Hem Farm Military Cemetery, Hem-Monacu
Monacu and Hem-Monacu are two villages about 13 kilometres south-east of Albert, just north of the River Somme. Hem Farm Military Cemetery lies to the west of the village of Hem.
Hem-Monacu was captured by French troops in the Battles of the Somme 1916, and taken over by British troops later in the year. Hem Farm Military Cemetery was begun by British troops in January, 1917, and used until the following March, and again in September, 1918; and these graves now form part of Plot I, Rows E, F and G. It was greatly enlarged after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields on both sides of the Somme. There are now nearly 600 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site, including Bertie Ormrod (Grave Ref. I. C. 12.), of the Royal Fusiliers, who died on 28 August 1918.
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SECOND LIEUTENANT / G.E. CATES. VC. / THE RIFLE BRIGADE /
9TH MARCH 1917. AGE 24 / "I CAN DO ALL THINGS / THROUGH CHRIST / WHO
STRENGTHENETH ME / PHIL. 4:13" (Grave Ref. I. G. 15.) George Edward Cates - "Son of George and Alice Ann Cates, of 39, Compton Rd., Wimbledon, London." "An extract from the "London Gazette", dated 11th May, 1917, recorded the following:-"For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice. When engaged with some other men in deepening a captured trench this officer struck with his spade a buried bomb, which immediately started to burn. 2nd Lt. Gates, in order to save the lives of his comrades, placed his foot on the bomb, which immediately exploded. He showed the most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in performing the act which cost him his life, but saved the lives of others."" Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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6939 PRIVATE / ROBERT MACTIER. VC. / 23RD BN. AUSTRALIAN
INF. / 1ST SEPTEMBER 1918. AGE 28 / HIS MEMORY WILL ALWAYS LIVE / IN HEARTS
THAT KNEW / HIS WORTH (Grave Ref. II. J. 3.) "Son of Robert and Christiana J. Mactier, of "Reitcam", Tatura, Victoria, Australia." "An extract from the "London Gazette," dated 13th Dec., 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the morning of 1st September, 1918, during the attack on the village of Mont St. Quentin. Prior to the advance of the battalion, it was necessary to clear up several enemy strong points close to our line. This the bombing patrols sent forward failed to effect, and the battalion was unable to move. Pte. Mactier single-handed, and in daylight, thereupon jumped out of the trench, rushed past the block, closed with and killed the machine gun garrison of eight men with his revolver and bombs, and threw the enemy machine gun over the parapet. Then, rushing forward about 20 yards he jumped into another strong point held by a garrison of six men who immediately surrendered. Continuing to the next block through the trench, he disposed of an enemy machine gun which had been enfilading our flank advancing troops, and was then killed by another machine gun at close range. It was entirely due to this exceptional valour and determination of Pte. Mactier that the battalion was able to move on to its ' jumping-off ' trench and carry out the successful operation of capturing the village of Mont St. Quentin a few hours later."" Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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85359 PRIVATE / B. ORMROD / ROYAL FUSILIERS / 28TH AUGUST 1918 |
