TALANA FARM CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.88274, Longitude: 2.86281
Location Information
From Ieper the Cemetery is located on the Diksmuidseweg road (N369) in the direction of Boezinge.
From the station in Ieper turn left into M.Fochlaan and go to the roundabout, turn right and go to the next roundabout. Here turn left and drive to the next roundabout. Turn right into Oude Veurnestraat. Take the second turning on the left, which is the Diksmuidseweg, and carry on under the motorway bridge. The cemetery will be found a further 600 metres on the left hand side of the road.
N.B. Talana Farm Cemetery is the second cemetery on the left, the first being Bard Cottage Cemetery.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access is possible via the main entrance.
Historical Information
The commune of Boesinghe (now Boezinge) lies on both sides of the Yser Canal. The village itself is on the West side of the canal, and was, during the greater part of the War, directly faced by the German front line on the East side; but to the South of it the German line sloped away from the canal South-Westward, and Talana Farm was thus just a kilometre from the edge of the Salient. Dragoon Camp was across the canal, due East of the village, and within the German lines until the 31st July, 1917.
Talana Farm was one of a group of farm houses named by the army from episodes of the South African war. The cemetery was begun by French troops in April 1915, taken over by the 1st Rifle Brigade and 1st Somerset Light Infantry in June 1915, and was used by fighting units until March 1918.
Buried in Plot II, Rows E and F are a number of men of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment who died in a small, but successful attack on 6 July 1915. Plots III and IV contain many 49th (West Riding) Division graves and also those of the artillery units that took over the ground in August 1917.
There are now 529 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 14 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to six casualties whose graves in the cemetery could not be located and ten, in Plot I, Row E, are identified as a group, but not individually. It is probable that the cemetery contained other graves later destroyed by shell fire.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and George Hartley Goldsmith
Total Burials: 531.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 515.
Dedications
Private 2765 William Manton, Unit: 1st/4th Bn King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, killed 2nd Aug, 1915 Age 28 yrs,
Area: leper West-Vlaanderen, Grave Ref: ll.E.14. Husband of Elizabeth Anderson (formerly Manton), of 44 Duke of York Avenue, Manygates Lane,Sandal, Wakefield.
Remembered with Honour
by his wife Elizabeth (Lizie), his granddaughter Lesley, also my family, Neil, Karen, Claire, Adam, Dannielle, Samantha, and Jamie Anderson, also my father William Anderson named after such a brave man:
To a brave man, never to be forgotten, your name will be honoured and remembered forever:
R.I.P
GOD BLESS YOU
Remembered by Neil Anderson
From Ieper the Cemetery is located on the Diksmuidseweg road (N369) in the direction of Boezinge.
From the station in Ieper turn left into M.Fochlaan and go to the roundabout, turn right and go to the next roundabout. Here turn left and drive to the next roundabout. Turn right into Oude Veurnestraat. Take the second turning on the left, which is the Diksmuidseweg, and carry on under the motorway bridge. The cemetery will be found a further 600 metres on the left hand side of the road.
N.B. Talana Farm Cemetery is the second cemetery on the left, the first being Bard Cottage Cemetery.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access is possible via the main entrance.
Historical Information
The commune of Boesinghe (now Boezinge) lies on both sides of the Yser Canal. The village itself is on the West side of the canal, and was, during the greater part of the War, directly faced by the German front line on the East side; but to the South of it the German line sloped away from the canal South-Westward, and Talana Farm was thus just a kilometre from the edge of the Salient. Dragoon Camp was across the canal, due East of the village, and within the German lines until the 31st July, 1917.
Talana Farm was one of a group of farm houses named by the army from episodes of the South African war. The cemetery was begun by French troops in April 1915, taken over by the 1st Rifle Brigade and 1st Somerset Light Infantry in June 1915, and was used by fighting units until March 1918.
Buried in Plot II, Rows E and F are a number of men of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment who died in a small, but successful attack on 6 July 1915. Plots III and IV contain many 49th (West Riding) Division graves and also those of the artillery units that took over the ground in August 1917.
There are now 529 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 14 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to six casualties whose graves in the cemetery could not be located and ten, in Plot I, Row E, are identified as a group, but not individually. It is probable that the cemetery contained other graves later destroyed by shell fire.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and George Hartley Goldsmith
Total Burials: 531.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 515.
Dedications
Private 2765 William Manton, Unit: 1st/4th Bn King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, killed 2nd Aug, 1915 Age 28 yrs,
Area: leper West-Vlaanderen, Grave Ref: ll.E.14. Husband of Elizabeth Anderson (formerly Manton), of 44 Duke of York Avenue, Manygates Lane,Sandal, Wakefield.
