WW1 Cemeteries.com - A photographic guide to over 4000 military cemeteries and memorials
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • BELGIAN MEMORIALS
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • French Memorials
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited

KEMMEL No. 1 FRENCH CEMETERY

West-Vlaanderen

​Belgium

GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.80534 Longitude: 2.84073
​

Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery

​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 and William Harrison Cowlishaw
​
Total Burials: 390.

Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 31, Germany 5, Australia 3, Canada 1, New Zealand 1. Total 41.

Unidentified Casualties: Commonwealth 260, Germany 89. Total 349.

Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Picture
1048 Corporal
Edward Appleton
Essex Yeomanry
14th May 1915, aged 24.
​Plot II. A. 2.



Picture
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.


Picture
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.


Picture
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)
Picture
242281 Private
S. C. Hipwell
1st Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
21st July 1918, aged 30.
Plot I. E. 1.

Son of Emma Hipwell, of Wigston, and the late George Arthur Hipwell; husband of Lillian Hipwell, of 44, Fairfield House, Welford Rd., Wigston, Leicester.

His headstone bears the inscription "Always Remembered"


Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos

Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Picture
Vierstraat, Spring 1915. © IWM Q 50455
Picture
Men of the 2nd Suffolks in M. 1 trench, Vierstraat, Spring 1915. © IWM Q 50450
Picture
Vierstraat, Spring 1915. © IWM Q 50452
Picture
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)
Picture
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)

Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem

Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery
Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery

Nearby Cemeteries

Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery
Suffolk Cemetery
Godezonne Farm Cemetery

World War Two Cemeteries
​

Please ask permission if you wish to use any of our images by using the contact tab above
​

Picture
Commonwealth War Graves
​Commission
Picture
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Picture
Australian War Memorial
Picture
New Zealand Online Cenotaph

​© COPYRIGHT TERENCE HEARD AND BRENT WHITTAM
​ 2005-2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
.​
Disclaimer 

The casualty numbers for each cemetery and G. P. S. Coordinates are taken from the C. W. G. C. site. We are aware that there can be discrepancies in the burial numbers quoted due to rededication burials.

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Belgium
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in Belgium >
      • HAINAUT
      • WEST-VLAANDEREN
      • OTHER BELGIAN DEPARTMENTS
    • BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERIES
    • BELGIAN MEMORIALS
  • France
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France in Alphabetical Order
    • Commonwealth Cemeteries in France >
      • AISNE
      • MARNE
      • NORD
      • OISE
      • PAS DE CALAIS
      • SEINE-ET-MARNE
      • SEINE-MARITIME
      • SOMME
      • OTHER FRENCH DEPARTMENTS
    • FRENCH CEMETERIES WORLDWIDE
    • French Memorials
  • Gallipoli
  • Other CWGC Countries
  • GERMAN CEMETERIES
  • OTHER WAR AND MILITARY CEMETERIES
  • Architects
  • Shot at Dawn
  • Victoria Cross
  • Miscellaneous
  • Regimental Badges
  • "Silent Cities" Revisited