The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has rededicated the graves of Lieutenant (Lt) Alfred Owen Cookson, Hawke Battalion, RND, who died on October 8, 1918, and Sub-Lieutenant (Sub-Lt) John Francis St. Clair Barton, Hood Battalion, RND, who died on March 13, 1918, at its Proville British Cemetery (ADS) Cemetery in France and its Ribecourt British Cemetery in France, respectively.
The service for Lt. Cookson, which was organised by the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the “MOD War Detectives,” was attended by several members of the family.
The Very Reverend David Conroy, Deputy Fleet Chaplain, presided over both ceremonies with assistance from Royal Navy personnel.
According to Nicola Nash JCCC
These two gallant young men participated in practically all of the key battles fought on the Western Front throughout the entire First World War.
That they both perished so near to the Armistance is terrible.
It is an honour to be present today to pay our respects to them and to see their names on their grave markers.
manner of death
In the final 100 days of the war, when the Allied counteroffensive finally broke through the Hindenburg Line and drove the Germans back, the Hawke Battalion was at the forefront of the advance to victory.
According to the war diary of the battalion, Lt. Cookson passed away as a result of wounds sustained during an attack on the village of Niergnies, which is located outside of Cambrai.
Lt. Cookson was killed at the age of 24.
According to the Hood Battalion war diary, on March 10, 1918, they replaced the Hawke Battalion in the front-line system in Ribecourt’s centre.
Over the course of the subsequent days, they came under heavy gas shelling, which resulted in the evacuation and injury of several men.
The war diary notes that Sub-Lt. Barton, who had just turned 22, was killed while on patrol on March 13, 1918.
David Conroy, a Very Reverend, said:
The statement “We will remember them” was frequently used during our celebrations in November.
It was an honour to fulfil that pledge today on behalf of the country.
Xavier Puppinck, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Area Director for France, said:
We had the honour of dedicating new grave markers to Lt. Cookson and Sub-Lt. Barton in our cemetery in France today.
In the last year of the First World War, these two gallant young men lost their lives while defending their nation.
We will always take care of their graves.