GENT CITY CEMETERY
Oost-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 51.06872 Longitude: 3.69824
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
Gent City Cemetery is located in the north west corner of the city, at a point where the N9 Brugsevaart meets the N40 Gent Inner ring road.
Approaching the cemetery via the E40 motorway, visitors should leave the motorway at junction "Gent West" on the N466. After 5 kilometres turn left onto the N70 following signs for Lokeren. After 1.3 kilometres the road crosses the ship canal. There then follows a left turning following signs for Eeklo. After 400 metres turn right into the Francisco Ferrerlaan (the fourth street on the right hand side after the bridge).
Having passed through the cemetery gates, follow the main cemetery road to the right. The Commission plot is on the extreme right hand side of the Cemetery 500 metres from the main gate.
Visiting Information
This cemetery is not an open site and access is limited by normal daylight hours.
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible via main entrance.
Historical Information
Gent (also known as Ghent) was occupied by French Marines and the British 7th Division early in October 1914, but evacuated on the 11th. It them remained in German hands until reoccupied by the Belgians on 10 November 1918.
The Germans returned to Gent in May 1940 and remained there until the city's liberation on 10 September 1944. In May 1940, the main fighting around Gent occurred near the junction of the Ghent-Bruges and Ternenzen canals, and in September 1944, it was the northern part of the city that was most heavily affected.
Gent City Cemetery contains military plots of many nationalities, including Commonwealth. The First World War Commonwealth graves, which total 86, are prisoners of war buried there during the German occupation, plus two brought in from JABBEKE CHURCHYARD after the Armistice. In addition, nearby, are 111 of the Second World War.
Total Burials: 198.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 77, Canada 8. Total 85.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 106, Canada 2, Australia 1, Netherlands 1, New Zealand 1. Total 111.
Commonwealth plot designed by William Harrison Cowlishaw
Captain
William Nicholson Mossop, MC., Mentioned in Despatches
1st/6th Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
8th May 1918, aged 29.
Row D. 7.
Son of the late Surgeon Col. Isaac Mossop and Jeanette B. Mossop, of 29 Victor Road, Manningham, Bradford.
William Nicholson Mossop, MC., Mentioned in Despatches
1st/6th Bn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
8th May 1918, aged 29.
Row D. 7.
Son of the late Surgeon Col. Isaac Mossop and Jeanette B. Mossop, of 29 Victor Road, Manningham, Bradford.
47785 Lance Corporal
James Ollerton
1st Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
29th June 1918.
Row C. 16.
Son of Mrs Ollerton, of 11, Witham Rd, Skelsmerdale, Ormskirk.
James Ollerton
1st Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
29th June 1918.
Row C. 16.
Son of Mrs Ollerton, of 11, Witham Rd, Skelsmerdale, Ormskirk.
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
Wounded troops with British nurses arriving in Ghent on motor buses from Antwerp, 12 October 1914.
© IWM (Q 53316)
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
Troops of the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards watering transport horses on arrival at Ghent in the morning of 9 October 1914. © IWM Q 57158
2nd Battalion, Scots Guards testing a hastily dug trench at Ghent, October 1914. © IWM Q 57173
Soldier of the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards in a dugout in the hastily constructed trenches near Ghent, October 1914. © IWM Q 57165
World War Two Roll of Honour
3318528 Corporal
George Anderson
2nd Bn. The Glasgow Highlanders, Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
10th September 1944, aged 26.
Plot 18. D. 11.
Son of George and Elizabeth Wilson Anderson; husband of Ellen Rooney Anderson, of Glasgow.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Memory Of My Beloved Husband. The Lord Watch Between Us While We Are Apart"
George Anderson
2nd Bn. The Glasgow Highlanders, Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
10th September 1944, aged 26.
Plot 18. D. 11.
Son of George and Elizabeth Wilson Anderson; husband of Ellen Rooney Anderson, of Glasgow.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Memory Of My Beloved Husband. The Lord Watch Between Us While We Are Apart"
4144229 Flight Sergeant (Navigator)
Melville Collinson Baynes
88 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force
22nd October 1943, aged 26.
Plot 18. 7. 7.
Son of Wilfred Francis and Florence Cecily Baynes, of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Melville Collinson Baynes
88 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force
22nd October 1943, aged 26.
Plot 18. 7. 7.
Son of Wilfred Francis and Florence Cecily Baynes, of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
J/8793 Flying Officer (Pilot)
John Henry Brown
139 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
11th April 1943, aged 26.
Plot 18. 6. 6.
Son of Henry Freeland Brown and Mary Luella Brown; husband of Lola Amelia Brown, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him"
John Henry Brown
139 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
11th April 1943, aged 26.
Plot 18. 6. 6.
Son of Henry Freeland Brown and Mary Luella Brown; husband of Lola Amelia Brown, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him"
980983 Leading Aircraftman
Jack Sagar
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
1st January 1945, aged 26.
Plot 18. A. 38.
Son of James and Dorothy M. Sagar, of Burnley, Lancashire.
His headstone bears the inscription "His Duty Nobly Done"
Jack Sagar
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
1st January 1945, aged 26.
Plot 18. A. 38.
Son of James and Dorothy M. Sagar, of Burnley, Lancashire.
His headstone bears the inscription "His Duty Nobly Done"
124701 Captain
Ian Stracey
719th Bn. Royal Scots
27th June 1945, aged 27.
Plot 18. A. 2.
Son of Herbert James Stracey and Jean Cochrane Stracey, of Edinburgh.
Ian Stracey
719th Bn. Royal Scots
27th June 1945, aged 27.
Plot 18. A. 2.
Son of Herbert James Stracey and Jean Cochrane Stracey, of Edinburgh.
Field Marshal Montgomery acknowledges the cheers of Belgian civilians during a tour of 5th Division in and around Ghent, 20 March 1945. © IWM B 15675
Major General G L Verney, GOC 7th Armoured Division, enters Ghent in his Staghound armoured car, 8 September 1944. © IWM BU 769
Corporal J. Morgan of an RAF Armoured Car Squadron, seen while on patrol in a Humber light reconnaissance car in the streets of Ghent, Belgium. © IWM CL 1902
Film still from gun camera footage, showing cannon and machine gun fire from a Supermarine Spitfire striking a Focke Wulf Fw 190, during a dogfight over Ghent, Blegium, just prior to the German pilot baling out and his aircraft diving to earth. © IWM C 3621