Remembered with Honour
by his wife Elizabeth (Lizie), his granddaughter Lesley, also my family, Neil, Karen, Claire, Adam, Dannielle, Samantha, and Jamie Anderson, also my father William Anderson named after such a brave man:
To a brave man, never to be forgotten, your name will be honoured and remembered forever:
R.I.P
GOD BLESS YOU
Remembered by Neil Anderson
"It was an extraordinary panorama, half frightening, half exciting. Everywhere, as far as you could see, there were spurts of earth from shells bursting and bursts of shrapnel and high explosive and men looking like ants in the distance. But as we got nearer we could see that they were stretcher-bearers coming through the mud to bring the wounded out. They were up to their knees in it, wallowing in it, struggling up carrying their stretchers to the field-dressing station at the roadside." (Cpl. J. Pincombe)
Images in gallery below © Geerhard Joos
Battle of Pilckem Ridge. Scottish soldiers, watched by Royal Engineers carrying wood for a bridge across the Yser Canal. Note the mud and the wearing of waterproof sheets. Near Boesinghe, August 1917. © IWM (Q 5936)
10975 Lance Corporal
Arthur Barlow
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1915, aged 27.
Plot II. B. 19.
Born Brierfield, nr. Burnley and lived at 7 Leech Street, Colne, Lancashire.
Arthur Barlow
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1915, aged 27.
Plot II. B. 19.
Born Brierfield, nr. Burnley and lived at 7 Leech Street, Colne, Lancashire.
4697 Private
Henry Bramall
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
9th July 1915, aged 25.
Plot II. D. 7.
Reside at 7 Queen Street, Barnoldswick, Lancashire.
Henry Bramall
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
9th July 1915, aged 25.
Plot II. D. 7.
Reside at 7 Queen Street, Barnoldswick, Lancashire.
12475 Serjeant
William Edwin Bubbins
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
20th June 1915, aged 34.
Plot II. A. 7.
Husband of Isabella Bubbins, of 54, Robinson St., Burnley.
William Edwin Bubbins
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
20th June 1915, aged 34.
Plot II. A. 7.
Husband of Isabella Bubbins, of 54, Robinson St., Burnley.
1170 Lance Corporal
Stephen John Chaffey
"D" Coy. 1st/4th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
27th August 1915, aged 35.
Plot IV. A. 27.
Son of Samuel and Emma Chaffey; husband of Beatrice Chaffey, of 65, Minto Rd., Hillsborough, Sheffield. Born at Dewsbury. Served in the South African Campaign.
Stephen John Chaffey
"D" Coy. 1st/4th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
27th August 1915, aged 35.
Plot IV. A. 27.
Son of Samuel and Emma Chaffey; husband of Beatrice Chaffey, of 65, Minto Rd., Hillsborough, Sheffield. Born at Dewsbury. Served in the South African Campaign.
139 Private
Harry Colley
1st/4th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
12th July 1915, aged 37.
Plot III. A. 3.
Son of William Colley; husband of Edith Annie Colley, of 52, Eldon St., Sheffield.
Pictures courtesy of Patrick Lernout
Harry Colley
1st/4th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment
12th July 1915, aged 37.
Plot III. A. 3.
Son of William Colley; husband of Edith Annie Colley, of 52, Eldon St., Sheffield.
Pictures courtesy of Patrick Lernout
5726 Private
Vincent Eccleston
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1915, aged 21.
Plot II. B. 17.
Son of William and C. Eccleston, of Barnoldswick, Colne, Lancs.
Killed by a sniper.
Vincent Eccleston
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1915, aged 21.
Plot II. B. 17.
Son of William and C. Eccleston, of Barnoldswick, Colne, Lancs.
Killed by a sniper.
5173 Private
James Entwistle
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1915, aged 20.
Plot II. C. 20.
Lived at 53 Healey Wood Road, Burnley, he was a Twister in civilian life at Messrs. Nuttall & Crooks' Elm Street Shed, Burnley.
James Entwistle
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1915, aged 20.
Plot II. C. 20.
Lived at 53 Healey Wood Road, Burnley, he was a Twister in civilian life at Messrs. Nuttall & Crooks' Elm Street Shed, Burnley.
10600 Private
William Foster
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
6th July 1915, aged 23.
Plot II. E. 38.
Resided at 3 Greenhalgh Street, Burnley.
William Foster
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
6th July 1915, aged 23.
