Strand Military Cemetery
Updated: Aug 2
Strand Military Cemetery, only acquiring its current name following the grave concentrations here after the Armistice. It was known as The Australian Central Dressing Station 'Charing Cross' by the troops. Nearby was a trench called Broadway that ended at Dead Horse Corner, just north of Piccadilly Circus at the end of a trench called the Strand, which was a major route for troops moving eastward through Ploegsteert Wood. In October 1914, two burials were made at this place, close to an Advanced Dressing Station. The cemetery was not used between October 1914 and April 1917, but in April-July 1917 Plots I to VI were completed when 351 graves were added 232 of which are Australian. Plots VII to X were made after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from some small cemeteries and from the battlefields lying mainly between Wytschaete and Armentieres. The cemetery was in German hands for a few months in 1918, but was very little used by them. The Charing Cross Dressing Station itself is still in place and is used as a part aviary and part tool shed by the farmer on whose land it stands.
One of the Australian burials is that of Lance Corporal Herbert Prior, 34th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force who was commemorated on 7 June 2002. Research indicated that he was ‘Believed to be Buried in the cemetery’ as his headstone indicates. He had been killed in Bunhill Row on 10 June 1917 during a German bombardment. He had been taken to the Charing Cross Dressing Station plot and buried, but his grave was lost in subsequent artillery bombardments.
FALKIRK AND DISTRICT MEN BURIED HERE
Stenhousemuir
‘B’ Company 7th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Age 21
29.3.15
VIII.I.7
Son of Andrew & Elizabeth Chesney, 2 Munro Street, Stenhousemuir
Christmas Truce Casualty
8281 Private Jeremiah Harrington, 2nd Battalion Leinsters Regiment, 17th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division. Killed in action 25 December 1914. Grave IX.F.8. Son of Bridget Harrington, 4 Davett Place, Kenmare, County Kerry. The Battalion was in the line at L'Epinette and on the 25 December the War Diary records: 'Christmas Day, without previous arrangement, but apparently by mutual consent, this has been a day of peace. No shots have been fired on our right or centre but on the left there has been a little hostile sniping..... Our men have been digging outside of their trenches while the Germans have buried some dead that lay between the two lines.... The enemy opposite us are the 139th Saxon Regt, and consist largely of Landwehr and young
soldiers.' They then obtained some excellent intelligence by noting that an artillery officer and some artillery privates were amongst the Germans. The War Diary went on: 'For the most part the men are small but of good physique and remarkably content and confident of victory.' The War diary also recorded that 'Christmas cards from HM the King and HM the Queen, and presents from HRH Princess Mary received and issued to the troops today.' The gift received from Princess Mary was a brass tin with a distinctive design and contained a packet of tobacco and a packet of cigarettes, and a portrait photograph of Princess Mary. The War Diary recorded that one man was killed and three wounded by snipers on the left of the Battalion line, despite the truce holding in the centre and right of the line.
First Canadian officer killed in WW1
Lieutenant Duncan Peter Bell-Irving, 2nd Field Company, 1st Canadian Divisional Engineers. Killed in action 26 February 1915, age 27. Grave X.H.9. He was born in Bushey, Middlesex and was the son of Duncan and Ethell Bell-Irving, 1121 Seaton Street, Vancouver. He was a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston with three years’ service. He gave his profession as a Surveyor and Architect when he enlisted on the 24 September 1914 in Vancouver. On the 20 February 1915 the Company was inspected by Field Marshal Sir John French C-in-C BEF with the War Diary also recording that ‘Capt Robertson, Lts Bell-Irving & Mathieson return from interesting nights instruction in the trenches.’ On the 25 February Duncan was in an advanced post between 30 to 40 yards from a German sniping post when he was shot and killed at 11.20pm on 25 February. The War Diary records: ‘Corporal Fenwick reported to Capt. Irving that Lt Bell-Irving was shot and instantly killed last night about 11.30.’ The War Diary then records: ‘.. to find Chaplain McQueen & relatives of Lt Bell-Irving in that vicinity – Capt Irving made arrangements re funeral securing casket – chaplain was found but relatives were not.’ Rather odd that they talk of relatives. His funeral took place at 2.30pm with the War Diary recording: ‘Burial service held at Hospital – Company Officers and others attending – also men of his section – who acted as bearers. Buried in hospital yard about one mile east of Armentieres.’ He was the first Canadian officer to be killed in action during the First World War and died at the 2nd Canadian Field Ambulance. He was originally buried in Le Bizet Convent Military Cemetery and his body exhumed and reburied here after the Armistice.
