OUDENAARDE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Oost-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.84914, Longitude: 3.60947
Location Information
The town of Oudenaarde (Audenaarde) is located south-west of the city of Gent on the N60. From the motorway E40/A10, which runs between Oostende and Brussels, turn off at junction 15 onto the N60 direction Oudenaarde. Follow this road to the junction with the N459, turn left here along Beverestraat to the centre of town. After crossing the railway turn directly left into J.Braetstraat, then at the first junction on the right take the left hand road called Dijkstraat, then the fourth turning left called Groenstraat. The cemetery is along here on the left. The graves are located in the Belgian Military plot which is just inside the main gate.
Historical Information
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.
Oudenaarde Communal Cemetery contains 18 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, one of which is unidentified. There are also seven First World War burials in the cemetery, mostly of men who died as prisoners of war.
Total Burials: 25.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 6, Australia 1. Total 7.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 12, Canada 5, Total 17.
World War Two Unidentified Casualty: 1.
The town of Oudenaarde (Audenaarde) is located south-west of the city of Gent on the N60. From the motorway E40/A10, which runs between Oostende and Brussels, turn off at junction 15 onto the N60 direction Oudenaarde. Follow this road to the junction with the N459, turn left here along Beverestraat to the centre of town. After crossing the railway turn directly left into J.Braetstraat, then at the first junction on the right take the left hand road called Dijkstraat, then the fourth turning left called Groenstraat. The cemetery is along here on the left. The graves are located in the Belgian Military plot which is just inside the main gate.
Historical Information
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.
Oudenaarde Communal Cemetery contains 18 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, one of which is unidentified. There are also seven First World War burials in the cemetery, mostly of men who died as prisoners of war.
Total Burials: 25.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 6, Australia 1. Total 7.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 12, Canada 5, Total 17.
World War Two Unidentified Casualty: 1.
World War One Burials
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem
Lieutenant
Perceval Matheson
55th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and General List.
13th July 1917, aged 22.
Son of Sir Alexander Perceval Matheson, 3rd Bart. and Lady Matheson, of Ardarun, Littlehampton, Sussex. His brothers Ian Kenneth Matheson and Roderick Kyrle Matheson also fell.
His headstone bears the inscription "Son Of Alexr. & Lady Matheson, Ardarun Littlehampton, England"
Perceval Matheson
55th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and General List.
13th July 1917, aged 22.
Son of Sir Alexander Perceval Matheson, 3rd Bart. and Lady Matheson, of Ardarun, Littlehampton, Sussex. His brothers Ian Kenneth Matheson and Roderick Kyrle Matheson also fell.
His headstone bears the inscription "Son Of Alexr. & Lady Matheson, Ardarun Littlehampton, England"
World War Two Burials
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem
R/195726 Sergeant
Earl Freiman Baldry
429 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
2nd May 1944, aged 20.
Son of John and Mary Baldry, of North Gower, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him"
Earl Freiman Baldry
429 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
2nd May 1944, aged 20.
Son of John and Mary Baldry, of North Gower, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Him"
1860419 Sergeant
George Algernon Elliott
429 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
2nd May 1944.
George Algernon Elliott
429 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
2nd May 1944.
J/28926 Flying Officer
John Elie Frederick Hawke
429 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
2nd May 1944.
John Elie Frederick Hawke
429 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
2nd May 1944.
J/38130 Pilot Officer
George Graham Vipond
429 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
2nd May 1944.
George Graham Vipond
429 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
2nd May 1944.
J/127175 Flying Officer
Robert James Webster
429 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
2nd May 1944, aged 28.
Son of Gordon Cameron Webster and Edna Kathleen Webster, of Durham, Ontario, Canada. B.Sc. Engineering (Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario).
His headstone bears the inscription "Father, In Thy Gracious Keeping Leave We Now Thy Servant Sleeping"
Robert James Webster
429 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
2nd May 1944, aged 28.
Son of Gordon Cameron Webster and Edna Kathleen Webster, of Durham, Ontario, Canada. B.Sc. Engineering (Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario).
His headstone bears the inscription "Father, In Thy Gracious Keeping Leave We Now Thy Servant Sleeping"
