KORTRIJK (ST. JAN) COMMUNAL CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.82843 Longitude: 3.24661
© Geerhard Joos
Location Information
Kortrijk Communal Cemetery is located 28 Kms east of Ieper town centre on the N8 Meenseweg.
From Ieper, Kortrijk is reached via the N8 Meenseweg, which is a continuous road running from Ieper to Kortrijk via Menen and Wevelgem.
On reaching the town of Kortrijk the N8 crosses the R8 ring road. 2 Kms beyond this landmark lies the cemetery on the left hand side of the road. The Commission plot is located at the back of the cemetery, furthest away from the main road.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this cemetery is possible via main entrance.
Historical Information
Courtrai (now Kortrijk) was in German hands for most of the First World War. In April 1915, its railway junction was severely damaged by Allied airmen and on 16 October 1918, the town was entered by the 12th Royal Irish Rifles.
St. Jean (now St. Jan) Cemetery was largely used and extended by the Germans, who erected a screen wall bearing the names of the dead by nationalities. (The German Extension is in the commune of Heule.) In November 1918, No.44 Casualty Clearing Station was posted at Kortrijk for a week, and it was followed for a period of eight months by No.62. These two units made a new plot in the south-west part of the cemetery, in which Commonwealth soldiers were buried. This plot was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the German plots, the German extension and LA MADELEINE CEMETERY.
There are now 221 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 11 of the burials are unidentified, and there are special memorials to more than 30 casualties who died in 1914-15 and were buried in the Germans plot but whose graves could not be found.
During the Second World War, the British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.
The cemetery contains 34 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.
Total Burials: 255.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 198, Canada 3, South Africa 5, Australia 1, New Zealand 1. Total 210.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: Total 11.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 25, Canada 6, Australia 2. Total 33.
World War Two Unidentified Casualty: Total 1.
Commonwealth plot designed by William Harrison Cowlishaw
Kortrijk Communal Cemetery is located 28 Kms east of Ieper town centre on the N8 Meenseweg.
From Ieper, Kortrijk is reached via the N8 Meenseweg, which is a continuous road running from Ieper to Kortrijk via Menen and Wevelgem.
On reaching the town of Kortrijk the N8 crosses the R8 ring road. 2 Kms beyond this landmark lies the cemetery on the left hand side of the road. The Commission plot is located at the back of the cemetery, furthest away from the main road.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this cemetery is possible via main entrance.
Historical Information
Courtrai (now Kortrijk) was in German hands for most of the First World War. In April 1915, its railway junction was severely damaged by Allied airmen and on 16 October 1918, the town was entered by the 12th Royal Irish Rifles.
St. Jean (now St. Jan) Cemetery was largely used and extended by the Germans, who erected a screen wall bearing the names of the dead by nationalities. (The German Extension is in the commune of Heule.) In November 1918, No.44 Casualty Clearing Station was posted at Kortrijk for a week, and it was followed for a period of eight months by No.62. These two units made a new plot in the south-west part of the cemetery, in which Commonwealth soldiers were buried. This plot was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the German plots, the German extension and LA MADELEINE CEMETERY.
There are now 221 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 11 of the burials are unidentified, and there are special memorials to more than 30 casualties who died in 1914-15 and were buried in the Germans plot but whose graves could not be found.
During the Second World War, the British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.
The cemetery contains 34 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.
Total Burials: 255.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 198, Canada 3, South Africa 5, Australia 1, New Zealand 1. Total 210.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: Total 11.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 25, Canada 6, Australia 2. Total 33.
World War Two Unidentified Casualty: Total 1.
Commonwealth plot designed by William Harrison Cowlishaw
9591 Private
Walter Haslehurst*
1st Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
16th November 1914.
Sp. Mem. 23.
Son of Mr and Mrs Charles Haslehurst 28 Eastgate, Worksop
*Note: CWGC give his surname as Hazlehurst, true family name is Haslehurst.
Walter Haslehurst*
1st Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
16th November 1914.
Sp. Mem. 23.
Son of Mr and Mrs Charles Haslehurst 28 Eastgate, Worksop
*Note: CWGC give his surname as Hazlehurst, true family name is Haslehurst.
