Westhof Farm Cemetery
- Admin
- May 1
- 5 min read
Updated: May 13
Westhof Farm Cemetery, CWGC, Nieuwkerke, is an isolated little cemetery on the edge of the ridge, and it is partly above the level of the road. The cemetery was begun in May 1917 and remained in use until after the German advance during the Battle of the Lys in April 1918. The Germans briefly used the cemetery in the summer of 1918. The farm is the red roofed building a little way down the slope and the lane was known as Waterloo Road. The view from the cemetery is excellent. The ground between the main road and the farm was once full of camps as this was considered to be a safe area. The farm was used as a Divisional headquarters by the New Zealand Division in May and June 1917. It was also a dressing station.
Canon Frederick Scott, Senior Chaplain to the Canadian 1st Division, mentions a stay at the farm in his memoirs 'Great War as I saw it’: ‘One day, General Seely invited me to go and stay with him at his Headquarters in Westhof Farm where I had a most delightful time. Not only was the General a most entertaining host, but his staff were very charming. At dinner, we avoided war topics and shop, and talked about things political and literary. The mess was in the farm building and our sleeping quarters were on an island in the moat. My stay here brought me into contact with the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, and a fine lot of men they were.’ Army doctor Henry Owens spent some time at Kandahar Farm in 1918. Owens was an ‘Old Contemptible’ and one of the first to arrive in France in 1914. In 1918 his job was to attend to the medical needs of the 19th Division Royal Engineers and other supporting troops. On the 2nd April 1918, he records in his diary: ‘Divisional HQ moved to Westhoff Farm. Behind Neuve Eglise. 82nd Field Company at Fort Victoria near Lindenhoek, 81st at Wulverghem, 94th at Moroka Camp on the Wulverghem – Neuve Eglise Road near La Hutte. The Division is holding a front of about 3000 yards in front of Messines. Our Brigade, plus 6 Companies from the other 2 Brigades are in the line. The 57th Field Ambulance are clearing the line. Advanced Dressing Station at Kandahar Farm at Wulverghem – rather a long way back. Smalley and Humphries there. Quite a good place. Defended to a certain extent and accommodation for about 30 stretchers and bunks for 60.’
Rifleman Thomas Donovan of the 16th (Church Lads Brigade) Kings Royal Rifle Corps, 100th Brigade, 33rd Division. He already had a poor service record when he absconded for the fourth time on 22 August. He was captured on 1 September 1917 but not tried until 17 October. He was executed on 31 October 1917.
Rifle Brigade
Captain Arthur Ronald Backus M.C., 1st Battalion attached 8th Battalion Rifle Brigade, 41st Infantry Brigade, 14th Division. Killed in action 23 September 1917, age 23. Grave II.E.7. Son of the late Jacob Backus and of Carolina Backus, of "By-the-Way," Canford Cliffs, Bournemouth. Native of Lima, Peru, South America. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. Gazetted as a Second Lieutenant he was awarded the Military Cross on 23 November 1915. He was Captain and Adjutant when he died of injuries received in a bicycle accident on 23 September 1917. His funeral was held on 25 September with the War Diary recording: ‘ Officers and 150 OR attend funeral of the late Capt. A.R. Backus M.C., buried at Military Cemetery 28.T.19.a.19’ (Westhof Farm).
Royal Garrison Artillery
There are ten men from the Royal Garrison Artillery buried in the cemetery. Three graves, Plot I, Row E, were serving with the 155th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, which was positioned west of Hill 63. Captain Walter Ball Dyke. Killed in action 10 April 1918, age 21.Grave I.E.2. Son of Mary Caroline Richards (formerly Dyke), of ‘East Hall,’ Blackford, North Cadbury, Somerset, and the late Walter John Dyke, of Wincanton, Somerset. He applied for a temporary commission in September 1914 and disembarked at Le Havre in August 1916, often operating as Second in Command of his battery. On 10 April 1918 there was a heavy enemy bombardment followed by an infantry attack, and the battery was heavily shelled with high explosive and gas whilst firing on SOS targets. Captain Dyke was killed whilst bringing up ammunition to the guns. 134637 Gunner Arthur James Stroud. Killed in action 10 April 1918, age 34. Grave Son of Robert and Lydia Stroud. He was married to May Stroud (nee Weller) and they lived with their two children at 93 Yerbury road, Tufnell Park, London. He was working as a French Polisher when he enlisted on 9 December 1916. He went to France on 20 June 1917. Died of gas poisoning. 40155 Lance Bombardier John Kemble. Killed in action 10 April 1918, age 21. Grave I.E.3. He was one of seven sons and two daughters of James Alfred and Mary Ann Kemble, 100 Woodland Road, Upper Norwood, London. He went to France on 30 May 1915. He died of wounds received.
Location
Westhof Farm Cemetery is located 13.5 Kms south of Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the Kemmelseweg N 331, which connects Ieper to Kemmel and on to Nieuwkerke. From Ieper town centre the Kemmelseweg is reached via the Rijselsestraat, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and straight on towards Armentieres (N365). 900 metres after the crossroads is the right hand turning onto the Kemmelseweg (made prominent by a railway level crossing). After passing the village of Kemmel the N331 continues for 4 Kms towards Nieuwkerke. On reaching Nieuwkerke the N331 continues on as Seulestraat. 1.5 Kms along this road lies the right hand turning onto the Eikelstraat. The cemetery is located 1.4 Kms along the Eikelstraat on the left hand side of the road.
The cemetery was designed by G H Goldsmith.
Burials
There are now 131 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery, including special memorials to six casualties whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. There are also five German war graves in the cemetery.
UK – 69
Australian – 43
New Zealand – 12
Canadian – 1
German - 5
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