HYDE PARK CORNER (ROYAL BERKS) CEMETERY
Hainaut
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 50.73765 Longitude: 2.88251
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery is located 12.5 km south of Ieper town centre, on the Rijselseweg (N365), a road connecting Ieper 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 12.5 km along the N365 after passing through the settlements of Wijtschate and Mesen. The cemetery is located on the left hand side of the road and opposite the prominent Ploegsteert Memorial.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access possible via main entrance.
Historical Information
Hyde Park Corner was a road junction to the north of Ploegsteert Wood. Hill 63 was to the north-west and nearby were the 'Catacombs', deep shelters capable of holding two battalions, which were used from November 1916 onwards.
Hyde Park (Royal Berks) Cemetery was begun in April 1915 by the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment and was used at intervals until November 1917. It contains 83 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and four German war graves.
Total Burials: 87.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 81, Germany 2, Australia 1, Canada 1. Total 85.
Unidentified Casualties: Germany 2.
BERKS CEMETERY EXTENSION is separated from Hyde Park Corner Cemetery by a road. The extension was begun in June 1916 and used continuously until September 1917. At the Armistice, the extension comprised Plot I only, but Plots II and III were added in 1930 when graves were brought in from ROSENBERG CHATEAU MILITARY CEMETERY and EXTENSION, about 1 Km to the north-west, when it was established that these sites could not be acquired in perpetuity. Rosenberg Chateau Military Cemetery was used by fighting units from November 1914 to August 1916. The extension was begun in May 1916 and used until March 1918. Together, the cemetery and extension were sometimes referred to as 'Red Lodge'.
Total Burials: 876.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 464, Australia 180, Canada 149, New Zealand 80. Total 873.
Within Berks Cemetery Extension stands the PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL, commemorating 11,347 Commonwealth servicemen who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave. The memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood.
Those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere.
Commemorated on the Memorial: United Kingdom 11,334. South Africa 13. Total 11,347.
The cemetery, cemetery extension and memorial were designed by H. Chalton Bradshaw.
c.1917 - The cemetery at Hyde Park Corner
27187 Private
John Luke Barker
11th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
26th December 1916, aged 23.
Row A. 6.
Son of Frank and Clara Barker, of 2, Lily Bank Terrace, Lineholme, Todmorden.
John Luke Barker
11th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
26th December 1916, aged 23.
Row A. 6.
Son of Frank and Clara Barker, of 2, Lily Bank Terrace, Lineholme, Todmorden.
Second Lieutenant
William Hutton Bryce
14th Bn. attd. 12th Bn. Royal Scots
2nd March 1916, aged 27.
Row D. 17.
Son of William Bryce, of 25, Park Avenue, Portobello, Edinburgh.
His headstone bears the inscription "Till We Meet Again"
William Hutton Bryce
14th Bn. attd. 12th Bn. Royal Scots
2nd March 1916, aged 27.
Row D. 17.
Son of William Bryce, of 25, Park Avenue, Portobello, Edinburgh.
His headstone bears the inscription "Till We Meet Again"
14526 Private
Frank Dobson
10th Bn. Cheshire Regiment
18th November 1915.
Row D. 14.
Frank Dobson
10th Bn. Cheshire Regiment
18th November 1915.
Row D. 14.
Cemetery images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
A group of soldiers of the Lancashire Fusiliers infantry regiment at the entrance to a communication trench between walls of sandbags running from Hyde Park Corner at the corner of Ploegsteert Wood to the front line. January 1917. © IWM Q 4647
66946 Sapper
Thomas Ellis
171st Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers
13th May 1916, aged 30.
Row B. 24.
Son of Evan Ellis and the late Catherine Ellis, of 20 Treharne St.,Cwmpark, Glamorgan. His brother, Edgar Ellis also fell and is buried in Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery
Thomas Ellis
171st Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers
13th May 1916, aged 30.
Row B. 24.
Son of Evan Ellis and the late Catherine Ellis, of 20 Treharne St.,Cwmpark, Glamorgan. His brother, Edgar Ellis also fell and is buried in Valenciennes (St. Roch) Communal Cemetery
25729 Private
James Edward French
9th Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
25th December 1916, aged 31.
Row A. 8.
Son of Richard and Martha Finch, of Chorley; husband of Sarah Finch, of 66, Clifford St., Chorley, Lancs.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away"
James Edward French
9th Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
25th December 1916, aged 31.
Row A. 8.
Son of Richard and Martha Finch, of Chorley; husband of Sarah Finch, of 66, Clifford St., Chorley, Lancs.
His headstone bears the inscription "Until The Day Break And The Shadows Flee Away"
C/7259 Rifleman
Albert Edward French
18th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
15th June 1916, aged 16.
Row B. 2.
Albert Edward French
18th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
15th June 1916, aged 16.
Row B. 2.
