VOORMEZEELE ENCLOSURE NO. 3
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.8184, Longitude: 2.8732
Voormezeele Enclosure No.3
Location Information
Voormezeele Enclosure No.3 is located 4 Kms south-west of Ieper town centre on the Ruusschaartstraat, a road leading from the Kemmelseweg (connecting 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).
Turn right onto the Kemmelseweg and follow this road to the first crossroads, turn left here into Ruusschaartstraat. The Cemetery is located 1 Km after this junction on the left hand side of the road just before Voormezeele Dorp.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this site is possible, but may be by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
The Voormezeele Enclosures (at one time there were a total of four, but now reduced to three) were originally regimental groups of graves, begun very early in the First World War and gradually increased until the village and the cemeteries were captured by the Germans after very heavy fighting on 29 April 1918.
Voormezeele Enclosure No.3, the largest of these burial grounds, was begun by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in February 1915. Their graves are in Plot III, the other Plots from I to IX are the work of other units, or pairs of units, and include a few graves of October 1918. Plots X and XII are of a more general character. Plots XIII to XVI were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated sites and smaller cemeteries to replace the French graves (of April and September 1918) that were removed to a French cemetery. These concentrated graves cover the months from January 1915 to October 1918, and they include those of many men of the 15th Hampshires and other units who recaptured this ground early in September 1918.
There are now 1,613 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Voormezeele Enclosure No.3. 607 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 15 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of five casualties whose graves in PHEASANT WOOD CEMETERY could not be found on concentration.
Total Burials: 1,613.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 907, Canada 88, Australia 8, New Zealand 2, Germany 1. Total 1,006.
Unidentified Casualties: 607.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Captain Wilfred Clement Von Berg, M. C.
Voormezeele Enclosure No.3 is located 4 Kms south-west of Ieper town centre on the Ruusschaartstraat, a road leading from the Kemmelseweg (connecting 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).
Turn right onto the Kemmelseweg and follow this road to the first crossroads, turn left here into Ruusschaartstraat. The Cemetery is located 1 Km after this junction on the left hand side of the road just before Voormezeele Dorp.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access to this site is possible, but may be by an alternative entrance.
Historical Information
The Voormezeele Enclosures (at one time there were a total of four, but now reduced to three) were originally regimental groups of graves, begun very early in the First World War and gradually increased until the village and the cemeteries were captured by the Germans after very heavy fighting on 29 April 1918.
Voormezeele Enclosure No.3, the largest of these burial grounds, was begun by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in February 1915. Their graves are in Plot III, the other Plots from I to IX are the work of other units, or pairs of units, and include a few graves of October 1918. Plots X and XII are of a more general character. Plots XIII to XVI were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated sites and smaller cemeteries to replace the French graves (of April and September 1918) that were removed to a French cemetery. These concentrated graves cover the months from January 1915 to October 1918, and they include those of many men of the 15th Hampshires and other units who recaptured this ground early in September 1918.
There are now 1,613 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Voormezeele Enclosure No.3. 607 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 15 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of five casualties whose graves in PHEASANT WOOD CEMETERY could not be found on concentration.
Total Burials: 1,613.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 907, Canada 88, Australia 8, New Zealand 2, Germany 1. Total 1,006.
Unidentified Casualties: 607.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Captain Wilfred Clement Von Berg, M. C.
3216 Corporal
Colin Bayly
1st/10th Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
16th April 1915, aged 28.
Plot VI. C. 1.
Son of William Henry Ford Bayly, of South Esplanade, Semaphore, South Australia.
Colin Bayly
1st/10th Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
16th April 1915, aged 28.
Plot VI. C. 1.
Son of William Henry Ford Bayly, of South Esplanade, Semaphore, South Australia.
121 Private
John Bleakley
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
(Eastern Ontario Regiment)
31th January 1915, aged 32.
Plot III. D. 7.
Son of George and Alettica Bleakley, of Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland. 12 years service in 2nd Bn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Born March 16, 1883 in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh
12 years service with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Emigrated to Canada in 1912
Enlisted August 24, 1914 Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry
Private John Bleakley 121. Sailed for England from Canada on “S.S. Royal George” October 4, 1914
to France from England January 15, 1915. Killed in Action January 31, 1915 at St.Eloi
R. I. P.
Pictures courtesy of grand nephew James Bleakley
John Bleakley
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
(Eastern Ontario Regiment)
31th January 1915, aged 32.
Plot III. D. 7.
