CWGC Cemetery: ZOUAVE VALLEY CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ

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Local Information

Souchez is a village some 12 kilometres north of Arras on the main road to Bethune. Zouave Valley Cemetery is approximately 2 kilometres south-east of the village, and lies in the valley which extends southwards from Souchez on the western side of Vimy Ridge.

Historical Information

The cemetery is named from French Regiments which fought round Souchez in 1914-15. The cemetery was begun in May, 1916, and used until June, 1917. It suffered severely from shell fire. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves (which now form Plot I) from a wide area round Souchez. There are now nearly 250, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over a quarter are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 8 soldiers from the United Kingdom and 3 from Canada, known or believed to be buried among them. Five graves in Plot II, identified as a group but not individually, are marked by headstones bearing the additional words: "Buried near this spot". The cemetery covers an area of 1,533 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall. One German Soldier is buried in Plot II, Row G. Grave 2.