Hem Farm Military Cemetery, Hem-Monacu
- Country France
- Total identified casualties 395 Find these casualties
- Region Somme
- Identified casualties from First World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 49.95364, Longitude: 2.83171
Location information
Monacu and Hem-Monacu are two villages about 13 kilometres south-east of Albert, a little south of the road from Albert to Peronne and north of the River Somme. Hem Farm Military Cemetery lies to the west of the village of Hem. 16 kilometres from Albert on the D938 (Albert-Peronne), turn south on to the D146 to Hem-Monacu. After 500 metres turn west onto the D1 to Curlu. Continue for 1.2 kilometres and then turn south. Hem Farm Military Cemetery can be seen next to a large farmhouse 300 metres down this road.
Visiting information
Wheelchair access to this site is possible, but maybe by alternative entrance. For further information regarding wheelchair access, please contact our enquiries dept. on 01628 634221.
History information
Hem-Monacu was captured by French troops in the Battles of the Somme 1916, and taken over by British troops later in the year. Hem Farm Military Cemetery was begun by British troops in January 1917, and used until the following March, and again in September 1918; and these graves now form part of Plot I, Rows E, F and G. It was greatly enlarged after the Armistice by the addition of graves from the battlefields on both sides of the Somme and from the following smaller cemeteries:- ACHILLE BRITISH CEMETERY, FLAUCOURT, on a trench named Achille Alley, about 1 kilometre East of Flaucourt. This cemetery, begun by French troops, was continued in February and March, 1917, by units of the 48th (South Midland) Division, and contained the graves of 55 soldiers from the United Kingdom. CLERY-SUR-SOMME FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, near the road to Marrieres Wood, where seven soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Canada were buried in January-March 1917 (the present French National Cemetery is on the Maricourt road). CLERY-SUR-SOMME GERMAN MILITARY CEMETERY, midway between Hem and Clery, which contained the graves of two R.A.F. Officers. CURLU FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, midway between Curlu and Hem Farm. Curlu was captured by the French on the 1st July 1916, and again by the 3rd Australian Division on the 28th August 1918, and the cemetery contained the graves of 46 Australian soldiers who fell in August and September 1918, and seven from the United Kingdom, all but one of whom fell in the same months. Thirty-two of these graves were taken to Hem Farm and 21 to Suzanne Military Cemetery No.3. FEUILLERES BRITISH CEMETERY, in the South part of the village, which contained the graves of 27 Australian soldiers who fell in August and September 1918. FRISE FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY, FEUILLERES, on the South bank of the Canal, midway between the two villages, in which one soldier from the United Kingdom was buried in April 1917. MEUDON BRITISH CEMETERY, FLAUCOURT (also known as Meudon Quarry Cemetery), near the North-East corner of Meudon Wood. This cemetery was made by the 1st Division in February and March 1917, and contained the graves of 22 soldiers from the United Kingdom. NEEDLE WOOD CEMETERY, CLERY-SUR-SOMME (also known as Andover Place) between Clery and Rancourt, which contained the graves of 18 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in the winter of 1916-17. There are now nearly 600, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, one-third are unidentified and a special memorial is erected to one soldier from the United Kingdom, believed to be buried among them. Another special memorial records the name of a soldier from the United Kingdom, buried in Clery-sur-Somme French Military Cemetery, whose grave was destroyed by shell fire. The cemetery covers an area of 2,198 square metres and is enclosed by a red brick wall.