The cemetery marked the point beyond which military vehicles could not proceed towards the front line. The cemetery was in use from the beginning of the Battle of Messines in June 1917 until the German advance in March 1918. The Germans continued to use the cemetery until 29 September 1918 and they extended the cemetery to the north, however, with the exception of one grave from June 1918, their graves have been removed. The cemetery was originally sheltered by a large avenue of trees and was used in conjunction with a light trench railway. There are a large number of graves of men from New Zealand Regiments killed during the fighting of June to August 1917. The New Zealand 4th Infantry Brigade holding the line from Ploegsteert down to Warneton and La Basse-Ville.
I have taken a small sample from the various regiments, of the men who are buried here. They are listed in day/month/year of death.
Holz Brothers
39534 Private Allan Holz, 3rd Battalion Wellington Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Died 13 June 1917, age 38 Grave A.15. He was employed as a labourer when he enlisted in October 1916. 39535 Private Ernest John Julius Holz, 3rd Battalion Wellington Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Died 13 June 1917, age 26. Grave A.16. He was employed as a fitter when he enlisted in October 1916. When they enlisted both brothers claimed that they were 32 and 23 respectively. A third brother, William age 31, also enlisted at the same time. They were the sons of the late Julius (he died in 1915) and Bertha Holz, Wellington, New Zealand. They were German immigrants and were naturalised as British subjects in 1884. The brothers left New Zealand as part of the 21st Reinforcements in January 1917 and after further training in England went to France in May 1917. On the 13 June the three brothers were in billets at Pont-de-Nieppe when a German shell landed on the room they were sleeping in and killed Allan and Ernest and severely wounded William in the abdomen, wrist, hip and foot. His wounds meant that his service was over and he was evacuated back to New Zealand in July 1917. He married in 1919 and died in 1959.
Three men from Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
They were part of the attack on the opening day of the Battle of Messines.
2nd Lieutenant William Herbert Dickson, 2nd/4th Battalion The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade, 57th Division. Killed in action 7 June 1917. Grave A.1. Son of George and Mary Dickson. His father was a solicitor and William followed him into that profession before he was commissioned. His brother, Captain. Arthur Norman Dickson, M.C., Indian Medical Service, was a Medical Officer with the Indian Army with his service in India. He retired in 1934. His MC was gazetted on 1 June 1917 in the King’s Birthday Honours for meritorious service rather than for a specific act of gallantry. 200829 Private Richard Miller, ‘B’ Company, 2nd/4th Battalion The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade, 57th Division. Killed in action 7 June 1917, age 25. Grave A.2. He was married to Lottie and they lived at 68, Ribble Bank Street, Preston. They had no children. He was employed as a spinner when he enlisted on 16 October 1914 as a Territorial. The Army returned his possessions to his widow they consisted of 1 identity disc, this would have been of his own design, 1 AB50 small book which contained his personal details, notes and observations designed to help the soldier, letters, photographs, 1 watch (glass broken) and chain. 202259 Private John James Sharkey, 2nd/4th Battalion The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade, 57th Division. Killed in action 7 June 1917, age 34. Grave A.3. Son of Mary Sharkey, 17 Birley Street, Astley Bridge, Bolton. His epitaph reads PASSED FROM THE SHELL SWEPT FIELDS OF FRANCE TO THE CALM AND PEACE OF PARADISE. On the 7 June 1917, the Battle of Messines began with nineteen large mines being blown beneath the German strong points from Ploegsteert to St Eloi followed by a heavy barrage and infantry assault. The attack was a complete success with the Messines Ridge being taken. During this opening action the Battalion in the south holding the line south of the River Warnave. The Battalion sector was heavily shelled by 5.9 inch guns and shrapnel by the Germans with the War Diary recording that one officer and two other ranks killed, and 7 other ranks wounded with three other ranks sick.
2nd Lieutenant Ernest Stanford Cornford, 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Killed in action 7 July 1917, age 37. Grave C.16. Son of Arthur and Miriam Cornford, Maidstone, Kent. He had a married sister, Kate Hargrave, who also lived in Maidstone. He was employed by the Canterbury Education Board as a school teacher when he enlisted in Christchurch, New Zealand February 1915. He went to Egypt from 24 July to 6 August with 5th Reinforcements on 13 Jun 1915 as a Private in the 1st Canterbury Infantry Regiment and then to Gallipoli where he was wounded and spent some time in hospital in Alexandria. On recovering from his wounds he went to France and he was commissioned in June 1917 and joined the 2nd Battalion. On the night of 6/7 July the Germans mounted heavy bombing raids on the rear areas.
Captain William Allan Forsyth, 79th Squadron, RAF attached from 56th Brigade Royal Field Artillery. Mentioned in Despatches. Killed in action 27 June 1918, age 23. Grave C.28. Son of John and Mary H. Forsyth, 8 Panmure Place, Montrose. The Squadron was formed at Gosport on 1 August 1917 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. It was equipped with Sopwith Dolphin fighter aircraft in December 1917 and the squadron moved to France in February 1918. It specialised in low-level ground attack operations. On the 27 June 1918, William was flying his Sopwith Dolphin C3806 over Armentieres when he was brought down at 8.30am. He was initially posted as missing. He was buried in the cemetery by the Germans.
The cemetery was designed by G H Goldsmith.
Cemetery Location
Motor Car Corner Cemetery is located 17 Kms south of Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the Rijselseweg N365, which connects Ieper to Wijtschate, Mesen, Ploegsteert and on to Armentieres. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg. 2 Kms after the village of Ploegsteert lies the left hand turning onto Witteweg (Chemin de la Blanche). Follow the Witteweg (Chemin de la Blanche) for 300 metres and turn right into Drève de la Rabecque. The cemetery lies 300 metres further on the right hand side of the road.
Burials
UK – 36
Australian – 9
New Zealand – 84
German - 1
KUG – 2
Comments