ATH (LORETTE) COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Hainaut
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 50.63449 Longitude: 3.79704
Image above © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
The town of Ath is located east of the town of Tournai on the N7. From the motorway E42 turn off at junction 32 onto the N7 direction Barry/Ath. Follow the N7 through Gaurain-Ramecroix, Barry, Leuze-en-Hainaut and Ligne to Ath. Keeping on the N7 go round the town and after crossing the railway for the second time take the first turning off, this road is called chaussee de Bruxelles. Then take the first turning left into dreve du Silence, the communal cemetery is at the end of this road. The graves are located to the right of the entrance in plots 2 and 15.
Historical Information
The British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.
Ath (Lorette) Communal Cemetery contains 17 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, four of them unidentified.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 13.
Unidentified Casualties: 4.
Location Information
The town of Ath is located east of the town of Tournai on the N7. From the motorway E42 turn off at junction 32 onto the N7 direction Barry/Ath. Follow the N7 through Gaurain-Ramecroix, Barry, Leuze-en-Hainaut and Ligne to Ath. Keeping on the N7 go round the town and after crossing the railway for the second time take the first turning off, this road is called chaussee de Bruxelles. Then take the first turning left into dreve du Silence, the communal cemetery is at the end of this road. The graves are located to the right of the entrance in plots 2 and 15.
Historical Information
The British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.
Ath (Lorette) Communal Cemetery contains 17 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, four of them unidentified.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 13.
Unidentified Casualties: 4.
Images in gallery below © Werner Van Caneghem
1791133 Corporal
Edward Thomas Burke
109 Provost Company, Corps of Military Police
10th September 1944, aged 39.
Edward Thomas Burke
109 Provost Company, Corps of Military Police
10th September 1944, aged 39.
T/14703038 Driver
Herbert Davis
Royal Army Service Corps
19th September 1944, aged 38.
Son of John and Elizabeth Davis, of Bradford, Yorkshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "And I Dwell In The House Of The Lord For Ever" Psalms XX111.6
Herbert Davis
Royal Army Service Corps
19th September 1944, aged 38.
Son of John and Elizabeth Davis, of Bradford, Yorkshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "And I Dwell In The House Of The Lord For Ever" Psalms XX111.6
7890 Serjeant
Robert Wilson Garland
1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Company
19th May 1940, aged 30.
Son of Robert and Barbara Garland, of Cupar, Fife; husband of Martha Shirley Garland.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember"
Robert Wilson Garland
1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Company
19th May 1940, aged 30.
Son of Robert and Barbara Garland, of Cupar, Fife; husband of Martha Shirley Garland.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember"
5112715 Private
Thomas John Street
8th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
25th May 1940, aged 20.
Son of Alfred and Charlotte Street, of Erdington, Birmingham.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Loving Memory Of Tom. Dearly Loved Son Of Charlotte & Alfred Street R. I. P."
Thomas John Street
8th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
25th May 1940, aged 20.
Son of Alfred and Charlotte Street, of Erdington, Birmingham.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Loving Memory Of Tom. Dearly Loved Son Of Charlotte & Alfred Street R. I. P."
Other Burial Details
4391912 Private Leonard Stanley Bell, 5th Bn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment), died 23rd May 1940, aged 21. Son of John Crawford Bell and Jane Bell, of Blyth, Northumberland.
4698545 Gunner John William Booth, Royal Artillery, died 28th September 1944, aged 22. Son of Mr and Mrs. G. W. Booth; husband of M. Booth; of Wombwell, Yorkshire. His headstone bears the inscription "You Are Forever In Our Thoughts, Darling, May You Rest In Peace"
1633399 Corporal Sydney Howard Hichens, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th September 1944.
5825889 Private Percy Price Jones, 1st Bn. Suffolk Regiment, died 19th May 1940, aged 29.
13045847 Serjeant Thomas James Power, 161 Company, Pioneer Corps, died 18th September 1944, aged 29. Son of Thomas James Power and Joanna Power; husband of Dorothy Molly Power, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man That He Lay Down His Life For His Friends"
4392048 Private James Richard Spratt, 5th Bn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment), died 19th May 1940, aged 21.
4391716 Private John David Stephenson, 5th Bn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment), died 19th May 1940, aged 21.
Son of Robert and Margaret Stephenson, of Shildon, Co. Durham. His headstone bears the inscription "The Midnight Stars Shine On The Grave Of One We Loved But Could Not Save"
86247 Second Lieutenant Francis Alan Way, Gloucestershire Regiment, died 19th May 1940, aged 23. Son of Francis Robert and Emily Way, of Laverstock, Wiltshire. B.A. (Cantab.).
T/5782714 Driver Ronald Thomas Charles Welham, 2 Army Troops Company, Royal Army Service Corps, died 14th September 1944, aged 22. Son of Charles William and Elsie Margaret Welham, of Upton Park, Essex. His headstone bears the inscription "Ever In Our Thoughts"
4391912 Private Leonard Stanley Bell, 5th Bn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment), died 23rd May 1940, aged 21. Son of John Crawford Bell and Jane Bell, of Blyth, Northumberland.
4698545 Gunner John William Booth, Royal Artillery, died 28th September 1944, aged 22. Son of Mr and Mrs. G. W. Booth; husband of M. Booth; of Wombwell, Yorkshire. His headstone bears the inscription "You Are Forever In Our Thoughts, Darling, May You Rest In Peace"
1633399 Corporal Sydney Howard Hichens, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 14th September 1944.
5825889 Private Percy Price Jones, 1st Bn. Suffolk Regiment, died 19th May 1940, aged 29.
13045847 Serjeant Thomas James Power, 161 Company, Pioneer Corps, died 18th September 1944, aged 29. Son of Thomas James Power and Joanna Power; husband of Dorothy Molly Power, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. His headstone bears the inscription "Greater Love Hath No Man That He Lay Down His Life For His Friends"
4392048 Private James Richard Spratt, 5th Bn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment), died 19th May 1940, aged 21.
4391716 Private John David Stephenson, 5th Bn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment), died 19th May 1940, aged 21.
Son of Robert and Margaret Stephenson, of Shildon, Co. Durham. His headstone bears the inscription "The Midnight Stars Shine On The Grave Of One We Loved But Could Not Save"
86247 Second Lieutenant Francis Alan Way, Gloucestershire Regiment, died 19th May 1940, aged 23. Son of Francis Robert and Emily Way, of Laverstock, Wiltshire. B.A. (Cantab.).
T/5782714 Driver Ronald Thomas Charles Welham, 2 Army Troops Company, Royal Army Service Corps, died 14th September 1944, aged 22. Son of Charles William and Elsie Margaret Welham, of Upton Park, Essex. His headstone bears the inscription "Ever In Our Thoughts"
