and was responsible for mapping and surveying in support of military operations. The Company was formed as a part of the North Midland Divisional Engineers and joined the 48th (South Midland) Division. 554407 Sapper Thomas William Bent. Killed in action 21 August 1917, age 22. Grave B.19. He was married to Edith and they lived at 50 Birman Road, Lambeth with their daughter Lillian born on 20 November 1915. He was employed as a Bricklayer when he enlisted on 7 April 1916 in the 1st London Divisional Engineers and later transferred to the 474th Field Survey Company. 551154 Sapper Reuben Dore. Killed in action 21 August 1917, age 36. Grave B.17. Son of Walter and Ellen Dore, of Walworth, London; husband of Alice Ellen Dore and they lived with their three sons aged 6, 4, and 3 months at 47 Diana Road, Forest Road, Walthamstow, London. He was employed as a Cabinet Maker when he enlisted. 494539 Sapper Sidney Charles Parsons. Killed in action 21 August 1917, age 27. Grave B.20. Youngest of two sons and a daughter of Henry and Caroline Parsons, 124 Avonvale Road, Barton Hill, Bristol. He was employed as a Galvanized Iron Worker when he enlisted. 477022 Sapper Percy Relph. Killed in action 21 August 1917, age 23. Grave B.18. Husband of Lily Relph and they lived with their one year old son at 52 Lister Road, Walkley, Sheffield. He was employed as Joiner when he enlisted. On the 21 August 1917, the Company was billeted in shelters at Hampshire Farm and at night were clearing trees from the St Julian to Triangle Road. The War Diary lists the four as killed and buried on 21 August and five other Sappers wounded.

Gunner Horatio Perkyns Bird. Authors image

Royal Field Artillery

At the beginning of 1917 a new type of artillery unit was created, the Army Brigade R.F.A. and R.H.A. Most of these were formed by withdrawing an artillery brigade from each division these brigades were available for attachment to any division, corps or army needing reinforcement in artillery, and by the end of the war the 84th Army Brigade, as with the other Brigades mentioned here, had served with many different divisions. 

84th Brigade 171701 Gunner Horatio Perkyns Bird, ‘C’ Battery 84th Brigade, Divisional Troops. Killed in action 1 October 1917, age 20. Grave B.2. Son of John Gomm Bird and Sarah Frances Bird, 33 Lawrence Road, Wavertree, Liverpool. Epitaph: IN LIFE WE LOVED YOU IN DEATH WE DO THE SAME. On the 1 October the Battery was just north of Wieltje with the War Diary recording that the battery positions were subjected to hostile enemy counter-battery fire and bombing by enemy aircraft. 126th (R.H.A.) Brigade – five men from ‘B’ Battery All killed in action on 16 August 1917. This Battery was equipped with 4.5 inch Howitzers and provided heavy artillery support against enemy strong points and concrete bunkers. They were in the area of La Belle Alliance. 176574 Gunner Charles Edward Wilkes, age 27. Grave D.22. Husband of Elsie Wilkes they lived with their four children at Back 15, 2 Ipsley Street, Redditch, Worcester. 614503 Gunner Thomas Worrall, age 25. Grave D.25. The second of six children of John Worrall and Elizabeth Jane Worrall, Coventry Street Southam, Warwickshire. He was employed as a Labourer when he enlisted. 614262 Gunner Cecil Merrilees, age 18. Grave D.26. He was the oldest of five children of Alexander and Ethel Merrilees, Wolvercote, Oxford. He enlisted in 1916 at the age of 16 and this puts his age as recorded by the CWGC under doubt as the 1911 census records him aged 11.176663 Gunner Stephen Arthur Palmer, age 18. Grave D.24. He was the youngest of two sons of Elizabeth Emily Sheppard (formerly Palmer) of The Drove, Crux Easton, Highclere, Newbury, Berks., and the late Robert Palmer. His father, a farm labourer, was aged 66 and his mother aged 42 when the 1911 census was conducted.  614152 Gunner James Parsons, age 20. Grave D.23. Second of three sons of Betsy Parsons, 14 Morton Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and the late Joseph Parsons.

Five men from 126th (R.H.A.) Brigade

186th Brigade – five men from ‘A’ Battery

This Brigade was formed in early October 1915 in Deptford by the efforts of the Mayor and Borough Council and was a Howitzer Brigade with 4.5 inch guns and came under the command of 39th (Deptford) Division. The battery was involved in the Battle of Langemarck, one of the battles of Third Ypres, which opened on 16 August 1917, and the battery provided the artillery support to the attacking infantry Brigades of 39th Division who took the village of St Julien and the strong points on their front and the infantry was relieved on 5 August. The artillery worked on under terrible conditions, suffering from counter-battery fire, while the Divisional Ammunition column was bombed and shelled at night, and casualties were high. The Divisional Artillery was relieved on 23 August. All the men listed here were killed on 21 August 1917. L/31987 Gunner Joseph Arran Consitt, age 21. Grave D.31. The youngest of five son and a daughter of Jane Consitt, 21 Fenham Road, Peckham, London. The 1911 census records his mother as living alone with her sons and daughter and of Joseph, aged 15, employed as a ‘Puller Out’ at a local sawmill. He enlisted in Deptford.  L/32003 Driver William Edward Ellner, age 35. Grave D.40. He was married to Mary Gertrude, they were married on 4 August 1907, and lived at 32 Warham Street, Kennington with their three children. He was employed as a Labourer. Mary remarried a civilian on 4 March 1918. 17710 Gunner Charles Stanley Gray, age 22. Grave D.36. One of  four sons and two daughters of John and Elizabeth Gray. Husband of Amy Mary Jane Wigley (formerly Gray), 66 Montreal Road., Tilbury Docks, Essex. The 1911 census records him aged 15 and working as Warehouse Assistant, Stationary Trade. 2nd Lieutenant Aylwin Murray Pratt, age 25. Grave D.30. Son of Alderman Reginald H. M. and Marice Pratt, 33 Broadway South, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. He was one of three sons who served and he was studying law at Winnipeg University and had four years’ service with the Mounted Rifles a militia unit when he enlisted on 22 September 1914. He initially had the rank of Gunner with the 1st Field Artillery Brigade and was transferred to the 12th Battery, 3rd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery from January 1915. He was granted a temporary commission, 2nd Lieutenant, on 27 February 1916 when at Shorncliffe and on 6 July 1916 was transferred to the British Army, Royal Field Artillery. 149409 Driver William Blackburn Taylor, age 20. Grave D.38. One of three sons and four daughters the late Westwood and Alice Taylor, 23 Rossall Road, Leeds.

Location

The cemetery is located to the North-East of the town of Ieper. From the station turn left and drive along M.Fochlaan to the roundabout, turn right and go to the next roundabout. Here turn left into M.Haiglaan and drive to the next roundabout. Here turn right into Oude Veurnestraat, this then changes into Diksmuidseweg and Brugseweg. Drive along this road and continue straight over the traffic lights to the end of the road. At the T junction turn left (still Brugseweg) and continue along this road through the village of Saint Jan (N313). Follow this road to the end. You come to the junction with the N38, straight across this junction into Hogeziekenweg. After 50 metres the road bends sharply to the left, follow the road to the crossroads, then turn right into the Moortelweg. The cemetery is approximately 150 metres down this road on the right hand side.

Track X Cemetery. Authors image

Burials

There are now 149 First World War burials in the cemetery, of these 27 of them are unidentified.

UK – 118

Canadian - 4

Unidentified - 27