London 25th Regt

Medal card : Pte. - London Regt 2304
Medal roll : Pte., 25 Lond. R. Theatre of War 1(a) 19.12.15 to 9.2.16., D.W. 9.2.16.

'Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19' under the heading "25th (County of London) Battalion (Cyclists)" :-

Hedger, Walter Stanley, resident Victoria Park, enlisted Fulham, 2304, Cyc., died of wounds., France & Flanders, 9 Feb 1916.

In Memory of

Private Walter Stanley HEDGER

2304, 25th Bn., London Regiment (Cyclists)

who died on 09 February 1916

Brother of Mr. A. Hedger, of "Inthlankuk," Parkway, Ruislip Manor, Mdx.

Remembered with honour, Bethune Town Cemetery, Grave Ref. V. A. 5.

Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Bethune Town Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
For much of the First World War, Bethune was comparatively free from bombardment and remained an important railway and hospital centre, as well as a corps and divisional headquarters. The 33rd Casualty Clearing Station was in the town until December 1917. Early in 1918, Bethune began to suffer from constant shell fire and in April 1918, German forces reached Locon, five kilometres to the north. The bombardment of 21 May did great damage to the town and it was not till October that pressure from the Germans was relaxed. Bethune Town Cemetery contains 3,004 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, including 26 men of the 1/8th Manchester Regiment who were killed by a bomb on 22 December 1917 while marching to rest billets. Second World War burials number 19. There are also 122 French and 87 German war graves. The Commonwealth section of the cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Bethune is a town 29 kilometres north of Arras . The cemetery can easily be found, from any point in Bethune, by following the French signs indicating 'CIMETIERE NORD'. More precisely, from the town centre, turn right in front of the Tribunal and second right at the bottom of the road down to the cul-de-sac where the cemetery will be found.

[Courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commission]