COXYDE MILITARY CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 51.10463 Longitude: 2.64253
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
Coxyde Military Cemetery is located approximately 500 metres beyond the village of Koksijde on the N396 towards De Panne. From Koksijde Dorp the N396, Houtsaegerlaan crosses the Zeelaan and at the same time changes its name to Robert Vandammestraat. 1 Km along the Robert Vandammestraat N369, on the right hand side, lies the cemetery.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible via the main entrance.
Historical Information
In June 1917, Commonwealth forces relieved French forces on 6 kilometres of front line from the sea to a point south of Nieuport (now Nieuwpoort), and held this sector for six months.
Coxyde (now Koksijde) was about 10 kilometres behind the front line. The village was used for rest billets and was occasionally shelled, but the cemetery, which had been started by French troops, was found to be reasonably safe. It became the most important of the Commonwealth cemeteries on the Belgian coast and was used at night for the burial of the dead brought back from the front line.
The French returned to the sector in December 1917 and continued to use the cemetery, and during 1918, Commonwealth naval casualties from bases in Dunkirk (now Dunkerque) were buried there. After the Armistice, the remains of 44 British soldiers were brought into the cemetery. Ten of them had been buried in isolated graves. Nineteen came from Furnes Road British Cemetery, Coxyde, a cemetery made in July, 1917, by the 2nd Manchesters and the 49th (West Riding) Division on the East side of the road to Furnes (now Veurne). Twenty-five (of whom 22 belonged to the 49th Division) came from Oosthoek Military Cemetery, Adinkerke, 4 Kms South-West of Coxyde.
The cemetery was used again during the Second World War, chiefly for the burial of casualties sustained during the defence of the Dunkirk-Nieuport perimeter in May 1940.
The cemetery now contains 1,507 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the French graves from this period having since been removed. Of the 155 Second World War burials, 22 are unidentified.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and George Hartley Goldsmith
Total Burials: 1,673.
World War One identified Casualties: United Kingdom 1,445, New Zealand 19, Australia 18, Canada 14, Germany 4, South Africa 2. Total 1,502.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 114, Canada 16, Australia 2, New Zealand 1. Total 133.
World War Two Unidentified Casualties: 22.
Coxyde Military Cemetery is located approximately 500 metres beyond the village of Koksijde on the N396 towards De Panne. From Koksijde Dorp the N396, Houtsaegerlaan crosses the Zeelaan and at the same time changes its name to Robert Vandammestraat. 1 Km along the Robert Vandammestraat N369, on the right hand side, lies the cemetery.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible via the main entrance.
Historical Information
In June 1917, Commonwealth forces relieved French forces on 6 kilometres of front line from the sea to a point south of Nieuport (now Nieuwpoort), and held this sector for six months.
Coxyde (now Koksijde) was about 10 kilometres behind the front line. The village was used for rest billets and was occasionally shelled, but the cemetery, which had been started by French troops, was found to be reasonably safe. It became the most important of the Commonwealth cemeteries on the Belgian coast and was used at night for the burial of the dead brought back from the front line.
The French returned to the sector in December 1917 and continued to use the cemetery, and during 1918, Commonwealth naval casualties from bases in Dunkirk (now Dunkerque) were buried there. After the Armistice, the remains of 44 British soldiers were brought into the cemetery. Ten of them had been buried in isolated graves. Nineteen came from Furnes Road British Cemetery, Coxyde, a cemetery made in July, 1917, by the 2nd Manchesters and the 49th (West Riding) Division on the East side of the road to Furnes (now Veurne). Twenty-five (of whom 22 belonged to the 49th Division) came from Oosthoek Military Cemetery, Adinkerke, 4 Kms South-West of Coxyde.
The cemetery was used again during the Second World War, chiefly for the burial of casualties sustained during the defence of the Dunkirk-Nieuport perimeter in May 1940.
The cemetery now contains 1,507 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the French graves from this period having since been removed. Of the 155 Second World War burials, 22 are unidentified.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and George Hartley Goldsmith
Total Burials: 1,673.
World War One identified Casualties: United Kingdom 1,445, New Zealand 19, Australia 18, Canada 14, Germany 4, South Africa 2. Total 1,502.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 114, Canada 16, Australia 2, New Zealand 1. Total 133.
World War Two Unidentified Casualties: 22.
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
13th November 1917 - Officers of the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company watching a shell burst near the dressing station on the road leading from Coxyde Bains to Nieuport-Bains (left background) in Belgium. Alongside the road is the light railway used for transporting stores and material to the forward area, whilst the track shown in the centre of the photograph is made of wire netting laid upon the sand for the passage of infantry. Left to right: Major E W Webb MC, 7th Field Company; Captain Garnett J Adcock; Major Edric Noel Mulligan DSO, Officer Commanding 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company.
