Yorkshire Regiment War Graves, - Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt (France)

Dartmoor Cemetery was begun (as Becordel-Becourt Military Cemetery) in August 1915 and was used by the battalions holding that part of the line; its name was changed in May 1916 at the request of the 8th and 9th Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment. In September 1916, the XV Corps Main Dressing Station was established in the neighbourhood, but throughout 1917, the cemetery was scarcely used. It passed into German hands on 26 March 1918, but was retaken on 24 August by the 12th Division.

In the cemetery are the graves of a father and son who served in the same artillery battery, and were killed in action on the same day. There is also a grave of a 68 year old officer, the oldest recorded person to be killed in the war.
Among the 762 graves in the cemetery, 17 are for men of the Yorkshire Regiment. Photos of their graves, and their details, are provided below.

Dartmoor Cemetery. Photograph by Edward Nicholl (<emn@enicholl.com>)

The men of the Yorkshire Regiment buried in Dartmoor Cemetery are;

Select the thumbnail image (above) for a larger sized image.

Lance Corporal S Alder. 13181. 8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 11 July 1916. Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough.

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Private Thomas John Anderson. 33049. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Formerly 4643 Northumberland Fusiliers. Son of John and Mary Anderson; husband of Ellen Ann Anderson, of Budle, Bamburgh, Northumberland. Died 23 September 1916. Aged 26. Born Norham (Northumberland), Enlisted Berwick-on-Tweed.

Select the thumbnail image (above) for a larger sized image. (Photo by Ray Gascoyne, <xixray@ex-greenhowards.com>

Lance Corporal Robert Thomas Bell. 4041. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late Robert and Elizabeth Bell, of North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, Yorks. Died 16 September 1916. Aged 23. Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided North Ormesby.

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Private John Bestford. 19466. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Mrs. S. A. Bestford, of 1, East View, West Auckland, Bishop Auckland. Died 28 May 1916. Born West Auckland, Enlsited Bishop Auckland.

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Private George William Burnett. 20247. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Grace Ann Burnett, of 114, Nelson St., Scarborough. Died 28 May 1916. Born Scarborough, Enlsited Scarborough.

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Serjeant William Clemmitt. 19293. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William and Martha Clemmitt, of Borrowby Grange, Staithes, Yorks. Native of Ellerby, Yorks. Died 28 May 1916. Aged 28. Born Ellerby (Yorks), Enlsited Whitby, Resided Ellerby.

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Private Herbert Cooper. 14139. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mary Cooper, of 12, Prince Consort Rd., Jarrow, Co. Durham. Died 28 May 1916. Aged 24. Born Jarrow, Enlsited Jarrow.

Select the thumbnail image (above) for a larger sized image. (Photo by Ray Gascoyne, <xixray@ex-greenhowards.com>

Private John Haines. 19606. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John and Emma Haines, of Fighting Cocks, Middleton St. George, Co. Durham. Native of Knutton, Staffs. Died 27 September 1916. Aged 20. Born Knutton (Staffs), Enlisted Darlington, Resided Fighting Cocks (Co. Durham).

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Private Enoch Jones. 2954. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 16 September 1916. Enlisted Skelton, Resided Boosbeck.

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Private John Thomas McGee. 17488. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Margaret Canavan (formerly McGee), of 3, Atkinson Terrace, Wallsend-on-Tyne. Died 28 May 1916. Born South Shields, Enlisted Wallsend.

Select the thumbnail image (above) for a larger sized image. (Photo by Ray Gascoyne, <xixray@ex-greenhowards.com>

2nd Lieutenant Alan Miller. 3rd Bn. attd. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of David and Annie Deuchar Miller, of Palmerston North, New Zealand. Native of Christchurch, New Zealand. Died 14 October 1916. Aged 24.

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Private Fred Naylor. 27402. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Naylor, of Scholes, Cleckheaton; husband of Lillie Holmes (formerly Naylor), of 86, Mount St., Moor End, Cleckheaton, Yorks. Died 18 September 1916. Aged 24. Born Scholes (Yorks), Enlisted Cleckheaton, Resided Scholes.

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Private John William Pratt. 26724. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Sadler and Elizabeth Pratt, of Newton-on-Ouse, York. Died 22 September 1916. Aged 29. Born Newton-on-Ouse (Yorks), Enlisted Haxby (Yorks).

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Lance Corporal Willie Ramsden. 12400. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Jane Elizabeth Ramsden, of 10, Oxley St., City Rd., Bradford, Yorks. Died 27 June 1916. Aged 24. Born Thornton (Bradford), Enlisted Bradford.

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Private Thomas Thompson. 18520. 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Roseann and the late James Thompson, of Workington, Cumberland; husband of Ethel Maud Garrett (formerly Thompson), of 3, Brown's Buildings, Middleton St. George, Darlington. Died 28 May 1916. Aged 28. Born Workington (Cumberland), Enlisted Darlington, Resided Middleton St. George (Durham).

Select the thumbnail image (above) for a larger sized image. (Photo by Ray Gascoyne, <xixray@ex-greenhowards.com>

Private John Ernest Warriner, 3939. 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John and Sarah Warriner, of 60, Tees Ville, Normanby Rd., Eston, Yorks. Died 17 September 1916. Aged 21. Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Normanby (Eston).

Below are details of the graves of Lieutenant Henry Webber, the oldest recorded person to be killed in the war, and the two Lees, - father and son.

Select the thumbnail image (above) for a larger sized image. (Photo by Ray Gascoyne, <xixray@ex-greenhowards.com>

Lieutenant Henry Webber.7th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment. Son of William Webber, M.D., and Eliza Webber (nee Preston); husband of the late Emily Webber (nee Morris). Native of Horley, Surrey. For over 40 years a member of the London Stock Exchange. Henry Webber is the oldest known battle death recorded for the First World War. Killed 17 September 1916. Aged 67 (CWG register, - though his headstones gives his age as 68).

Select the thumbnail image (above) for a larger sized image. (Photo by Ray Gascoyne, <xixray@ex-greenhowards.com>)

Serjeant George Lee. 6029. "A" Bty. 156th Brigade Royal Field Artillery. Husband of Frances Lee, of 16, Talfourd Rd., Peckham Rd., London. His son, Cpl. Robert Frederick, also died on service in the same incident and is buried alongside. Killed 5 September 1916. Aged 44. Corporal Robert Frederick Lee. 6029. "A" Bty. 156th Brigade Royal Field Artillery. Son of Serjt. and Frances Lee, of 16, Talfourd Rd., Peckham Rd., London. His father, Serjt. George Lee, also died on service in the same incident and is buried alongside. Killed 5 September 1916. Aged 19.

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