IRISH HOUSE CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.78444 Longitude: 2.85363
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
Irish House Cemetery is located 7.5 km south of Ieper town centre on the Savaardlindestraat, a road leading from the N365 connecting Ieper to Wijtschate and on 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. On reaching the village of Wijtschate the first right hand turn onto the Hospicestraat leads to the village square. The Wijtschatestraat leads from the village square towards Kemmel. 2 km along the Wijtschatestraat lies the right hand turning onto Savaardlindestraat. The cemetery itself is located 800 metres along the Savaardlindestraat on the right hand side of the road.
Visiting Information
Visitors to this site should note a 200 metre grassed access path to this site which is unsuitable for vehicles.
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible via main entrance.
Historical Information
The cemetery owes its name to a small farmhouse 90 metres to the west, known to the troops as "Irish House". It was begun in June 1917 by the 16th (Irish) Division, and used at intervals until September 1918. In Row A are the graves of 33 Officers and men of the 1st Gordon Highlanders, killed in action in December 1914 in the 3rd Division's attack on Wytschaete, and reburied here by the 11th Royal Irish Rifles in June 1917. The ground was in German hands from April 1918 to the end of the following August.
The cemetery contains 117 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 40 of the burials are unidentified but there is a special memorial to one casualty known to be buried in the cemetery.
The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.
Total Burials: 121.
Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 63, Australia 14. Total 77.
Commonwealth Unidentified Casualties: 40.
Irish House Cemetery is located 7.5 km south of Ieper town centre on the Savaardlindestraat, a road leading from the N365 connecting Ieper to Wijtschate and on 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. On reaching the village of Wijtschate the first right hand turn onto the Hospicestraat leads to the village square. The Wijtschatestraat leads from the village square towards Kemmel. 2 km along the Wijtschatestraat lies the right hand turning onto Savaardlindestraat. The cemetery itself is located 800 metres along the Savaardlindestraat on the right hand side of the road.
Visiting Information
Visitors to this site should note a 200 metre grassed access path to this site which is unsuitable for vehicles.
Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible via main entrance.
Historical Information
The cemetery owes its name to a small farmhouse 90 metres to the west, known to the troops as "Irish House". It was begun in June 1917 by the 16th (Irish) Division, and used at intervals until September 1918. In Row A are the graves of 33 Officers and men of the 1st Gordon Highlanders, killed in action in December 1914 in the 3rd Division's attack on Wytschaete, and reburied here by the 11th Royal Irish Rifles in June 1917. The ground was in German hands from April 1918 to the end of the following August.
The cemetery contains 117 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 40 of the burials are unidentified but there is a special memorial to one casualty known to be buried in the cemetery.
The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.
Total Burials: 121.
Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 63, Australia 14. Total 77.
Commonwealth Unidentified Casualties: 40.
Cemetery images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
May 1918; Four German Army soldiers running forward to observe Allied Army positions in the Kemmel Area.
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
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Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
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A limber going back to load up with provisions near Lindenhoek, 10 June 1917. © IWM Q 5489
Lieutenant
William Findlay Robertson Dobie, Mentioned in Despatches
1st Bn. Gordon Highlanders
14th December 1914, aged 27.
Row A. 30.
Son of Dr, and Mrs. D. Robertson Dobie, of Earncliff, Crieff, Perthshire. Born at Coldstream, Berwickshire.
William Findlay Robertson Dobie, Mentioned in Despatches
1st Bn. Gordon Highlanders
14th December 1914, aged 27.
Row A. 30.
Son of Dr, and Mrs. D. Robertson Dobie, of Earncliff, Crieff, Perthshire. Born at Coldstream, Berwickshire.
Second Lieutenant
Edmund Thornber Hussey
1st Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers
7th JUne 1917, aged 21.
Row B. 17.
Son of Edmund Hussey of 24 Vanbrugh Hill, Blackheath.
Edmund Thornber Hussey
1st Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers
7th JUne 1917, aged 21.
Row B. 17.
Son of Edmund Hussey of 24 Vanbrugh Hill, Blackheath.
4203 Private
Frederick John Irvine
29th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
15th December 1917, aged 21.
Row C. 11.