Royal Army Medical Corps
Captain Geoffrey Alwyn Gershom Bonser, RAMC attached 12th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, 94th Infantry Brigade, 31st Division. Killed in action 29 September 1918, age 29. Grave VIII.D.5. The only son of George Gershom Bonser and Dorothy A. Mary Bonser, of "Kirkstede" Church Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottingham. He was educated at Brighton College and then Cambridge where he graduated with a B.A. with honours in 1910. He then went to St Thomas’s Hospital and qualified as a surgeon in 1914. He was gazetted Second Lieutenant in July 1915 and was appointed to the Eastern General Hospital at Cambridge, gazetted Captain on 25 April 1916 he was attached to the Norfolk Regiment. He was transferred to Palestine in 1917. He returned home on leave in the summer of 1918 and married Lillian Prime in Mansfield on 3 July 1918, and was posted to France with the Norfolk Regiment. He was killed in the words of his Colonel: ‘…instantaneously by a shell while attending the wounded…He is a great loss to the battalion and from all those around him I have heard nothing but praise.’ The Battalion was in the line at St Yves, Ploegsteert, in Ultimo Avenue trenches and they attacked at 4am with the ultimate aim of taking the German second line on the Ploegsteert to Warneton Road. They achieved their objectives without opposition. The War Diary recording total casualties as ‘2 officers & 3 other ranks killed, 15 other ranks wounded.’
Infantry
Captain Alfred Ernest Parker, 3rd Battalion Black Watch attached 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division. Killed in action 7 November 1914, age 34. Grave IX.O.3. The youngest son of Alfred Traill Parker and Harriet Parker. He was married to Joan Isobel Margaret Parker (nee Bowes-Lyon), they had a daughter, and Joan later remarried Frank Ashton Bellville in 1915. She was a cousin of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon later Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Alfred was educated at Eton and on leaving Eton was gazetted Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Black Watch, and in March 1900 joined the 2nd Battalion and fought in the Boer War. In 1906 he was transferred to the 10th Hussars and retired with the rank of Captain in May 1911. In January 1912 he joined the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Black Watch as a Lieutenant. On the 7 November 1914, ‘D’ Company
was on the eastern edge of Ploegsteert Wood near the Le Gheer crossroads. They were called forward to deal with a small party of Germans digging a trench about 100 yards from their lines. Captain Forbes Robertson, commanding ‘D’ Company, left one platoon to line the edge of the wood while he and Captain Parker took the remaining two platoons round into the wood to the left with the aim of rushing the Germans from the rear. Due to dense undergrowth and heavy mist they could not see any great distance and when they got to within 30 to 40 yards of the Germans they came under heavy fire from other unobserved Germans on the edge of the wood. Captain Robertson was killed almost immediately and Captain Parker severely wounded and some 50 other ranks killed and wounded. Alfred was listed as wounded and missing later confirmed killed in action.
Lieutenant Ronald Andrew Colquhoun Aitchison, 1st Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division. Killed in action 14 December 1914, age 19. Grave X.J.9. The only son of Lt. Col. Gowrie Colquhoun Aitchison and Rose Mabel Aitchison, of The Burnt House, South Collingham, Newark, Notts. They also had a daughter. Ronald was educated at Charterhouse School and on leaving school joined the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and was gazetted Second Lieutenant joining the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) in September 1913. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 15 November 1914. On 11 December the Battalion began working on a trench known as Left High Command Trench at Le Touquet and on 13 December the War Diary records that: ‘Lieut Aitchison killed working at Left High Command Trench.’ He was originally buried in Le Bizet Convent Military Cemetery, this was located on the Le Bizet to Le Touquet road and the road passes the end of the road on which today’s Motor Car Corner Cemetery is located, and his body exhumed and reburied Strand Military Cemetery in 1920.