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
French troops placing a grenade in the rifle barrel during rifle grenade practice at Coxyde (Koksijde) Bains, Belgium, 29 January 1917. © IWM (Q 68307)
Shot at Dawn
R/24441 Rifleman, Frank William Cheeseman, 18th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps, 20th October 1917, aged 29. Husband of Rebecca Cheeseman, of 84, Dale Rd., Canning Town, London. Native of Redhill, Surrey. Plot IV. G. 23. - Desertion.
He was a conscript with a previous conviction for absence, for which he had been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. (Putkowski, p. 206)
94236 Sapper, Arthur Philip Oyns, 50th Search Light Company, Royal Engineers, 20th October 1917, aged 31. Born at Devonport. Son of the late Richard Philip Oyns (H.M. Customs) and Julia Isabel Oyns. Plot IV. G. 24. - Desertion.
He developed a grudge against CSM McCain, & shot him dead.
At about 2100 on 13 July 1917 at Brie, Oyns emerged from his hut, shouting — which caused McCain, who had been sitting nearby with SM Finniston, to go over to speak to him. Within minutes, 2 shots rang out, one fatally wounding McCain in the neck & chest, the other wounding Finniston between the shoulder blades.
McCain had been twice previously involved in disciplinary proceedings against Oyns, who had on earlier occasions been heard by his comrades to express his emnity in the plainest terms; & there was evidence of Oyns’ tendency to violence when in drink, & of his drunken belligerence that night.
At trial 12 weeks later, Oyns denied any ill-feeling towards McCain, & his defending officer pleaded that Oyns had not been capable,through drink, of forming the requisite intention to kill — but in vain (Corns, pp 367-369; Putkowski, pp 206-207) CSM McCain is buried at La Chapelette British & Indian Cemetery, Péronne.
2064 Private, William Wycherley, 2nd Bn. Manchester Regiment, 12th September 17, aged 24. Husband of May Wycherley, of 18, Queen St., Cheetham Hill, Manchester.Plot III . G. 6. - Desertion.
Punished previously for overstaying home leave by 7 weeks, & later again for deserting his battalion when on its way up to the line, he offended a third time & was arrested at Étaples, where he proffered false particulars of identification. (Putkowski, p 192)
Grave pictures © Geerhard Joos
R/24441 Rifleman, Frank William Cheeseman, 18th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps, 20th October 1917, aged 29. Husband of Rebecca Cheeseman, of 84, Dale Rd., Canning Town, London. Native of Redhill, Surrey. Plot IV. G. 23. - Desertion.
He was a conscript with a previous conviction for absence, for which he had been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. (Putkowski, p. 206)
94236 Sapper, Arthur Philip Oyns, 50th Search Light Company, Royal Engineers, 20th October 1917, aged 31. Born at Devonport. Son of the late Richard Philip Oyns (H.M. Customs) and Julia Isabel Oyns. Plot IV. G. 24. - Desertion.
He developed a grudge against CSM McCain, & shot him dead.
At about 2100 on 13 July 1917 at Brie, Oyns emerged from his hut, shouting — which caused McCain, who had been sitting nearby with SM Finniston, to go over to speak to him. Within minutes, 2 shots rang out, one fatally wounding McCain in the neck & chest, the other wounding Finniston between the shoulder blades.
McCain had been twice previously involved in disciplinary proceedings against Oyns, who had on earlier occasions been heard by his comrades to express his emnity in the plainest terms; & there was evidence of Oyns’ tendency to violence when in drink, & of his drunken belligerence that night.
At trial 12 weeks later, Oyns denied any ill-feeling towards McCain, & his defending officer pleaded that Oyns had not been capable,through drink, of forming the requisite intention to kill — but in vain (Corns, pp 367-369; Putkowski, pp 206-207) CSM McCain is buried at La Chapelette British & Indian Cemetery, Péronne.
2064 Private, William Wycherley, 2nd Bn. Manchester Regiment, 12th September 17, aged 24. Husband of May Wycherley, of 18, Queen St., Cheetham Hill, Manchester.Plot III . G. 6. - Desertion.
Punished previously for overstaying home leave by 7 weeks, & later again for deserting his battalion when on its way up to the line, he offended a third time & was arrested at Étaples, where he proffered false particulars of identification. (Putkowski, p 192)
Grave pictures © Geerhard Joos
A French 240 mm gun on railway mounting on the track between Furnes and Coxyde, 1917. © IWM Q 108344
13th November 1917, Three unidentified members of an South African Scottish Labour Company, attached to the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company, in a seaside camp at Coxyde.
