*VIRTUAL TOUR - The Somme Offensive Continued* Sucrerie Military Cemetery


SUCRERIE MILITARY CEMETERY


The Sucrerie Military Cemetery was established by French Troops early in the summer of 1915, and extended to the West by British Units from July 1915 until December 1918; originally, it was called the 10th Brigade Cemetery. Furthermore, during the German retreat in March 1917, it was never more than a mile from the Frontline, and from the end of March to August 1918, it was under fire from the Enemy. At the beginning of the Somme Offensive, 1st July 1916, 13 Men from The King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) were killed during the Battle of Serre, and are buried on this site, the remainder were either unidentified or buried in other Cemeteries around the Frontline. After the Armistice on the 11th November 1918, 285 French and 12 German Graves were removed to other Cemeteries, and as a consequence, there are gaps in the lettering of the Rows. There are now 1103, 1914 to 18 War fatalities Commemorated in this site. Of these 219 fatalities are unidentified.

On the site, there is a solitary Grave Stone, dedicated to Private James Crozier, who was executed in Mailly Mallet for Desertion. When the British Army went into action in the summer of 1914, many offences were punishable by death. This included mutiny, cowardice before the enemy, self-inflicted wounds, disobedience of a lawful order, desertion or attempted desertion, sleeping or being drunk on post, striking a superior Officer, casting away arms or ammunition in the presence of the enemy, leaving a post without orders, abandoning a position, and treacherously communicated with or in any way assisting the enemy. 

Brigadier-General Frank Percy Crozier admitted he ordered the shooting of sentries who fell asleep while on duty. He also described the execution of Private James Crozier of the Royal Irish Rifles:

There are hooks on the post; we always do things thoroughly in the Rifles. He is hooked on like dead meat in a butcher's shop. His eyes are bandaged - not that it really matters, for he is already blind... A volley rings out - a nervous volley it is true, yet a volley. Before the fatal shots are fired, I had called the battalion to attention. There is a pause, I wait. I see the medical officer examining the victim. He makes a sign, the subaltern strides forward, a single shot rings out. Life is now extinct... We march back to breakfast while the men of a certain company pay the last tribute at the graveside of an unfortunate comrade. This is war! 
Victor Silvester was a member of the firing-squad in 1916:
The tears were rolling down my cheeks as he went on attempting to free himself from the ropes attaching him to the chair. I aimed blindly, and when the gunsmoke had cleared away, we were further horrified to see that, although wounded, the intended victim was still alive. Still blindfolded, he was attempting to make a run for it still strapped to the chair. The blood was running freely from a chest wound. An officer in charge stepped forward to put the finishing touch with a revolver held to the poor man's temple. He had only once cried out, and that was when he shouted the one word mother. He could not have been much older than me. We were told later that he had in fact been suffering from shell-shock, a condition not recognised by the army at the time. Later I took part in four more such executions.
At total of 304 Men were executed during the First World War, while another 18 suffered the same fate while waiting to leave the Army after the signing of the Armistice. Of those executed, the vast majority, 286, committed the offence while in the Trenches on the Western Front.



Directions
You should continue your tour by following your SatNav back to your hotel. However, should you prefer not to use modern technology, follow our route from the Cemetery towards Mailly Maillet on Rue de Mailly Maillet (D919). From Mailly Mallet, turn right towards Englebelmer on the Rue Eugène Dupre (D129). Continue on the D129 towards Albert, after around four miles you will arrive at a T junction, turn right onto the Rue de Bois towards Albert (D50). Once in the centre of Albert, go straight across the crossroads, onto Avenue du General Leclerc (D979), continue on the D979 all the way to Amiens When you arrive at Amiens, follow the reverse of your outward journey, back to your hotel.

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