Captain John Addis Markham, 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 18th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division. Killed in action 7 May 1915, age 28. Grave X.H.8. Son of Thomas and Henrietta Jane Markham, 2 Richmond Villas, Avenue Road., Hunstanton, Norfolk. He was educated at Dover College, Dover. He and was gazetted Second Lieutenant to the 1st East Yorkshire Regiment from the Militia on 27 May 1908, and promoted to Lieutenant on 3 September 1910. He went to France with the Regiment in September 1914and he was appointed temporary Captain on 15 November 1914 and this was confirmed on 6 February 1915. The Battalion was in the line at Le Touquet sector and on 6 May the War Diary records that they had been subjected to sniping and a few rifle grenades during the day. The Germans also shelled the defensive positions known as Monmouth House, Telephone House, and Machine Gun House. They record: ‘Casualties officers killed Capt J.A. Markham other ranks nil.’ The entry is de Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour records that he was mortally wounded by a snipers bullet and died a two hours later, being buried in Le Bizet Convent. He was originally buried in Le Bizet Convent Military Cemetery, this was located on the Le Bizet to Le Touquet road near to Motor Car Corner Cemetery and his body was exhumed and reburied in the Strand Military Cemetery in 1920.
Major Percy Matthew Dove, 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), 18th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division. Killed in action 15 May 1915, age 44. Grave X.G.10. The eldest son of John Matthew Dove. He was married to Amy Gordon Dove. He was educated at Rugby School leaving in 1888, and joined the Regiment from the Militia in 1893. He was promoted to Captain in 1900 and to Major in 1912. He served in Rhodesia (1896), West African Expedition (1897-98), and South African Campaign. In 1905 he joined the Egyptian Army and remained with them until October 1914. He received the Orders of the Medjidie and the Osmanieh (Turkey) for military and administrative work in the southern provinces of Sudan. He rejoined his Regiment in October 1914 and went to France. The Battalion was in the line at Le Touquet and Percy was shot and killed by a sniper. The War Diary records: ‘Major Dove was shot through the head going around the trenches in Railway Fort at 10.30am. A sad loss to the Battalion. He was buried at Le Bizet Convent at 9pm.’ His Colonel wrote: ‘I think he was the most popular Officer we have had in the Regiment since I have been in it. He was an able soldier, and is a fearful loss to us. His death was instantaneous: the bullet passed between my head and Captain Street's, and I turned in time to see him fall. He was hit in the temple, and did not move after he fell.’
Cavalry
Major Charles Russell McClure, Mentioned in Despatches, ‘B’ Squadron 19th (Queen Alexandra’s Own Royal) Hussars, 4th Division. Killed in action 21 October 1914, age 39. Grave VIII.Q.5. Son of James Howe McClure and Charlotte Russell McClure. Charles was born in Wemyss Bay, Renfrewshire and was educated at Kelvinside Academy and Glasgow University. He completed his studies at Magdalen College, Oxford University in 1897. He then entered the army and was gazetted in 1900 as a Second Lieutenant in the 19th (Queen Alexandra’s Own) Royal Hussars and fought in the Boer War, remaining in South Africa until 1904. He was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1901, Captain in February 1907, and then to Major on 4 March 1914. He went to France on 22 August 1914 in command of ‘B’ Squadron seeing action at Le Cateau, Marne, and the Aisne. He was Mentioned in Despatches in January 1915. On the 21 October the Germans having broken the British line the squadron was ordered to take fill the gap between Le Gheer and Le Touquet and to support an attack for the purposes of retaking the lost trenches. The War Diary recording: ‘Attack completely successful. Major C R McClure unfortunately killed, shot through the head by a rifle bullet from the enemy in wood immediately in front, whilst observing their position.’ He was originally buried in Le Bizet Convent Military Cemetery, this was located on the Le Bizet to Le Touquet road and the road passes the end of the road on which today’s Motor Car Corner Cemetery is located, and his body exhumed and reburied Strand Military Cemetery in 1920.
