WOODS
CEMETERY

Ieper

West-Vlaanderen

Belgium

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: Woods Cemetery is located 4 Kms south-east of Ieper town centre, on the Verbrandemolenstraat a road leading from the Komenseweg, connecting Ieper to Komen (N336). From Ieper town centre the Komenseweg is located via the Rijselsestraat, through the Rijselpoort (Lille Gate) and crossing the Ieper ring road, towards Armentieres and Lille. The road name then changes to Rijselseweg. 1 Km along the Rijselseweg lies the left hand turning onto Komenseweg. 2.5 Kms along the Komenseweg lies the right hand turning onto the Vaartstraat. 900 metres along the Vaartstraat lies the left hand turning onto the Verbrandemolenstraat. 400 metres along the Verbrandemolenstraat a short distance from the road is the cemetery.

Further Information: It should be noted that this, and indeed the other two cemeteries in this group (1st D. C .L. I. and Hedge Row Trench) are set in the middle of fields, and the only access is by foot.

Parking is also extremely difficult here as there is no natural pull off in the area that will not block other road users, it is usually necessary to park well onto the grass verge, but be careful, the ground here is very wet at the best of times and there is a possibility you may get stuck. These cemeteries, whilst quite out of the way are good examples of small battlefield cemeteries.

The commune of Zillebeke contains many Commonwealth cemeteries as the front line trenches ran through it during the greater part of the First World War. Woods Cemetery was begun by the 1st Dorsets and the 1st East Surreys in April 1915; it was used until September 1917 by units holding this sector, and by the field ambulances of their divisions. The graves of the 2nd, 3rd and 10th Canadian Battalions and the London Regiment are particularly numerous. The irregular shape of the cemetery is due to the conditions of burial at the times when the front line was just beyond the wood. The views over the battlefield are extensive. Woods Cemetery contains 326 First World War burials, 32 of them unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

CASUALTY DETAILS: UK 202; Canada 111; Australia 3; Total Burials: 326