Blauwepoort Farm Cemetery
- Admin
- Jul 21
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 7
This CWGC cemetery was begun by a French Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins in November 1914 and used by Commonwealth troops from February 1915 to February 1916. The French graves were removed after the Armistice.
Writing in his diary later published under the title 'The War Diary of the Master of Belhaven 1914-1918', Lt Colonel, The Hon. Ralph Gerard Alexander Hamilton, recorded his time when commanding an artillery brigade as part of 24th Divisional Artillery when in the line near to Blauwepoort Farm. Hamilton was to be killed in action on Easter Sunday 31 March 1918, at Avre near Amiens, while commanding 106th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Throughout May and June 1917, he was located at Transport Farm dugouts with his battery in the adjoining fields and he later moved his HQ into the open in a collection of dugouts located behind his ‘B’ and ‘C’ Batteries at Blauwepoort Farm. From here he observed the detonation of the mines at Hill 60 on 7 June 1917. On the 5 June he recorded: ‘A black day. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Batteries have been shelled all day, and it is still going on now at 11pm. Ellis, my best subaltern, has been mortally wounded in the head by a piece of 5.9. As for the battery position, it has practically ceased to exist.’ He later wrote on 7 June: ‘… I have just had a telegram from the Casualty Clearing Station at Poperinghe to say that Ellis died of his wounds yesterday (6 June) afternoon.' Lieutenant John Chute Ellis, age 30, is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Grave X.A.44. Son of the late Thomas Chute Ellis and Agnes Ellis. Native of Benara, Mount Gambier, South Australia.
The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
There are 16 men buried here from the 5th Battalion. This is a small selection of men from the 5th Battalion, 26th Infantry Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division who were killed in action during October 1915. Killed in action 10 October 1915 - 8694 Company Sergeant Major Hugh McDonald, ‘C’ Company, age 25. Grave C.10. Son of Donald and Lily McDonald, 4 Bristo Port, Edinburgh. Originally from Elgin. The Battalion was in the line at The Bluff occupying trenches 33,34, and 35 with the War Diary recording the proximity of the trenches to the German line being no more than 25 yards and with no barbed wire. The War Diary simply records that Hugh was killed along with one other man 18684 Private G Horne. Killed in action 12 October 1915 – S/14531 Private William Thomson Smith, age 26. Grave C.9. Son of James and Annie Thomson Smith, 10 Caird Drive, Partickhill, Glasgow. Originally from Beith, Ayrshire. William was employed as a Bank Clerk when he enlisted on 11 September 1914 and went to France on 10 May 1915 to join the Battalion from the Base Camp. The Battalion was in the line at The Bluff and the War Diary records that they were strengthening the trenches with loop holes to reduce the effects of the snipers. The War Diary records that William was ‘Killed’ with the casualties recorded as ‘Killed 1, wounded 2, Sick 1.’ Killed in action 13 October 1915 - 9097 Corporal William Fender Gibson, age 22. Grave C.8. Son of Andrew and Agnes Gibson, 154 Morrison Street, Edinburgh. He had a sister and two younger brothers. The Commonwealth War Graves record him as 2nd Battalion. The War Diary records that there was heavy fire to the right in the vicinity of St Eloi. At 4pm a mist was reported as gas over the Battalion lines and at 4.30pm shelling on the Reserve Trench 34. William was recorded as ‘Killed’ with one other man wounded and another recorded as sick.
Killed in action 15 October 1915 – There were nine men killed on this day. At 1.30am The Germans blew a small mine outside the trenches held by the Camerons - S/18444 Private James Merry Scouler, age 18. Grave C.19. Son of Gilbert and Lizzie Scoular, 12 East Shaw Street, Kilmarnock. They later emigrated to Canada. James was employed as a Labourer when he enlisted on 1 June 1915 giving his age as nineteen. S/18461 Private George Aitken, age 22. Grave C.23. Son of George and Agnes Aitken, 2, The Square, Newtongrange, Midlothian. George was employed as a Miner at the Lady Victoria Pit in Newtongrange, and gave his age as 18 when he enlisted on 10 June 1911. Within three months of joining he claimed discharge with a payment of £10. He enlisted on the outbreak of the war. The War Diary recording the events.