Plot II. E. 38.
Resided at 3 Greenhalgh Street, Burnley.
5720 Private
Allan Hopkinson
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
6th July 1915, aged 19.
Plot II. F. 27.
Son of James Hopkinson of Bank Head Cottages, Colne, Lancashire. A Weaver by trade. He enlisted at the very start of the war.
Allan Hopkinson
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
6th July 1915, aged 19.
Plot II. F. 27.
Son of James Hopkinson of Bank Head Cottages, Colne, Lancashire. A Weaver by trade. He enlisted at the very start of the war.
6184 Private
James McCarthy
"D" Coy. 1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
6th July 1915, aged 33.
Plot II. E.35.
Son of John and Mary McCarthy, of Burnley; husband of Catherine McCarthy, of 38, Pear St., Burnley. Served in the South African Campaign.
James McCarthy
"D" Coy. 1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
6th July 1915, aged 33.
Plot II. E.35.
Son of John and Mary McCarthy, of Burnley; husband of Catherine McCarthy, of 38, Pear St., Burnley. Served in the South African Campaign.
2601 Private
Clarence Wilson Monk
1st/4th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
24th November 1915, aged 20.
Plot IV. G. 7.
Son of John Samuel Monk, of 23, Sykes St., Cleckheaton, Yorks.
Clarence Wilson Monk
1st/4th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
24th November 1915, aged 20.
Plot IV. G. 7.
Son of John Samuel Monk, of 23, Sykes St., Cleckheaton, Yorks.
1074 Private
Milford Naylor
1st/th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
9th November 1915, aged 21.
Plot IV. F. 6.
Son of John W. and Mary Jane Naylor, of 6, George St., Cleckheaton, Yorks
Milford Naylor
1st/th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
9th November 1915, aged 21.
Plot IV. F. 6.
Son of John W. and Mary Jane Naylor, of 6, George St., Cleckheaton, Yorks
10965 Private
William Parkinson
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1915.
Plot II. C. 21.
Written on the back of the photograph is “William Parkinson, 43 Georges Ave, Hulme, Manchester, killed on 26 June with a shell.
The photograph of this soldier has been passed to me and was among my Grandmother’s possessions. Research has been unable to find any link to my family.
I have researched this soldier and found it to be Private 10965 William Parkinson, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 26 June 1915. Records show that he enlisted on 12 December 1914, and embarked for France on 22 April 1915. His next of kin is recorded as Mrs E Parkinson, 43 St Georges Avenue, Chester Road, Hulme, Manchester. He was born in Bedford, Lancashire.
Picture and information courtesy of David Jackson
William Parkinson
1st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment
26th June 1915.
Plot II. C. 21.
Written on the back of the photograph is “William Parkinson, 43 Georges Ave, Hulme, Manchester, killed on 26 June with a shell.
The photograph of this soldier has been passed to me and was among my Grandmother’s possessions. Research has been unable to find any link to my family.
I have researched this soldier and found it to be Private 10965 William Parkinson, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 26 June 1915. Records show that he enlisted on 12 December 1914, and embarked for France on 22 April 1915. His next of kin is recorded as Mrs E Parkinson, 43 St Georges Avenue, Chester Road, Hulme, Manchester. He was born in Bedford, Lancashire.
Picture and information courtesy of David Jackson
2489 Private
John Raw
1st/6th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
27th December 1915.
Plot IV. H. 4.
John was the sixth child (and eldest son) of Annie (née Palmer) and Joseph Raw of Millholme, Embsay.
Prior to the war John was an apprentice in a cotton weaving shed. He signed up, aged 19, as a Private in the 1st/6th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment on 2nd September 1914.
John initially trained in Skipton, North Yorkshire before he moved to Hull and Grimsby as part of coastal defences. In April 1915 he sailed to France and was stationed on the Western Front. Sadly, John’s story ends on 27 December 1915 with an entry in his service records that reads “killed in action” and the phrase “died of his wounds”.
Picture and additional text courtesy of Wendy and Martin Capstick (Great Nephew)
John Raw
1st/6th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
27th December 1915.
Plot IV. H. 4.
John was the sixth child (and eldest son) of Annie (née Palmer) and Joseph Raw of Millholme, Embsay.
Prior to the war John was an apprentice in a cotton weaving shed. He signed up, aged 19, as a Private in the 1st/6th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment on 2nd September 1914.
John initially trained in Skipton, North Yorkshire before he moved to Hull and Grimsby as part of coastal defences. In April 1915 he sailed to France and was stationed on the Western Front. Sadly, John’s story ends on 27 December 1915 with an entry in his service records that reads “killed in action” and the phrase “died of his wounds”.