Royal Flying Corps
Lieutenant Bevis Heppel Bean, 9th Squadron and 6th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Killed in action 18 June 1917, age 27. Grave VII.A.41. Son of the Rev. Benjamin and Harriet Dobing Bean, of "Homedale" Cedar Road, Sutton, Surrey. Lieutenant Edgar Thomas Phillip, Royal Field Artillery attached to 9th Squadron. Killed in action 18 June 1917, age 22. Grave VII.A. 42. Both men were originally buried in the Nachtegaal No.1 German Military Cemetery at Merckem and reburied here in August 1930. Son of Katherine Philip, of "Glencairn," Nagambie, Victoria, Australia, and the late John Philip. They were flying in an RE8 (A3255), Bean was pilot and Phillip Observer, on a photographic reconnaissance patrol when they were shot down by anti-aircraft fire from Flakbatterie 101. The aircraft crashed and both were killed. They were originally buried in the Nachtegaal No.1 German Military Cemetery and their bodies moved to the Strand Military Cemetery in 1930.
Von Richthofen's 56th Victory - Second Lieutenant James Edward Power Clutterbuck, 53rd Squadron and Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action 25 June 1917, age 23. Grave IX.I.7. Son of the late Surgeon-Major E. R. Power, A.M.S., and of Mrs. C. A. Power Clutterbuck, of Rockstowes, Dursley, Glos. He was educated at Hailebury School and Clare College, Cambridge leaving before he graduated to enlist on 18 November 1914. He was gazetted Second Lieutenant on 29 January 1915 and joined the Royal Field Artillery and then the Royal Flying Corps. He was the pilot of RE8 (A3847) and was flying with Observer Lieutenant Leslie Spencer Bowman, age 20, he is listed on the Arras Flying Services Memorial, when they were shot down, at 17:20, in combat over Le Bizet by the German ace Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen, they were his 56th victory.
Royal Air Force
2nd Lieutenant Samuel Edward Carson, Pilot, 103rd Squadron. Killed in action 20 July 1918, age 20. Grave X.A.8. Son of Samuel Henry and Anne Rebecca Carson, of "Overdale," Bawtry Road, Canklow, Rotherham. 2nd Lieutenant Trevor Emlyn Ockwell Hawkins, Observer, 103rd Squadron. Killed in action 20 July 1918, age 18. Grave X.A.9. Son of Ockwell and Friswith Hawkins, 3 Werfa Place, Aberdare. They were flying a DH9 (C6200) in a bombing operation when they were shot down, their aircraft descended in an out of control slow spin when one wing crumpled over Armentieres, by Leutnant Paul Billik, an ace with 31 victories of Jasta 52. They were his 25th victory. Billik was to be denied the Pour le Merite, for which he had been nominated, when, in August 1918, his aircraft was damaged in a dog-fight and he landed behind Allied lines and was taken prisoner. By this time he had 31 victories. He was to return to Germany after the war only to die in a flying accident on 8 March 1926, at Staaken, Berlin when flying a Junkers F13. Both Carson and Phillip were originally buried in La Basse-Ville German Military Cemetery and reburied here in 1924.
2nd Lieutenant T McCarthy, Pilot, 82nd Squadron. Killed in action 24 August 1918, Grave X.C.5. 2nd Lieutenant C W Somerville, Observer, 82nd Squadron. Killed in action 24 August 1918, Grave X.C.4. They were flying an Armstrong Whitworth FK.8 (D5176) in a bombing operation when they were shot down by anti-aircraft fire although this is questioned. Leutnant Karl Plauth, Jasta 20, also lists this as his sixth kill claiming that he shot the aircraft down over Warneton at 20.30. Both men were originally buried in La Basse-Ville German Military Cemetery and reburied here in 1924.
