MESMONT CHURCHYARD
Ardennes
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 49.61549, Longitude: 4.4002
Location Information
Mesmont is a village and commune just over 18 miles (29 kilometres) south-west of Mezieres and about 8 miles (13 kilometres) north of Rethel. It lies 1.25 miles north-west of the main road (N.385) from Rethel to Signy L'Abbaye. The nearest railway station is Rethel on the Paris-Luxembourg line, where taxis are available to supplement the poor bus service between Rethel and Mesmont. In the churchyard, near the south-eastern corner, are the graves of seven airmen. Five of them belonged to the Royal Air Force and two to the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Mesmont is a village and commune just over 18 miles (29 kilometres) south-west of Mezieres and about 8 miles (13 kilometres) north of Rethel. It lies 1.25 miles north-west of the main road (N.385) from Rethel to Signy L'Abbaye. The nearest railway station is Rethel on the Paris-Luxembourg line, where taxis are available to supplement the poor bus service between Rethel and Mesmont. In the churchyard, near the south-eastern corner, are the graves of seven airmen. Five of them belonged to the Royal Air Force and two to the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
The Airmen from 15 Squadron were all killed on 28th August 1942
R/76533 Warrant Officer Class II
Edmond William John Gilson 15 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force 28th August 1942. |
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650253 Flight Sergeant
Victor George Lawrence
15 Squadron, Royal Air Force
28th August 1942, aged 20.
Son of Job and Winifred Lawrence, of Gloucester; husband of Mavis Lawrence.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Beloved Memory"
Victor George Lawrence
15 Squadron, Royal Air Force
28th August 1942, aged 20.
Son of Job and Winifred Lawrence, of Gloucester; husband of Mavis Lawrence.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Beloved Memory"
937889 Sergeant
Arthur Graham Oswin
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
28th August 1942, aged 31.
The following information provided by Andy Beardsley-Hough
Arthur Graham Oswin, known as Graham in the family, was born in 1919, the first child of Nellie and George Oswin of 9 Woodbridge Road, Leicester (all previously from Sileby Leicestershire). He was named after Nellie's older brother Arthur Graham Weston, a soldier in the First World War, who died in action on 21 April 1917 in Flanders aged 26 and is buried in Étaples Military Cemetery. Graham was 23 years old when he died.
His father George was the brother of my grandmother Margaret Oswin, whose daughter was Betty Perry (my mother). They were all from Sileby.
My mother often told me how on his final leave home, he visited his aunt, uncle and cousins. As he was leaving, he said goodbye, but spent a moment looking around the room at everyone, as if he knew it was the last time he would see them.
The first photograph below is a larger image of Arthur.
The second photograph is a letter to his father from one of his crew, John Williams, who had not been with them on their fateful flight. It mentions a photo (third photo) which shows Graham (second from left) and John (second from right) with four of their colleagues who are all buried in this Churchyard. Sadly, there is a John Williams from 15 Squadron killed aged 31 on 19 February 1943, buried in Ameland Cemetery, Netherlands.
Arthur Graham Oswin
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
28th August 1942, aged 31.
The following information provided by Andy Beardsley-Hough
Arthur Graham Oswin, known as Graham in the family, was born in 1919, the first child of Nellie and George Oswin of 9 Woodbridge Road, Leicester (all previously from Sileby Leicestershire). He was named after Nellie's older brother Arthur Graham Weston, a soldier in the First World War, who died in action on 21 April 1917 in Flanders aged 26 and is buried in Étaples Military Cemetery. Graham was 23 years old when he died.
His father George was the brother of my grandmother Margaret Oswin, whose daughter was Betty Perry (my mother). They were all from Sileby.
My mother often told me how on his final leave home, he visited his aunt, uncle and cousins. As he was leaving, he said goodbye, but spent a moment looking around the room at everyone, as if he knew it was the last time he would see them.
The first photograph below is a larger image of Arthur.
The second photograph is a letter to his father from one of his crew, John Williams, who had not been with them on their fateful flight. It mentions a photo (third photo) which shows Graham (second from left) and John (second from right) with four of their colleagues who are all buried in this Churchyard. Sadly, there is a John Williams from 15 Squadron killed aged 31 on 19 February 1943, buried in Ameland Cemetery, Netherlands.
J/7464 Pilot Officer
Eric Courtenay Patterson 15 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force 28th August 1942. |
Click image to enlarge
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Other Burials
625479 Sergeant Kenneth Hawthorn, Royal Air Force, aged 22. Son of Richard and Ann Hawthorn. His headstone bears the inscription "Always In Our Thoughts.
1267163 Sergeant John Outram Ludgate, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, aged 21. Son of Lionel Osborne Ludgate and Kate Elizabeth Ludgate, of North Harrow, Middlesex.
1316406 Sergeant Gerald Victor Payne, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, aged 19. Son of George and Blanche Payne, of Cowbridge, Glamorgan. His headstone bears the inscription "He Died For Those He Loved; Those Who Loved Him Remember"
625479 Sergeant Kenneth Hawthorn, Royal Air Force, aged 22. Son of Richard and Ann Hawthorn. His headstone bears the inscription "Always In Our Thoughts.
1267163 Sergeant John Outram Ludgate, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, aged 21. Son of Lionel Osborne Ludgate and Kate Elizabeth Ludgate, of North Harrow, Middlesex.
1316406 Sergeant Gerald Victor Payne, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, aged 19. Son of George and Blanche Payne, of Cowbridge, Glamorgan. His headstone bears the inscription "He Died For Those He Loved; Those Who Loved Him Remember"