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
There are three men from the Black Watch buried here and all from the 8th Battalion, 26th Infantry Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. Killed in action 6 October 1915 - 3687 Private Thomas Crawford, age 24. Grave C.14. Son of William and Helen Jeffries Crawford, 180 Wellington Street, Motherwell. He was employed as a Pit Pony Driver before he enlisted. He served at the Battle of Loos. 3699 Private Alfred Walkden, ‘C’ Company, age 21. Grave C.13. Son of James and Sarah Alice Walkden, 35 Harehill Road., Littleborough, Manchester. He had two younger sisters and two younger brothers. The 1911 Census shows Alfred employed as a Cotton Weaver and living with his parents. Killed in action 8 October 1915 - 10071 Private Frank Amos. Killed in action 8 October 1915, age U/K. Grave C.12. He enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery and then later transferred to the Black Watch. The War Diary records that for the period 4 to 9 October they were in the line occupying trenches 33 to 35 at the Bluff, having relieved the Border Regiment in trenches 34 to 35, and the South Staffordshires in trench 33. They were relieved by the 5th Battalion Cameron Highlanders during the night of 9/10 October and went into Brigade Reserve with ‘D’ Company at Battalion HQ located at Bedford House and the three other companies remaining further forward. The Battalion casualties for the month of October were 15 Other Ranks killed, and 10 Wounded.
Royal Scots Fusiliers
There are four men from the 6th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, 27th Infantry Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. Three were killed in action on 24 October 1915 and one on 26 October 1915. Killed in action 24 October 1915 - 12009 Private J Duffy, age U/K. Grave C.2. 17617 Private David Anderson, age 42. Grave C.3. David was born in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, the District next door to Falkirk. He was married to Mary and they had two children David and Isabella and they lived at 37d Greenfield Street, Alloa. He was employed as a Colliery Engineman when he enlisted. 17053 Private John Weir, age 42. Grave C.4. Husband of Margaret Weir they had two children Elizabeth born in 1903 and John born in 1906, and they lived at 11 Old Street, Riccarton, Kilmarnock. The War Diary records that the Battalion had relieved the 5th Cameron Highlanders in trenches 33 to 36 and on the morning of 24 October there was a considerable amount of rifle fire and the Battalion had several casualties. Killed in action 26 October 1915 - 19321 Private John Edward Partridge, age 38. Grave C.1. Husband of Nellie Partridge, 116 Bolton Hall Road, Bolton Wood, Bradford, Yorks. The War Diary records that it was a quiet day with the enemy sending over trench mortar shells in retaliation for the British shelling their trenches with most of the German mortar shells landing in the support trenches in the area known as The Ravine. They also shelled each other billets with heavy artillery.
King’s Own Scottish Borderers
There is one man form 2nd Battalion, KOSB, 13th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division. 11308 L/Cpl John Todd, Killed in action 9 April 1915, age 21. Grave A.1. Nephew of John Todd, of Main Street, Norham, Berwick. The War Diary records that the Battalion was in the line at ‘Sector C’ the Bluff occupying trenches 33 to 36 from the 7 to 10 April 1915. The casualties recorded for the 9 April are one killed and three wounded.
Artillery
There were many gun sites in this area. There is only one man from the Royal Field Artillery buried here. 4148 Gunner Thomas James Evans DCM, ‘C/52’ Battery, 52nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, 9th (Scottish) Division. Killed in action 20 December 1915, age U/K. Grave E.1. The War Diary records his death as 19 December 1915. At 5.30am on 19 December very heavy firing broke out all along the line with gas shells falling on the Brigade HQ and successive waves of gas shells were fired until 8.30am. Nearly all the telephone wires were cut by 6am. The worst of the gas was in Ypres and also near the canal and the linesmen who were out mending the wire. The batteries A/52 and C/52 escaping the gas altogether and C/53 was heavily shelled all day with one officer and four men killed by a direct hit. Thomas was one of the linesmen and he was killed along with another man 33351 Gunner W Owens.
North and South Staffordshire Regiments
Row D contains the graves of 24 men killed in action during August and September 1915.
Location
Blauwepoort Farm Cemetery is located 3 kilometres south east of Ieper town centre, on a single track road leading from the Komenseweg, connecting Ieper to Komen (N336). From Ieper town centre the Komenseweg is located via the Rijselstraat, through the Rijselpoort (Lille Gate) and crossing the Ieper ring road, towards Armentieres and Lille. The road name then changes to Rijselseweg. 1 kilometre along the Rijselseweg lies the left hand turning onto Komenseweg. 2 kilometres along the Komenseweg lies the right hand turning to the cemetery (towards house number 34 Komenseweg). The cemetery lies 500 metres at the end of this track.
The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.
Burials
UK – 83
Known Unto God - 7
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