BRAINE-LE-COMTE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Hainaut
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 50.61575 Longitude: 4.13196
Location Information
The village of Braine-le-Comte is located north-east of the town of Soignies on the N6. From the motorway E19 turn off at junction 19 (Nivelles-sud) onto the R24 direction Ronquieres. Follow the R24 to the junction with the N533 and turn left direction Ronquieres. Follow the N533 to the junction with the N6 in Braine-le-Comte. At the crossroads go straight over into rue E Moucheron and the communal cemetery is along on the right at the junction with Chemin des 10 Maisons. The graves are located to the left of the main path in the centre of the cemetery.
Historical Information
Braine-le-Comte Communal Cemetery contains the graves of 33 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War, all of whom died as prisoners of war. The cemetery also contains the graves of seven Second World War airmen.
Total Burials: 40.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 33. Total 33.
World War Two Identified Casualties: Australia 3, United Kingdom 3, Canada 1. Total 7.
The village of Braine-le-Comte is located north-east of the town of Soignies on the N6. From the motorway E19 turn off at junction 19 (Nivelles-sud) onto the R24 direction Ronquieres. Follow the R24 to the junction with the N533 and turn left direction Ronquieres. Follow the N533 to the junction with the N6 in Braine-le-Comte. At the crossroads go straight over into rue E Moucheron and the communal cemetery is along on the right at the junction with Chemin des 10 Maisons. The graves are located to the left of the main path in the centre of the cemetery.
Historical Information
Braine-le-Comte Communal Cemetery contains the graves of 33 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War, all of whom died as prisoners of war. The cemetery also contains the graves of seven Second World War airmen.
Total Burials: 40.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 33. Total 33.
World War Two Identified Casualties: Australia 3, United Kingdom 3, Canada 1. Total 7.
World War One Burials
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem unless stated otherwise
Click on Individual Headstone for Details
Pictures © Johan Pauwels
35412 Private
William Henry Croucher
2nd Bn. Essex Regiment
29th June 1918, aged 39.
Plot I. B. 2.
Son of William and Alice Croucher, of Farnham, Surrey; husband of Amy Florence Croucher, of 2, Oak Cottages, Heath End, Farnham, Surrey.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
William Henry Croucher
2nd Bn. Essex Regiment
29th June 1918, aged 39.
Plot I. B. 2.
Son of William and Alice Croucher, of Farnham, Surrey; husband of Amy Florence Croucher, of 2, Oak Cottages, Heath End, Farnham, Surrey.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
202815 Private
Harry George Mills
"A" Company, 1st Bn. Wiltshire Regiment
15th July 1918, aged 22.
Plot I. A. 12.
Son of Robert and Amelia Anne Mills, of Eastrop Cottage, Highworth, Wilts.
His headstone bears the inscription "Far Away Our Loved One Never Shall We Forget"
Harry George Mills
"A" Company, 1st Bn. Wiltshire Regiment
15th July 1918, aged 22.
Plot I. A. 12.
Son of Robert and Amelia Anne Mills, of Eastrop Cottage, Highworth, Wilts.
His headstone bears the inscription "Far Away Our Loved One Never Shall We Forget"
World War Two Burials
Pictures © Johan Pauwels
1290940 Sergeant
Cyril Alfred Bowes
Air Gunner in 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
30th July 1942.
Plot II. C. 6.
Cyril Alfred Bowes
Air Gunner in 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
30th July 1942.
Plot II. C. 6.
113935 Pilot Officer
Robert Hugh Curran
Obs. in 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
30th July 1942, aged 27.
Plot II. C. 7.
Son of Robert and Gertrude Curran, of Crowborough, Sussex.
Robert Hugh Curran
Obs. in 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
30th July 1942, aged 27.
Plot II. C. 7.
Son of Robert and Gertrude Curran, of Crowborough, Sussex.
J/16685 Pilot Officer
Leslie Foster
Pilot in 50 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
30th July 1942.
Plot II. C. 2.
Leslie Foster
Pilot in 50 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
30th July 1942.
Plot II. C. 2.
404406 Flight Sergeant
Cameron Duff Kennedy
Royal Australian Air Force
30th July 1942, aged 21.
Plot II. C. 1.
Cameron Duff Kennedy
Royal Australian Air Force
30th July 1942, aged 21.
Plot II. C. 1.
403451 Sergeant
Cyril John Stallard
Royal Australian Air Force
30th July 1942, aged 22.
Plot II. C. 3.
Son of Frederick Knight Stallard and Mary Beveridge Stallard, of East Maitland, New South Wales, Australia.
Cyril John Stallard
Royal Australian Air Force
30th July 1942, aged 22.
Plot II. C. 3.
Son of Frederick Knight Stallard and Mary Beveridge Stallard, of East Maitland, New South Wales, Australia.
1123342 Sergeant
Douglas John Ware
Flight Engineer in 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
30th July 1942, aged 19.
Plot II. C. 5.
