KEMMEL No. 1 FRENCH CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.80534 Longitude: 2.84073
© Geerhard Joos
Location Information
Kemmel No.1 French Cemetery is located 6 Kms south west of Ieper town centre, on the Poperingestraat, a road leading from the Kemmelseweg, joining Ieper to Kemmel (N331).
From Ieper town centre the Kemmelseweg is reached via the Rijselsestraat, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort), and straight on towards Armentieres (N365). 900 metres after the crossroads is the right hand turning onto the Kemmelseweg. (Made prominent by a railway level crossing). 5 Kms along the Kemmelseweg lies the right hand turning onto the Vierstraat. The cemetery lies 1 Km along the Vierstraat, on the left hand side of the road.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to site possible, but may be by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
In April 1918, Kemmel was the scene of fierce fighting in which both Commonwealth and French forces were engaged. From 26 April to the end of August, the village was in German hands.
The origin of the cemetery is not known; it was found by the French Graves Services soon after the Armistice and contained Commonwealth, French and German graves. Additional Commonwealth graves were brought into the cemetery from the battlefields of the Ypres Salient and from some other burial grounds in the area (for instance, BECELAERE CHURCHYARD and BEERST GERMAN CEMETERY), as were some German burials found by the Belgian Graves Services. The French graves were removed later to the Kemmel French Ossuary, and to the French cemetery at Potijze.
The cemetery now contains 296 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 260 of which are unidentified. There are also 94 German graves, of whom the majority are unidentified.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Casualty Details: UK 278; Canada 3; Australia 12; New Zealand 3; Germany 94; Total Burials: 390
27496 Private
John Amos Godsell
2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
5th August 1917, aged 24.
Plot II. B. 6.
Son of the late John and Margaret Godsell, of Pepepe, Raglan Co., Auckland.
John Amos Godsell
2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
5th August 1917, aged 24.
Plot II. B. 6.
Son of the late John and Margaret Godsell, of Pepepe, Raglan Co., Auckland.
150107 Private
Wilfred Edwin Ham
8th Bn. Canadian Infantry
14th June 1916, aged 23.
Plot II. B. 10.
Son of Hermon and Emily Ham, of Newton Poppleford, Devon, England.
Wilfred Edwin Ham
8th Bn. Canadian Infantry
14th June 1916, aged 23.
Plot II. B. 10.
Son of Hermon and Emily Ham, of Newton Poppleford, Devon, England.
German lines from M1 trench, Vierstraat Area, spring 1915. In the distance, Hollandscheschur Farm, the shelling of which by British Artillery was witnessed by H. M. the King of the Belgians on February 8th, 1915. © IWM (Q 50449)
Vierstraat, Spring 1915. © IWM Q 50455
Men of the 2nd Suffolks in M. 1 trench, Vierstraat, Spring 1915. © IWM Q 50450
Vierstraat, Spring 1915. © IWM Q 50452
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)
The Battle of the Lys. Royal Artillery Observation Officer setting his lamp to signal back to his battery the results of firing. Kemmel, 22 April 1918. © IWM (Q 7872)