Son of Alexander and Margaret Irvine, of Bostocks Creek, Victoria, Australia. Born at Mortlake, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth And Jesus Christ Can Raise The Dead"
Studio portrait of 4203 Private Frederick John Irvine, 29th Battalion from Bostock Creek, Victoria. A 19 year old dairyman prior to enlisting on 31 August 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 10th Reinforcements from Melbourne on 21 October 1916 aboard HMAT Port Melbourne. He was wounded in action near Passchendaele, Belgium on 15 December 1917 and died of those wounds on the same day.
Frederick John Irvine
29th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
15th December 1917, aged 21.
Row C. 11.
Son of Alexander and Margaret Irvine, of Bostocks Creek, Victoria, Australia. Born at Mortlake, Victoria.
His headstone bears the inscription "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth And Jesus Christ Can Raise The Dead"
Studio portrait of 4203 Private Frederick John Irvine, 29th Battalion from Bostock Creek, Victoria. A 19 year old dairyman prior to enlisting on 31 August 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 10th Reinforcements from Melbourne on 21 October 1916 aboard HMAT Port Melbourne. He was wounded in action near Passchendaele, Belgium on 15 December 1917 and died of those wounds on the same day.
15952 Lance Corporal
Fred Latham, M. M.
11th Bn. Manchester Regiment
7th JUne 1917.
Row A. 19.
Fred Latham, M. M.
11th Bn. Manchester Regiment
7th JUne 1917.
Row A. 19.
Lieutenant
James Julian Gordon McWilliam
1st Bn. Gordon Highlanders
14th December 1914, aged 19.
Row A. 30.
Son of James McWilliam, of 22, Forbes Rd Edinburgh (Solicitor Supreme Courts, Edinburgh) and his wife Ella Julie de Lorn (nee MacDougall).
James Julian Gordon McWilliam
1st Bn. Gordon Highlanders
14th December 1914, aged 19.
Row A. 30.
Son of James McWilliam, of 22, Forbes Rd Edinburgh (Solicitor Supreme Courts, Edinburgh) and his wife Ella Julie de Lorn (nee MacDougall).
3893 Private
Robert Tomlin
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
19th November 1917, aged 20.
Row C. 6.
Son of Robert and M. J. Tomlin, of William St., Camden, South Australia. Born in England.
His headstone bears the inscription "The Lord Gave And The Lord Hath Taken Away"
Studio portrait of 3893 Private (Pte) Robert Tomlin, 32nd Battalion. A farm labourer from Camden, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he embarked with the 9th Reinforcements from Adelaide on 21 September 1916 aboard HMAT Commonwealth (A73) for Plymouth, England. Following training in England he proceeded to France and joined his battalion on the Western Front near Dernancourt in early January 1917. Pte Tomlin was wounded in action near Messines, Belgium, on 19 November 1917 and died of these wounds later that day at the 8th Australian Field Ambulance. He was aged 20 years.
Robert Tomlin
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
19th November 1917, aged 20.
Row C. 6.
Son of Robert and M. J. Tomlin, of William St., Camden, South Australia. Born in England.
His headstone bears the inscription "The Lord Gave And The Lord Hath Taken Away"
Studio portrait of 3893 Private (Pte) Robert Tomlin, 32nd Battalion. A farm labourer from Camden, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he embarked with the 9th Reinforcements from Adelaide on 21 September 1916 aboard HMAT Commonwealth (A73) for Plymouth, England. Following training in England he proceeded to France and joined his battalion on the Western Front near Dernancourt in early January 1917. Pte Tomlin was wounded in action near Messines, Belgium, on 19 November 1917 and died of these wounds later that day at the 8th Australian Field Ambulance. He was aged 20 years.
6084 Serjeant
William Waters
6th Bn. Royal Irish Regiment
7th June 1917.
William Waters
6th Bn. Royal Irish Regiment
7th June 1917.
Tea being issued to troops resting on newly captured ground, near Lindenhoek, 11th June 1917. © IWM Q 2324
A wounded man on a stretcher is put back on to the trolley to be taken to the rear. By the side of the trolley walks a military chaplain. Near Kemmel, 10 June 1917. © IWM (Q 5626)
May 1918; A German Army central medical dressing station in the Kemmel area with a motorised ambulance and truck and a horse team.
April 1918; Directional notices in a battle scarred village in the Kemmel area.
Ruins of Kemmel Church and village of Kemmel. Taken from eastern slopes of Kemmel Hill. © IWM (Q 17843)