18208 Corporal
Willis Johnston
1st Field Butchery, Canadian Army Service Corps
3rd January 1919.
Row B. 12.
Click on image to enlarge
Willis Johnston
1st Field Butchery, Canadian Army Service Corps
3rd January 1919.
Row B. 12.
Click on image to enlarge
A Royal Artillery Holt caterpillar tractor towing a howitzer near Courtrai, 18 October 1918. © IWM Q 3336
Images in this gallery © Johan Pauwels
109558 Private
Matthew Rae
4th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion
19th March 1917, aged 24.
Row A. 56.
Inscription "Who Best Can Drink His Cup Of Woe Triumphant Over Pain"
Son of the Rev. Frank Rae and Bessie A. Rae, of The Manse, Unionville, Ontario. Born at Uddingston, Scotland.
Matthew Rae
4th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion
19th March 1917, aged 24.
Row A. 56.
Inscription "Who Best Can Drink His Cup Of Woe Triumphant Over Pain"
Son of the Rev. Frank Rae and Bessie A. Rae, of The Manse, Unionville, Ontario. Born at Uddingston, Scotland.
Lieutenant
Cecil O. Sayer
7th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
7th June 1915, aged 30.
Row A. 67.
Son of John and Elizabeth Sayer; husband of Ethel C. J Sayer, of "Wynncote," Oakwood Lane, Roundhay, Leeds. Born at Kirkby Stephen.
Cecil O. Sayer
7th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
7th June 1915, aged 30.
Row A. 67.
Son of John and Elizabeth Sayer; husband of Ethel C. J Sayer, of "Wynncote," Oakwood Lane, Roundhay, Leeds. Born at Kirkby Stephen.
213 2nd Corporal
Hunter (Harry) Sinclair
6th Australian Railway Corps
10th January 1919, aged 26.
Row B. 14.
Son of Robert and Agnes R. Sinclair, of 8, Military Rd., Newcastle, New South Wales.
Enlisted 28th December 1916 and died of illness after the end of the war.
Hunter (Harry) Sinclair
6th Australian Railway Corps
10th January 1919, aged 26.
Row B. 14.
Son of Robert and Agnes R. Sinclair, of 8, Military Rd., Newcastle, New South Wales.
Enlisted 28th December 1916 and died of illness after the end of the war.
Belgian refugee family in a British horse-drawn wagon. Courtrai, 18 October 1918. British soldier holding one of their children. © IWM Q 11395
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
442510 Private
John Ernest Wood
29th Bn. Canadian Infantry
29th April 1916, aged 25.
Row B. 35.
Only son of J. W. and Bridget Wood, of Canyon, British Columbia.
John Ernest Wood
29th Bn. Canadian Infantry
29th April 1916, aged 25.
Row B. 35.
Only son of J. W. and Bridget Wood, of Canyon, British Columbia.
Battle of Courtrai. Belgian civilian women examining a German Maxim machine gun post which was outside their cottage. Near Heule, 15 October 1918. © IWM Q 7122
World War Two Graves
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem
R/150910 Flight Sergeant
Kenneth Corbett McCormick
Air Bomber in 626 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
4th November 1944, aged 21.
Row B. B. Coll. Grave 15-19.
Kenneth Corbett McCormick
Air Bomber in 626 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
4th November 1944, aged 21.
Row B. B. Coll. Grave 15-19.
J/92698 Pilot Officer
Henry Sulz Navigator in 626 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force 4th November 1944, aged 24. Row B. B. Coll. Grave 15-19. Son of Stephen and Elizabeth Sulz; husband of Margaret Mary Sulz, of Sunnybrook, Alberta, Canada. |
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Battle of Courtrai. Sergeant of the Royal Army Medical Corps tending a Belgian wounded woman at an Advanced Aid Post near Heule, 15 October 1918. © IWM Q 7121
British soldiers examining a German 10.5 cm FH 98/09 field howitzer, abandoned on a road near Courtrai, 18 October 1918. Some of the horses of the team were killed by shell fire. © IWM Q 11388