Boy Soldiers
In the Ypres Salient, we are drawn to the graves of 6322 Private John Condon, 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment, killed in action in May 1915, age 14 and the youngest known battle casualty of the war, although this is now questioned, and the grave of 5750 Valentine Strudwick, 8th Rifle Brigade, killed in action in January 1916, age 15. Strudwicks grave attracts a great deal of attention because of its location at Essex Farm and that locations association with Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae and the poem ‘In Flanders Fields.’ There are many more ‘Boy Soldiers’ buried across the Salient and who are not remembered in the same way and these include three from Falkirk District Private William Jamieson, age 17, Private James Duchart, age 16, and Private Herbert Richmond, age 17. There were many reasons why under age boys enlisted in 1914 and 1915 boredom with their jobs, looking for adventure, and escaping family pressures. The checks on age and qualification to enlist were more relaxed than later in the war. The army preferred younger recruits, there was a history of boy soldiers in the army going back over one hundred years. At Waterloo the army had a number of boy soldiers in their ranks. The army preferred younger recruits as they would follow orders and accept discipline more readily than older men. The boys had a belief in their own indestructibility and were prepared to take more risks. We tend to also forget the number of boys who served in the Royal Navy and we do not seem to have the same passionate response to their service as we do those who fought on the Western Front. With regards to the army, the difference was the sheer number who served on the Western Front and there were more boy soldiers in 1915 than served in Wellington’s army at Waterloo. For
further reading on this subject see Richard Van Emden’s excellent book Boy Soldiers of the Great War. There are five Boy Soldiers buried here. 24268 Private Thomas Albert Morgan, 13th Battalion (the Royal Highlanders of Canada), 3rd Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. Canadian Infantry. Killed in action 5 July 1915, age 16. Grave IX.G.10. The son of Thomas and Jane Morgan, 16 Ferguson Street, Niagara Falls, Ontario. He gave his age as 19 and his trade as a painter when he enlisted on 22 September 1914. The Battalion was in the line at Ploegsteert Wood taking up positions at Bunhill Row and Mud Lane, on the Messines Road and at Chateau La Hutte on Hill 63 with Battalion HQ in Grand Munque Farm. The War Diary records what happened on 5 July: ‘1st Battalion Machine Gun Section marched at 3.15pm under command of Brigade Machine Gun Officer, whilst nearing Hyde Park Corner a shell killed one man and wounded two others. Two horses killed. The man who was instantly killed was No.24268 Pte. T.A. Morgan. He was buried by No.1 Field ambulance near Hyde Park Corner and a cross erected to mark his grave.’ His records show that he was ‘buried in Military Cemetery 50 yards East, Hyde Park Corner,
Ploegsteert Wood.’ His body was exhumed and reburied in the Strand Military Cemetery in 1920. 501295 Sapper Daniel White, 1st Tunnelling Company, Canadian Engineers, 2nd Canadian Division. Killed in action 26 March 1916, age 16. Grave IX.M.2. He gave his age as 18 and his trade as a Miner when he enlisted on 26 November 1915. He lists his grandmother Mrs Daniel Sloane, Stellarton, Nova Scotia as his next of kin. He also claimed to be married. The records mention that his mother, ‘Mrs McDermid’ as living in ‘Boston, Mass’ The Company were working at La Bizet and the War Diary records that on 26 March ‘two men killed at trench 80, Lucky Chance by enemy shell fire.’ On the 27 March ‘Report on shell fire at Trench 80 shows two men, Lnc Cpl Mills and Sapper White were at the listening post when a Hun shell struck the shaft, killing both men. They were buried in Gunners Farm Cemetery.’ The place of burial was incorrect, they were buried in La Bizet Convent Military Cemetery and
reburied in the Strand Military Cemetery. L/Cpl Blair Wilfred Mills, age 20, is buried in grave IX.M.4. S/6972 Rifleman Albert Edward Collins, 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade, 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division. Killed in action 11 April 1915, age 17. Grave VIII.R.2. Son of Edward and Louisa Collins, 3 Sadlers Buildings, Lower Common, Putney Common, Putney. They also had a daughter. Alberts mother was refused a Gratuity in lieu of pension on the grounds that her husband was a serving soldier. The Battalion was in the line at St Yves and were relieved on 5 April by the Somerset Light Infantry and went into support billets around Ploegsteert with ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies going into huts at Hunterston, ‘C’ Company at Touquet Berthe Farm, and I Company at 1875 Farm. The Battalion then provided working parties from 8 to 12 April for work on communication and support trenches. There is no mention of casualties during this time however, it was common for
working parties to suffer casualties. 2100 Private Hector Pretoria Hindmarsh, 37th Battalion, 10th Australian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Australian Division. Killed in action 8 June 1917, age 17. Grave V.A.12. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Hindmarsh, ‘The Vines’, Washington Street, Hilton, South Australia. He gave his age as 18 and that he was employed as a Labourer when he enlisted on 18 July 1916. On the 7 June the Battalion had fought its way into the Green Line and began to dig in on 8 June having suffered heavily from concealed machine guns while fighting its way forward. German snipers and fire from hidden machine guns killed and wounded more men in the Battalion. To compound matters the British artillery was falling on their positions in the Green Line. At some point Hector was killed in action.
