Bard Cottage Cemetery
- Admin
- Mar 8, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 22
The Bard Cottage Cemetery, CWGC, got its name from a cottage that stood on the other side of the road and was close to a bridge over the canal, Bard’s Causeway, now gone. Both the cottage and the cemetery were protected by a high bank, still visible today. The cemetery was begun in June 1915 and used until October 1918. Many of the graves here are from the 49th (West Riding) Division and the 38th (Welsh) Division, both of whom were involved in the trench raids in on 27 July 1917 at Caesar's Nose, and in the Third Battle of Ypres and the taking of Pilckem Ridge. The Royal Artillery is also represented as they had moved into this area during the Third Battle of Ypres to provide bombardment of the German lines from 16 July 1917 and in fire support to the advancing infantry.
Talbot House connection
Captain Thomas David, 4th Battalion, Welch Regiment, 27 July 1917, Grave III.G.31. He celebrated Easter at TOC-H. He was actually serving with the 15th Battalion when he was killed in action during a trench raid on 27 July at Caesar's Nose. The War Diary of the 15th Battalion, Welsh Regiment recorded that: ‘A party of 1 officer and 10 OR patrolled our front line to left of Caesar’s Nose. Third line reported to be lightly held. A patrol of 1 officer and 12 OR left our lines at 1.15am and reached German Second Line bringing back a prisoner who had given himself up in our right Post. He had a large number of Very Lights on him.’ They then reported on a practice barrage on the German lines at 5.15am that brought retaliatory fire down on their lines. Casualties were reported for the 27 July as 3 Officers killed, 3 wounded, and Other Ranks 21 killed, 53 wounded. 8 wounded (at duty), 13 missing.
FALKIRK DISTRICT MEN BURIED HERE
Falkirk Town
261st Btty, Royal Garrison Artillery
Age 36
17.8.1917
IV.D.27
2nd Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Age
11.8.17
IV.A.34
Carron & Carronshore
1/7 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Age 20
3.9.17
IV.E.30
Links to the area
96th Field Company, Royal Engineers
Age 22
17.8.17
IV.B.41
Native of Bonnybridge
Cemeteries concentrated here were:
Marengo Farm, originally named by the French who were located in this area, was the cemetery from where most of the graves in Bard Cottage were concentrated. This was used between June 1915 to August 1916.
Cemetery location
The Cemetery is located on the Diksmuidseweg road (N369) in the direction of Boezinge.
From Ieper station turn left into Fochlaan and go to the roundabout, turn right and go to the next roundabout. Here turn left and drive to the next roundabout, where you should turn right into Oude Veurnestraat. Take the second turning on the left, which is the Diksmuidseweg and carry on under the motorway bridge and the cemetery is another 300 metres on the left hand side of the road.
Burials:
UK – 1615
Canada – 9
Newfoundland – 6
South African – 2
British West Indian Regiment – 3
German – 4
There are Special Memorials to three soldiers Believed To Be/Known to Be buried in the cemetery in unnamed graves.
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