Son of Charles E. and Florence Ware, of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire.
Douglas John Ware
Flight Engineer in 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
30th July 1942, aged 19.
Plot II. C. 5.
Son of Charles E. and Florence Ware, of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire.
401264 Sergeant
Allan Wyles
Royal Australian Air Force
30th July 1942, aged 31.
Plot II. C. 4.
Son of Robert John and Eva Florence May Wyles, of Malvern, Victoria, Australia.
Allan Wyles
Royal Australian Air Force
30th July 1942, aged 31.
Plot II. C. 4.
Son of Robert John and Eva Florence May Wyles, of Malvern, Victoria, Australia.
Pictures of headstones below © Werner Van Caneghem
R. A. F. Bomber crashes into Belgian town 30th July 1942
Courtesy of Jean-Michel Dominique
Around 3.30 a.m. on 30 July 1942, Lancaster I R5728 of 50 Squadron, Bomber Command was shot down by Oberleutnant Reinhold Eckardt of VII./NJG 3 from StAround 3.30 a.m. on 30 July 1942, Lancaster I R5728 of 50 Squadron, Bomber Command was shot down by Oberleutnant Reinhold Eckardt of VII./NJG 3 from St Trond, and crashed into the town of Braine-le-Comte, some 4 miles to the north-east of Soignies. There were no survivors.
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A SMALL TOWN, GREATLY MOVED
Sergeant Cyril Stallard was one of seven crew, including three Australians, killed when their Lancaster bomber crashed into the Belgian town of Braine-le-Comte on the morning of 30 July 1942. After the crash, the local Resistance movement took enormous risks to honour the men who lost their lives. Despite the presence of a German guard at the crash site, a Mr Gueuning recovered the butt of a rear turret machine gun, with the sole purpose of sending it to the gunner's next-of-kin as a memento. Gueuning forwarded photographs of the airmen's funeral and of the crash site to the relatives of the deceased. The funeral, he said, was 'in the presence of a large crowd, greatly moved'. Local foundryman Yvon Brancart made headstones of 'crazy mosaic glasswork', bearing each airman's name (where known) and the RAF roundel. At great personal risk – since the Germans made frequent inspections – Brancart hid the headstones in his factory until the town's liberation in early September 1944.
In May 1948, after the remains were identified and reinterred, Sgt Stallard's father sent a photograph of his son to Eugene Duquesne who, in keeping with Belgian custom, created an enamel likeness for the markers. In a touching gesture Mr. Duquesne sent Cyril Stallard's father photographs of the airmen's graves showing the headstone created by Brancart and, at its foot, a cross erected by the Germans. Duquesne's pictures of the grave of Stallard's felow crewman Allan Wyles are now held by the National Archives of Australia. The casualty report for the third Australian, Cameron Kennedy, sadly no longer exists. (naa.gov.au/collection/snapshots)
(Lancaster image at bottom of page © RAF Museum Hendon)
Sergeant Cyril Stallard was one of seven crew, including three Australians, killed when their Lancaster bomber crashed into the Belgian town of Braine-le-Comte on the morning of 30 July 1942. After the crash, the local Resistance movement took enormous risks to honour the men who lost their lives. Despite the presence of a German guard at the crash site, a Mr Gueuning recovered the butt of a rear turret machine gun, with the sole purpose of sending it to the gunner's next-of-kin as a memento. Gueuning forwarded photographs of the airmen's funeral and of the crash site to the relatives of the deceased. The funeral, he said, was 'in the presence of a large crowd, greatly moved'. Local foundryman Yvon Brancart made headstones of 'crazy mosaic glasswork', bearing each airman's name (where known) and the RAF roundel. At great personal risk – since the Germans made frequent inspections – Brancart hid the headstones in his factory until the town's liberation in early September 1944.
In May 1948, after the remains were identified and reinterred, Sgt Stallard's father sent a photograph of his son to Eugene Duquesne who, in keeping with Belgian custom, created an enamel likeness for the markers. In a touching gesture Mr. Duquesne sent Cyril Stallard's father photographs of the airmen's graves showing the headstone created by Brancart and, at its foot, a cross erected by the Germans. Duquesne's pictures of the grave of Stallard's felow crewman Allan Wyles are now held by the National Archives of Australia. The casualty report for the third Australian, Cameron Kennedy, sadly no longer exists. (naa.gov.au/collection/snapshots)
(Lancaster image at bottom of page © RAF Museum Hendon)
The memorial stone adjoining the seven graves (Plot 2 Row C Graves 1-7) was erected by Les Insoumis, a local Résistance organisation. The text of the tablet reads:
HERE REST THE BODIES OF THE BRAVE FALLEN ON SERVICE IN A FOREIGN LAND – FROM LES INSOUMIS TO THEIR GLORIOUS COMRADES
HERE REST THE BODIES OF THE BRAVE FALLEN ON SERVICE IN A FOREIGN LAND – FROM LES INSOUMIS TO THEIR GLORIOUS COMRADES