76002 Gunner William Frederick Ray, 156th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed in action 3 June 1917, age 17. Grave III.D.7. Son of
Robert and Sarah Ray, of Town House Cottages, Walsham-le-Willows, Bury St. Edmunds. William gave his age as 24 and that he was working as a Labourer when he enlisted on 22 February 1916. Is this man’s age correct in the CWGC records? The 1911 census shows William as age 21 and working as a Farm Labourer. He can’t possibly be listed on the CWGC records as 17. What is also not matching is the age he gave when he enlisted, 24. This should be 26 if the records are accurate. Only one page of the War Diary exists for this Battery and covers May 1917. The Battery was made up of six guns and they were supporting the attack on Messines Ridge on 7 June. The Battery sustained a number of casualties up to 17 June when they were withdrawn to rest and refit until 24 June when they moved to Vlamertinghe.
Cemeteries concentrated here
The following are some of the burial grounds concentrated into Strand Military Cemetery:- EPINETTE ROAD CEMETERY, HOUPLINES (Nord), on the Southern outskirts of Houplines village, contained the graves of 24 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in November 1914-September 1915. LA BASSE-VILLE GERMAN CEMETERY, WARNETON (West Flanders), on the road from La Basse-Ville to Warneton, contained the graves of 68 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from South Africa who died in German hands, April-August 1918. LE BIZET CONVENT MILITARY CEMETERY, PLOEGSTEERT, was in the grounds of the Assumptionist Convent between Le Bizet and Motor Car Corner. It contained the graves of 88 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Canada who fell in October 1914-October,1916. NACHTEGAAL No.1 GERMAN CEMETERY, MERCKEM (West Flanders), midway between Merckem and Houthulst, made in April,1916, contained the graves of two R.F.C. officers who fell in June 1917. It was closed in July 1917. PLOEGSTEERT WOOD NEW CEMETERY, WARNETON, in the South-East corner of the wood, contained the graves of 19 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in the loss and recapture of Le Gheer, October 1914. PROWSE POINT LOWER CEMETERY, WARNETON, was a little North of Ploegsteert Wood. It was made by the 1st Rifle Brigade, and it contained the graves of 13 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in 1915 and 1916. TOUQUET-BERTHE GERMAN CEMETERY, PLOEGSTEERT, on the road from Ploegsteert to Le Gheer, contained two unidentified R.A.F. graves of July 1918. WARNETON CHURCHYARD was destroyed in the War. It contained the grave of one soldier from the United Kingdom, buried by the Germans in December 1914.
The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.
Cemetery Location
Strand Military Cemetery is 13 Kms south of Ieper town centre, on the Rijselseweg N365, which connects Ieper to Wijtschate, Mesen and on to Armentieres. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg. The cemetery lies on the N365, 4 Kms beyond Mesen and immediately before the village of Ploegsteert on the left hand side of the road.
Burials
There are now 1,143 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. Of these burials 354 are unidentified but there are Special Memorials to six casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to 13 whose graves in four of the concentrated cemeteries were destroyed by shell fire. The eight Second World War burials (three of which are unidentified) all date from May 1940 and the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary force to Dunkirk ahead of the German advance.
UK – 725
Australian – 284
New Zealand – 87
Canadian – 26
South African – 1
German – 11
Unnamed – 356
WWII – 8 British
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