Ancre British Cemetery is about 2 kilometres south of the village of Beaumont-Hamel, on the D50 between Albert and Achiet le Grand.

The village of Beaumont-Hamel was attacked on the 1st July 1916, by the 29th Division, with the 4th on its left and the 36th (Ulster) on its right, but without success. On the 3rd September, a further attack was delivered between Hamel and Beaumont-Hamel. On the 13th and 14th November, the 51st (Highland), 63rd (Royal Naval), 39th and 19th (Western) Divisions captured Beaumont-Hamel, Beaucourt-sur-Ancre and St. Pierre-Divion. In the spring of 1917 the V Corps cleared this battlefield and created a number of cemeteries, of which Ancre British Cemetery (then called Ancre River No. 1 British Cemetery, V Corps Cemetery No. 26) was one. It contained 517 graves, almost all of the 63rd and 36th Divisions; but after the Armistice 1,965 graves from the same battlefields, and from certain smaller burial grounds, were concentrated into it. The cemetery now contains the graves of 2,446 soldiers (including sailors and Marines of the Royal Naval Division) from the United Kingdom; 32 soldiers from Newfoundland, two from New Zealand and one from South Africa; and one German soldier. The unnamed graves are 1,335 in number, or rather more than half the total; and special memorials are erected to 33 officers and men from the United Kingdom and ten from Newfoundland, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 16 soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. The great majority of the officers and men buried here fell on the 1st July, the 3rd September or the 13th November 1916. 

The following were among the burial grounds (all in the commune of Beaumont-Hamel) from which British graves were removed to this cemetery: 

ANCRE RIVER BRITISH CEMETERY No. 2 (V Corps Cemetery No. 27), about 400 yards East of No. I, containing the graves of 64 officers and men from the United Kingdom (mainly 1st H.A.C., 11th Royal Sussex, and Hood Battalion) who fell in September and November, 1916. 
BEAUCOURT STATION CEMETERY, begun after the capture of Beaucourt by the R.N.D. on the 14th November, 1916, and containing the graves of 85 officers and men from the United Kingdom who fell in November, 19th March, 1917. It was close to Beaucourt-Hamel station. 
GREEN DUMP CEMETERY, on the South-West side of "Station Road", between Beaumont-Hamel and the station. It was used from November, 1916, to March, 1917, and it contained the graves of 45 soldiers and one Marine from the United Kingdom. 
R.N.D. CEMETERY (V Corps Cemetery No. 21), in the open country midway between Beaumont-Hamel and Hamel. It contained the graves of 336 officers and men from the United Kingdom, mainly of the Royal Naval Division. 
SHERWOOD CEMETERY (V Corps Cemetery No. 20), about 700 yards North-West of the R.N.D. Cemetery. It contained the graves of 176 officers and men from the United Kingdom, belonging chiefly to the 36th and Royal Naval Divisions, the 17th Sherwood Foresters and the 17th King's Royal Rifles.
STATION ROAD CEMETERY, on the South side of "Station Road", 500 yards West of the railway. This cemetery was used, from November, 1916, to March, 1917, for the burial of 82 officers and men from the United Kingdom. 
"Y" RAVINE CEMETERY No. 2 (V Corps Cemetery No. 18), about 300 yards South-East of the present "Y" Ravine Cemetery. Here were buried 140 officers and men from the United Kingdom and two from Newfoundland, who fell in July, September and November, 1916.