OOSTTAVERNE WOOD CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.79401 Longitude: 2.90232
Location Information
Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery is located 6 Kms south of Ieper town centre on the Rijselseweg N336 connecting Ieper to Lille.
From Ieper town centre the Rijselstraat 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. 3 Kms along the Rijselseweg the road forks with the N365. The N336 is the left hand fork towards Lille. The cemetery is located 2 Kms after this left hand fork on the right hand side of the road.
Historical Information
The "Oosttaverne Line" was a German work running northward from the river Lys to the Comines Canal, passing just east of Oosttaverne. It was captured on 7 June 1917, the first day of the Battle of Messines, the village and the wood being taken by the 19th (Western) and 11th Divisions. Two cemeteries, No.1 and No.2, were then made by the IX Corps Burial Officer on the present site and used until September 1917. They are contained in Plot I, II, and III of the present cemetery, which was completed after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields (including many from Hill 60) and from the following smaller cemeteries:-
HOOGEMOTTE FARM GERMAN CEMETERY, WERVICQ, on the Belgian side of the Lys, towards Comines; a permanent cemetery, which contained, in addition to German graves, those of twelve soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in April, 1918.
HOUTHEM-LES-YPRES GERMAN CEMETERY, on the West side of the village; a permanent cemetery in which 17 soldiers and airmen from the United Kingdom were buried in 1916-17.
IN DE STER GERMAN CEMETERY, BECELAERE, named from a cabaret on the road to Broodseinde; made by the XXVII Reserve Corps, and containing the graves of 53 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in October and November, 1914.
KOEKUIT GERMAN CEMETERY, LANGEMARCK, on the road to Houthulst, in which eight soldiers from the United Kingdom were buried in October, 1914.
TENBRIELEN-AMERIKA GERMAN CEMETERY, in the Haut-Bois, North of Comines, now containing about 850 graves. Six soldiers from the United Kingdom were buried here in April, 1917.
THREE HOUSES GERMAN CEMETERY, HOLLEBEKE (or HOLLEBEKE CEMETERY No. 60), on the Kortevilde-Verbrandenmolen road, across the canal; three soldiers from the United Kingdom and two from Canada were buried there in 1916.
ZWAANHOEK GERMAN CEMETERY, BECELAERE, on the South side of the Molenhoek-Reutel road; made by the XXVII Reserve Corps, and containing the graves of six soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in October, 1914.
CROONAERT CHAPEL was a shrine in a hamlet on the Wytschaete-Voormezeele road; and the cemetery is 160 yards West of that road, a mile North of Wytschaete village. It was in No Man's Land before the Battle of Messines, 1917
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.
The cemetery contains 1,119 First World War burials, 783 of which are unidentified. Scattered among these graves are 117 from the Second World War, five of them unidentified.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. and Noel Ackroyd Rew
Total Burials: 1,238.
World War One Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 298, Canada 21, Australia 16, New Zealand 2, India 1. Total 338.
World War One One Other Nationality: France 1.
World War One Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 626, Canada 112, Australia 27, New Zealand 17. Total 782.
World War Two Commonwealth Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 112.
World War Two Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 5.
Dedications
16390 Private Alexander Hutchison, 1st Bn. Royal Scots, 24th April 1915 age 33. Husband of Isabella McKenzie Hutchison
Bridgeton, Glasgow, UK
Remembered by Great granddaughter Catherine Bryce (nee Hutchison)
Cemetery mages in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
British junior officers having tea at Oostaverne Wood, 11th June 1917, during a quiet moment in the Battle of Messine Ridge. © IWM Q 2309
51894 Major
Wilton Pole Allsebrook
2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
28th May 1940, aged 26.
Plot VI. AA. 3.
Son of Wilton Allsebrook, J.P., and Charlotte Allsebrook, of Winklebury Hill, Hampshire. His brother Anthony John Allsebrook also fell.
Wilton Pole Allsebrook
2nd Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
28th May 1940, aged 26.
Plot VI. AA. 3.
Son of Wilton Allsebrook, J.P., and Charlotte Allsebrook, of Winklebury Hill, Hampshire. His brother Anthony John Allsebrook also fell.
6226 Private
William Thomas Blackwood
6th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
4th October 1917, aged 24.
Plot IV. C. 11.
Son of Robert and Agnes Blackwood, of Hotspur, Victoria, Australia.
A labourer from Hotspur via Condah, Victoria prior to enlistment, Pte Blackwood embarked along with his brother 6227 Pte John James Blackwood with the 20th Reinforcements from Melbourne on HMAT Euripides on 11th September 1916. On 4 October 1917 he was killed in action in Belgium, aged 24, and was buried in Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium. Pte John Blackwood returned to Australia on 1 August 1919.
William Thomas Blackwood
6th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
4th October 1917, aged 24.
Plot IV. C. 11.
Son of Robert and Agnes Blackwood, of Hotspur, Victoria, Australia.
A labourer from Hotspur via Condah, Victoria prior to enlistment, Pte Blackwood embarked along with his brother 6227 Pte John James Blackwood with the 20th Reinforcements from Melbourne on HMAT Euripides on 11th September 1916. On 4 October 1917 he was killed in action in Belgium, aged 24, and was buried in Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium. Pte John Blackwood returned to Australia on 1 August 1919.