Lieutenant
Gerald Galt
3rd Tunnelling Company, Canadian Engineers
25th December 1916.
Row C. 22.
Son of the Hon. Mr. Justice Galt and Mrs. Galt, of 219, Montrose St., Winnipeg.
His headstone bears the inscription "Qui Ante Diem Periit Sed Miles Sed Pro Patria"
Gerald Galt
3rd Tunnelling Company, Canadian Engineers
25th December 1916.
Row C. 22.
Son of the Hon. Mr. Justice Galt and Mrs. Galt, of 219, Montrose St., Winnipeg.
His headstone bears the inscription "Qui Ante Diem Periit Sed Miles Sed Pro Patria"
S/18844 Private
Tom Hartley
5th Bn. Cameron Highlanders
5th March 1916, aged 30.
Row B. 12.
Son of Thomas and Mary Hartley, of Rochdale.
His headstone bears the inscription "His Memory Long Will Live Alone In All Our Hearts"
Tom Hartley
5th Bn. Cameron Highlanders
5th March 1916, aged 30.
Row B. 12.
Son of Thomas and Mary Hartley, of Rochdale.
His headstone bears the inscription "His Memory Long Will Live Alone In All Our Hearts"
Mule transport drivers passing Hyde Park Corner, Ploegsteert Wood, near Messines, 19th October, 1915. © IWM Q 29015
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
15816 Private
Robert McCracken
10th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st January 1917, aged 26.
Row A. 3.
Son of Mrs. McCracken, of Boveedy, Kilrea, Co. Derry.
Robert McCracken
10th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
1st January 1917, aged 26.
Row A. 3.
Son of Mrs. McCracken, of Boveedy, Kilrea, Co. Derry.
S/11581 Private
Peter Melville
5th Bn. Cameron Highlanders
20th March 1916, aged 22.
Row C. 19.
Son of Clark and Barbara Bradshaw Melville, of 115, Couper St., Townhead, Glasgow. Born Anderston, Glasgow.
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful Unto Death He Died That We Might Live"
Peter Melville
5th Bn. Cameron Highlanders
20th March 1916, aged 22.
Row C. 19.
Son of Clark and Barbara Bradshaw Melville, of 115, Couper St., Townhead, Glasgow. Born Anderston, Glasgow.
His headstone bears the inscription "Faithful Unto Death He Died That We Might Live"
Major
George Holbrook Patterson
107th Howitzer Battery, 7th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery
14th April 1917, aged 28.
Row C. 1.
George Holbrook Patterson
107th Howitzer Battery, 7th Brigade, Australian Field Artillery
14th April 1917, aged 28.
Row C. 1.
Lieutenant
Ronald William Poulton Palmer
1st/4th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
5th May 1915, aged 25.
Row B. 11.
Son of Professor Edward Bagnall Poulton and Mrs. Emily Palmer Poulton, of Wykeham House, Oxford. Captain of the England Rugby Football XV in 1914.
His headstone bears the inscription "His Was The Joy That Made People Smile When They Met Him" Lt. S. L. Reiss
Born in Headington, he was the son of Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton, the zoologist and his wife Emily Palmer. He was educated at Dragon School, Rugby School, and Balliol College, Oxford. Poulton played for Balliol College, Oxford University RFC, Harlequins and Liverpool F.C. Poulton is one of three men to score a hat-trick of tries in the Varsity match – he scored five in 1909, still the individual record for the fixture. He captained England during the 1913/14 unbeaten season (now what would be called a 'Grand Slam'), scoring four tries against France in 1914, in the last test match prior to the outbreak of World War I. Poulton was renowned for his elusiveness and glamorous style of play – "the very mention of swerving sends ones thoughts to the late Ronald Poulton, the swerver par excellence... swerving and Poulton are almost synonymous terms" (DR Gent in CJB Marriott's Modern Rugby Football).
He officially changed his surname to Palmer by Royal Licence as a condition of inheriting a fortune from his uncle George William Palmer of Huntley and Palmer biscuit company in 1914. His surname was never actually 'Poulton Palmer' (or even the hyphenated version 'Poulton-Palmer), although he was often later called this.
Poulton was commissioned into 1st/4th territorial battalion of The Royal Berkshire Regiment and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. On the night of 4/5 May 1915 Ronald was in charge of a working party strengthening the dugouts in Trench 40, also known as Oxford Trench, just north of a position called Anton's Farm. It was a very dark night. At twenty minutes past midnight he heaved himself up onto the roof of a dugout to better oversee the work taking place. A single shot was fired and he fell to the ground dead - the first officer of the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment to die in the Great War. to a man his platoon wept at their and the nation's loss. He was twenty-five years of age.
His body was taken by stretcher party through the lines of the 1st/ 7th Royal Warwickshire Regiment to the Field Ambulance in the Convent in Ploegsteert. He was buried in this cemetery at 6.30 pm on the evening of 6 May 1915, with the Bishop of Pretoria officiating - a personal friend of the Poulton family.
