Historical  Information (Source: CWGC)

The Extension was begun by the 49th (West Riding) Division in October, 1918, after the capture of the village on the 10th. The 31 graves then made are now in Plot V; Plots I to IV were made after the Armistice, by the concentration of graves from smaller cemeteries and from the battlefields of Cambrai. Among the graves thus concentrated were those of many Lancashire Fusiliers and King's Own Royal Lancasters who fell in August, 1914.

There are now nearly 450, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over a quarter are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four soldiers of the 8th Northumberland Fusiliers, buried in Eswars German Cemetery, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. The grave of one American soldier has been removed to another cemetery. The Extension covers an area of 1,446 square metres and is enclosed by a low red brick wall.

Citation

An extract from "The London Gazette," No. 31155, dated 28th Jan., 1919, records the following:- " For most conspiuous bravery on the 14th October, 1918, when with a party of sappers maintaining a cork float bridge across the Canal de la Sensee near Aubencheul-au-Bac. The further end of the bridge was under close machine gun fire and within reach of hand grenades. When Infantry just before dawn were crossing it, clossing up resulted and the bridge began to sink and break. Accompanied by a sapper, he jumped into the water and endeavoured to hold the cork and timbers together, but this they failed to do. Cpl. McPhie then swam back, and, having reported the broken bridge, immediately started to collect material for repair. It was now daylight. Fully aware that the bridge was under close fire and that the far bank was almost entirely in the hands of the enemy, with the inspiring words " It is death or glory work which must be done for the sake of our patrol on the other side,"  he led the way, axe in hand, on to the bridge and was at once severely wounded, falling partly into the water, and died after receiving several further wounds. It was due to the magnificant example set by Cpl. McPhie that touch was maintained with the patrol on the enemy bank at a most critical period." 

Grave Reference: II. E. 4.

(Source: Wikipedia)