Picture and additional text courtesy of Wendy and Martin Capstick (Great Nephew)
123 Private
A. Rowley
1st/4th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
15th November 1915.
Plot IV. D. 6.
A. Rowley
1st/4th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
15th November 1915.
Plot IV. D. 6.
1655 Private
H. Thorpe
1st/4th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
26th August 1915, aged 19.
Plot IV. A. 26.
Son of Mrs Lewis Thorpe, of 18, Providence St., Cleckheaton, Yorks
H. Thorpe
1st/4th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
26th August 1915, aged 19.
Plot IV. A. 26.
Son of Mrs Lewis Thorpe, of 18, Providence St., Cleckheaton, Yorks
23676 Corporal
George Winters
16th Bn. Welsh Regiment
19th August 1917
Son of Mrs. B. Winters, of 43, Fair View, Pengam, Cardiff.
Plot III. J. 4.
My Grandfather’s brother is buried there alongside another OR who has a similar serial number so I assume they signed up together and were buried side by side. I don’t know how much of this is of interest to others but the only way I could get any information about his war experience was through reading the war diaries in Kew.
George Winters, 23676 and T McCarthy, 23683 died on the night of 19 August 1917. 16th Battalion, Welsh Regiment.
Extract from battalion war diaries:
Near Boesinghe 19 August
Quiet day. Some shelling of CANAL BANK during the night. Casualties, killed 2 OR
PILCKEM 30 July – 5 Aug
Battalion in action.
16th Battalion marched from Hazely Down, Winchester to Southampton at 6am on 4 December 1915. There were 30 officers and 995 OR. They sailed on the SS Marguerite at 2pm and it was stormy and wet. They arrived in HAVRE at 7pm on 5th December.
Picture and information courtesy of great niece, Karen Griffiths
George Winters
16th Bn. Welsh Regiment
19th August 1917
Son of Mrs. B. Winters, of 43, Fair View, Pengam, Cardiff.
Plot III. J. 4.
My Grandfather’s brother is buried there alongside another OR who has a similar serial number so I assume they signed up together and were buried side by side. I don’t know how much of this is of interest to others but the only way I could get any information about his war experience was through reading the war diaries in Kew.
George Winters, 23676 and T McCarthy, 23683 died on the night of 19 August 1917. 16th Battalion, Welsh Regiment.
Extract from battalion war diaries:
Near Boesinghe 19 August
Quiet day. Some shelling of CANAL BANK during the night. Casualties, killed 2 OR
PILCKEM 30 July – 5 Aug
Battalion in action.
16th Battalion marched from Hazely Down, Winchester to Southampton at 6am on 4 December 1915. There were 30 officers and 995 OR. They sailed on the SS Marguerite at 2pm and it was stormy and wet. They arrived in HAVRE at 7pm on 5th December.
Picture and information courtesy of great niece, Karen Griffiths
"I came to hate that Salient. Absolutely loathed it. I always used to think the names were so sinister - Zonnebeke - Hill 60 - Zillebeke - the names terrified you before you got there, they had such a sinister ring about them. Then to end up making for Passchendaele was the last straw. You could practically segregate the Salient from the whole of the rest of the war-zone. It wore you down. The weather, the lack of rations, everything seemed to be against you. There didn't seem to be anything left. You were wet through for days on end. We never thought we'd get out alive. You couldn't see the cloud with the silver lining." There wasn't one. (Lieut. J. W. Naylor, R. A.)
Battle of Pilckem Ridge. Stretcher bearers struggle in mud up to their knees to carry a wounded man to safety near Boesinghe, 1 August 1917. Identified front, centre is Private Cecil Hawkins a stretcher bearer with 106 Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps © IWM (Q 5935)
Cemetery images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
Troops jumping water-filled shell holes near Boesinghe, 28 January 1918. © IWM (Q 10636)
The Battle of Pilckem Ridge. An advanced British 18 pounder RFA gun battery taking up new positions close to a communication trench near Boesinghe, 31 July 1917. © IWM (Q 5723)
Ruined Chateau and devastated park, Boesinghe. © IWM (Q 17853)
Plotting reference: 28B 12b Key feature: Boesinghe Railway Station. © IWM (BOX 87-423-9AE-28B-1917)
British troops pose for a photograph on the remains of a German concrete pill box now being used as the roof of a British dug-out near Boesinghe, 28 January 1918. © IWM (Q 10633)
