Becourt Miltary Cemetery, Somme, France

Becourt and Albert villages were behind the lines for the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and were important areas during that time as well as before. Becordel-Becourt was the location of a large artillery depot, and many troops bivouacked here as they made their way up the lines. The village lies in a valley, and so was protected from the lines near Fricourt to the east by the contours of the land. Because of this, it was also an area used by the medical facilities of the Army; the 14th Field Ambulance were based here for the start of the Battle of the Somme with other Field Ambulance units being sited here later during the battles, and there were also Advanced Dressing Stations here as well. The Military Cemetery was begun in August, 1915, by the 51st (Highland) Division, and carried on by other Divisions in the line until the Battles of the Somme, 1916. It continued in use, chiefly by Field Ambulances, until April, 1917 another plot was made by the 18th Division at the end of August, 1918. There are over 700 casualties buried here.

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Pte. William S. Mackay