GRATY COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Hainaut
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 50.63472 Longitude: 3.99739
Location Information
The village of Graty is located north-west of the town of Soignies off the N57. From the motorway A8 which runs between Brussels and Ath, turn off onto the N55 direction Soignies. Follow this road to the village of Hoves, turn right into rue de Graty and follow this road to Graty. On entering the village turn left into rue de Long-Bois and the cemetery is along on the right. The graves are located to the rear of the cemetery to the left of the centre path.
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.
Graty Communal Cemetery contains two Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, one of which is unidentified.
Burial Details:
322398 Trooper James Gilbert Macdonald, Royal Armoured Corps, 18th May 1940, aged 21. Plot IV. 3. 3.
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem unless stated otherwise
The village of Graty is located north-west of the town of Soignies off the N57. From the motorway A8 which runs between Brussels and Ath, turn off onto the N55 direction Soignies. Follow this road to the village of Hoves, turn right into rue de Graty and follow this road to Graty. On entering the village turn left into rue de Long-Bois and the cemetery is along on the right. The graves are located to the rear of the cemetery to the left of the centre path.
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.
Graty Communal Cemetery contains two Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, one of which is unidentified.
Burial Details:
322398 Trooper James Gilbert Macdonald, Royal Armoured Corps, 18th May 1940, aged 21. Plot IV. 3. 3.
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem unless stated otherwise
Above picture © André Vander Jeugd & Frans Kestemont
Pictures in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
Tombe du COMMONWEALTH au cimetière de Graty
A SOLDIER † 16-05-1940 à Graty
J.M.Mac DONALD † 18-05-1940 à Graty
Trooper 322398, Royal Armoured Corps, âgé de 21 ans
Témoignage d’un habitant de Graty, qui vécu cet incident :
Lors du passage du dernier soldat français, le 15 mai 1940, près de la ferme de « la Citadelle »(2) le long de la ligne de tram eu lieu un échange de coup de feu entre les allemands qui étaient au dépôt du tram(1) situé au centre du village de Graty et 2 volontaires anglais cachés dans un fossé prés de la route vers Silly(3), pour retarder l’avance allemande et favoriser la retraite des français.
Les corps ramené au village furent inhumé au cimetière de Graty
(en pointillé le tracé de la voie de tram)
Dans le registre paroissial, on peut lire :
Le 10-09-1944, 2 soldats anglais et 2 représentants de l’armée secrète vinrent à la messe dominical et se rendirent ensuite au cimetière, sur la tombe des 2 soldats anglais.
COMMONWEALTH grave in the cemetery of Graty
A SOLDIER † 16-05-1940 at Graty
J.M.Mac DONALD † 18-05-1940 at Graty
Trooper 322 398, Royal Armoured Corps, 21 years old
Testimony of a resident of Graty, who lived through the incident:
The last French soldier to cross the border, May 15, 1940, near the "Citadel" farm (2) along the tram line there was an exchange of shots between the Germans who were at the tram depot ( 1) located in the village center of Graty and two English volunteers who were hid in a ditch near the road to Silly (3), to delay the German advance and support the retreat of the French.
The bodies were taken back to the village and were buried in the cemetery of Graty
(Dotted the line of the tram tracks)
In the parish register, reads:
On 10-09-1944, two British soldiers and two representatives of the secret army came to Sunday Mass and then went to the cemetery to visit the graves of the two British soldiers.
A SOLDIER † 16-05-1940 à Graty
J.M.Mac DONALD † 18-05-1940 à Graty
Trooper 322398, Royal Armoured Corps, âgé de 21 ans
Témoignage d’un habitant de Graty, qui vécu cet incident :
Lors du passage du dernier soldat français, le 15 mai 1940, près de la ferme de « la Citadelle »(2) le long de la ligne de tram eu lieu un échange de coup de feu entre les allemands qui étaient au dépôt du tram(1) situé au centre du village de Graty et 2 volontaires anglais cachés dans un fossé prés de la route vers Silly(3), pour retarder l’avance allemande et favoriser la retraite des français.
Les corps ramené au village furent inhumé au cimetière de Graty
(en pointillé le tracé de la voie de tram)
Dans le registre paroissial, on peut lire :
Le 10-09-1944, 2 soldats anglais et 2 représentants de l’armée secrète vinrent à la messe dominical et se rendirent ensuite au cimetière, sur la tombe des 2 soldats anglais.
COMMONWEALTH grave in the cemetery of Graty
A SOLDIER † 16-05-1940 at Graty
J.M.Mac DONALD † 18-05-1940 at Graty
Trooper 322 398, Royal Armoured Corps, 21 years old
Testimony of a resident of Graty, who lived through the incident:
The last French soldier to cross the border, May 15, 1940, near the "Citadel" farm (2) along the tram line there was an exchange of shots between the Germans who were at the tram depot ( 1) located in the village center of Graty and two English volunteers who were hid in a ditch near the road to Silly (3), to delay the German advance and support the retreat of the French.
The bodies were taken back to the village and were buried in the cemetery of Graty
(Dotted the line of the tram tracks)
In the parish register, reads:
On 10-09-1944, two British soldiers and two representatives of the secret army came to Sunday Mass and then went to the cemetery to visit the graves of the two British soldiers.
Above information © Monique Delecosse