Ronald's death was met with grief by the men of his regiment and by the country at large. Such was the impact on his father, Edward, that he was convinced the Germans had deliberately executed his son to damage British morale.
Ronald Poulton Palmer's grave is in Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, near Ploegsteert, Belgium. A memorial to him was erected at Balliol College, on the west wall of the Chapel passage.
Twenty six England international rugby players were killed in World War I of a total international toll of one hundred and thirty. One of the most notable was Poulton Palmer, who was considered by many contemporary observers as perhaps the greatest-ever attacking rugby union three-quarter.
Source - Wikipedia
Ronald William Poulton Palmer
1st/4th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment
5th May 1915, aged 25.
Row B. 11.
Son of Professor Edward Bagnall Poulton and Mrs. Emily Palmer Poulton, of Wykeham House, Oxford. Captain of the England Rugby Football XV in 1914.
His headstone bears the inscription "His Was The Joy That Made People Smile When They Met Him" Lt. S. L. Reiss
Born in Headington, he was the son of Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton, the zoologist and his wife Emily Palmer. He was educated at Dragon School, Rugby School, and Balliol College, Oxford. Poulton played for Balliol College, Oxford University RFC, Harlequins and Liverpool F.C. Poulton is one of three men to score a hat-trick of tries in the Varsity match – he scored five in 1909, still the individual record for the fixture. He captained England during the 1913/14 unbeaten season (now what would be called a 'Grand Slam'), scoring four tries against France in 1914, in the last test match prior to the outbreak of World War I. Poulton was renowned for his elusiveness and glamorous style of play – "the very mention of swerving sends ones thoughts to the late Ronald Poulton, the swerver par excellence... swerving and Poulton are almost synonymous terms" (DR Gent in CJB Marriott's Modern Rugby Football).
He officially changed his surname to Palmer by Royal Licence as a condition of inheriting a fortune from his uncle George William Palmer of Huntley and Palmer biscuit company in 1914. His surname was never actually 'Poulton Palmer' (or even the hyphenated version 'Poulton-Palmer), although he was often later called this.
Poulton was commissioned into 1st/4th territorial battalion of The Royal Berkshire Regiment and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. On the night of 4/5 May 1915 Ronald was in charge of a working party strengthening the dugouts in Trench 40, also known as Oxford Trench, just north of a position called Anton's Farm. It was a very dark night. At twenty minutes past midnight he heaved himself up onto the roof of a dugout to better oversee the work taking place. A single shot was fired and he fell to the ground dead - the first officer of the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment to die in the Great War. to a man his platoon wept at their and the nation's loss. He was twenty-five years of age.
His body was taken by stretcher party through the lines of the 1st/ 7th Royal Warwickshire Regiment to the Field Ambulance in the Convent in Ploegsteert. He was buried in this cemetery at 6.30 pm on the evening of 6 May 1915, with the Bishop of Pretoria officiating - a personal friend of the Poulton family.
Ronald's death was met with grief by the men of his regiment and by the country at large. Such was the impact on his father, Edward, that he was convinced the Germans had deliberately executed his son to damage British morale.
Ronald Poulton Palmer's grave is in Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, near Ploegsteert, Belgium. A memorial to him was erected at Balliol College, on the west wall of the Chapel passage.
Twenty six England international rugby players were killed in World War I of a total international toll of one hundred and thirty. One of the most notable was Poulton Palmer, who was considered by many contemporary observers as perhaps the greatest-ever attacking rugby union three-quarter.
Source - Wikipedia
Shot at Dawn:
5009 Rifleman, Samuel McBride, 2nd Bn. Royal Irish Rifles, executed for desertion on 7th December 1916. Row A. 17.
Previously sentenced for Absence to a suspended sentence of 2 years’ Hard Labour. (Putkowski,p 141)
5009 Rifleman, Samuel McBride, 2nd Bn. Royal Irish Rifles, executed for desertion on 7th December 1916. Row A. 17.
Previously sentenced for Absence to a suspended sentence of 2 years’ Hard Labour. (Putkowski,p 141)
Picture © Geerhard Joos
Mule motor transport at Hyde Park Corner, Ploegsteert Wood, Messines, 19th October, 1915. The sign to the right of the lorry says 'Hyde Park Corner."© IWM Q 29014
Two unidentified soldiers standing at the entrance to the Catacombs, Hyde Park Corner, a system of tunnels of considerable length which were fitted to accommodate over 1,000 men. Note the kangaroo silhouette fixed to the top of the tunnel entrance.
22nd January 1918; Mess orderlies of an Australian unit conveying hot soup to the reserve troops near Hyde Park Corner, in the Messines Sector. Note the large puddle of water in the foreground.
