Rancourt National Cemetery, World War I military cemetery in Somme, France.
Rancourt National Cemetery is a burial site holding around 5,300 individual graves and multiple ossuaries containing the remains of more than 8,500 French soldiers from the First World War. The grounds are laid out in organized rows of headstones with central memorial features marking different sections.
The cemetery took shape between 1921 and 1988 by gathering remains from temporary burial sites scattered along the former battle lines of the Somme campaign. It was created to consolidate burials after the massive losses on this major front during the war.
The three nearby cemeteries - French, German, and British - show how different nations chose to honor their fallen from the First World War in the same landscape. Walking through each reveals distinct naming customs and memorial styles that reflect how these countries remembered their soldiers.
The cemetery sits north of Péronne along the D44 road and welcomes visitors every day throughout the year. The grounds are extensive, so wearing comfortable shoes helps if you want to explore the full site and visit different sections.
An adjacent memorial chapel built in 1923 was dedicated by Madame Du Bos to her son, Lieutenant Jean Du Bos, who died during the 1916 Rancourt offensive. This personal memorial stands apart from the larger monuments and shows how individual families found ways to honor their lost loved ones at the site.
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