2111 Lance Corporal
Arthur James Clark
6th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
4th October 1917, aged 30.
Plot IV. C. 20.
Son of James Simpson Clark and Louisa Letitia Clark, of Lower Norton Horsham, Victoria, Australia.
A 28 year old engine driver prior to enlisting on 3 March 1915, he embarked for overseas with the 6th Reinforcements of the 8th Battalion from Melbourne on 17 June 1915 aboard HMAT Wandilla. He served at Gallipoli where he was evacuated with sickness several times to hospitals at Anzac and Egypt. During this period he was transferred to the 60th and then the 58th Battalions. In June 1916 he proceeded to France where he joined the 57th Battalion and was wounded in action in February 1917. On recovery, he transferred to the 6th Battalion in Belgium where he was killed in action at Passchendaele.
Arthur James Clark
6th Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
4th October 1917, aged 30.
Plot IV. C. 20.
Son of James Simpson Clark and Louisa Letitia Clark, of Lower Norton Horsham, Victoria, Australia.
A 28 year old engine driver prior to enlisting on 3 March 1915, he embarked for overseas with the 6th Reinforcements of the 8th Battalion from Melbourne on 17 June 1915 aboard HMAT Wandilla. He served at Gallipoli where he was evacuated with sickness several times to hospitals at Anzac and Egypt. During this period he was transferred to the 60th and then the 58th Battalions. In June 1916 he proceeded to France where he joined the 57th Battalion and was wounded in action in February 1917. On recovery, he transferred to the 6th Battalion in Belgium where he was killed in action at Passchendaele.
432182 Corporal
G. H. Hackett
49th Bn. Canadian Infantry
Between 2nd June 1916 and 5th June 1916.
Plot VIII. D. 18.
Husband of Elizabeth M. Hackett, of Vancouver, British Columbia.
G. H. Hackett
49th Bn. Canadian Infantry
Between 2nd June 1916 and 5th June 1916.
Plot VIII. D. 18.
Husband of Elizabeth M. Hackett, of Vancouver, British Columbia.
23192 Private
Richard Reginald Haworth
7th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
21st July 1917, aged 25.
Plot I. D. 9.
Son of Richard and E. Helen Haworth, of Burnley; husband of Jane Haworth, of 60, Ardwick St., Burnley.
Richard Reginald Haworth
7th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
21st July 1917, aged 25.
Plot I. D. 9.
Son of Richard and E. Helen Haworth, of Burnley; husband of Jane Haworth, of 60, Ardwick St., Burnley.
Second Lieutenant
Oliver Robson Walford
1st Bn. Hampshire Regiment
26th April 1915, aged 19.
Plot VIII. E. 12.
Son of the late Col. W. S. Walford (R.A.) and Mrs. M. E. Walford.
The image dates from around 1912 and he his pictured with his sisters, Joy and Ruth
Picture courtesy of Oliver Roome, Major General (Late Royal Engineers), nephew of this soldier
Oliver Robson Walford
1st Bn. Hampshire Regiment
26th April 1915, aged 19.
Plot VIII. E. 12.
Son of the late Col. W. S. Walford (R.A.) and Mrs. M. E. Walford.
The image dates from around 1912 and he his pictured with his sisters, Joy and Ruth
Picture courtesy of Oliver Roome, Major General (Late Royal Engineers), nephew of this soldier
Lieutenant
Ernest Norman White
5th Bn. attd. 1st Bn. Middlesex Regiment
25th September 1917, aged 33.
Plot VII. J. 16.
Son of E. P. M. White, of Ottawa, Canada; husband of Isabel M. White (nee Fergusson).
Remembered on behalf of their father by Ernest's half brother Benjamin Montague White
Ernest Norman White
5th Bn. attd. 1st Bn. Middlesex Regiment
25th September 1917, aged 33.
Plot VII. J. 16.
Son of E. P. M. White, of Ottawa, Canada; husband of Isabel M. White (nee Fergusson).
Remembered on behalf of their father by Ernest's half brother Benjamin Montague White
22723 Private
Ernest Worthington
9th Bn. Welsh Regiment
7th August 1917.
Plot II. B. 12.
Ernest Worthington
9th Bn. Welsh Regiment
7th August 1917.
Plot II. B. 12.
A general view showing the destruction of Oosttaverne Wood, including the trenches taken by the British during the Battle of Messines Ridge. Seen on 11th June 1917. © IWM Q 2304
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
British Artillery observing officers of the Royal Arrtillery, seen in a captured German observation post near Oosttaverne Wood, 11th June 1917. © IWM (Q 2307)
A doctor tends to a shoulder wound at a Regimental Aid Post set up in a captured German ammunition dump at Oosttaverne, near Ypres, August 1917. © IWM (Q 5916)
Two Colonels and their Adjutants at the entrance to a dugout in a captured German communication trench at Oostaverne Wood, 11th June 1917, during the Battle of Messines. © IWM (Q 2303)
A destroyed German observation post outside Oosttaverne Wood, which saw action in the final stages of the battle of Messines Ridge. The British officer in foreground carrying a German map board. 11th June 1917. © IWM Q 2301
General view of cemetery with Cross of Sacrifice, entrance and some 1939/45 (Second World War) wooden crosses in plot surrounded by First World War headstones. Photo taken in 1950