Son of George and Alettica Bleakley, of Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland. 12 years service in 2nd Bn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Born March 16, 1883 in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh
12 years service with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Emigrated to Canada in 1912
Enlisted August 24, 1914 Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry
Private John Bleakley 121. Sailed for England from Canada on “S.S. Royal George” October 4, 1914
to France from England January 15, 1915. Killed in Action January 31, 1915 at St.Eloi
R. I. P.
Pictures courtesy of grand nephew James Bleakley
48259 Private
Patrick Brennan
19th Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Killed in action on 29th April 1918, aged 40.
Plot XIV. F. 8.
Inscription "Sacred Heart Of Jesus Have Mercy On His Soul"
Click on image to enlarge
Husband of Margaret Brennan, of 3, Ivor Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool.
Picture courtesy of Patrick Brennan (Great Great Nephew)
Patrick Brennan
19th Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Killed in action on 29th April 1918, aged 40.
Plot XIV. F. 8.
Inscription "Sacred Heart Of Jesus Have Mercy On His Soul"
Click on image to enlarge
Husband of Margaret Brennan, of 3, Ivor Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool.
Picture courtesy of Patrick Brennan (Great Great Nephew)
14792 Private
Frank Harris Butcher
7th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
15th October 1915, aged 24.
Plot VIII. B. 2.
Son of Mrs. G. Butcher, of Grimscote, Towcester, Northants.
Enlisted Towcester 7th September 1914, he was killed by a Trench mortar at St. Eloi, he had only been in Belgium for just over a month.
Picture courtesy of W. J. Butcher, great nephew of this soldier
Frank Harris Butcher
7th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment
15th October 1915, aged 24.
Plot VIII. B. 2.
Son of Mrs. G. Butcher, of Grimscote, Towcester, Northants.
Enlisted Towcester 7th September 1914, he was killed by a Trench mortar at St. Eloi, he had only been in Belgium for just over a month.
Picture courtesy of W. J. Butcher, great nephew of this soldier
64306 Private
Percival Charles Dawes
123rd Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry).
27th June 1917.
Plot XVI. F. 9.
Picture courtesy of Marion Arnott, great granddaughter of this soldier
Percival Charles Dawes
123rd Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry).
27th June 1917.
Plot XVI. F. 9.
Picture courtesy of Marion Arnott, great granddaughter of this soldier
12673 Private
Thomas William Hodgson
7th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment
9th August 1915, aged 18.
Plot X. A. 19.
Son of Thomas and Lavinia Hodgson, of 39, Kirby Rd., Darnall, Sheffield.
Picture courtesy of niece, Ann Hughes
Thomas William Hodgson
7th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment
9th August 1915, aged 18.
Plot X. A. 19.
Son of Thomas and Lavinia Hodgson, of 39, Kirby Rd., Darnall, Sheffield.
Picture courtesy of niece, Ann Hughes
Images in this gallery © Geerhard Joos
21453 Private
Eugenio Risi (AKA James Rice)
1st Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
27th July 1915, aged 19.
Plot XIII. H. 12.
Son of Joseph and Nellie Rice, of 9, Holroyd's Yard, Meadow Lane, Leeds.
His older brother was also killed in the Great War and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial. There were 12 siblings in total.
Photograph courtesy of the remaining Rice family's descendants.
Eugenio Risi (AKA James Rice)
1st Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers
27th July 1915, aged 19.
Plot XIII. H. 12.
Son of Joseph and Nellie Rice, of 9, Holroyd's Yard, Meadow Lane, Leeds.
His older brother was also killed in the Great War and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial. There were 12 siblings in total.
Photograph courtesy of the remaining Rice family's descendants.
39367 Corporal
Edgar Clifford Ruddick
5th Bn. South Wales Borderers
2nd August 1917, aged 22.
Plot XVI. K. 2.
Son of Evan Ruddick, of Crindon House, 1, Richmond Rd., Pontnewydd, Newport, Mon.
Edgar Clifford Ruddick
5th Bn. South Wales Borderers
2nd August 1917, aged 22.
Plot XVI. K. 2.
Son of Evan Ruddick, of Crindon House, 1, Richmond Rd., Pontnewydd, Newport, Mon.
3082 Private
Leonard J. Stokes
2nd Bn. East Surrey Regiment
29th March 1915.
Plot II. B. 15.
Killed by a sniper in trenches just east of St Eloi, he was the only casualty that day in the battalion. Leonard was from Middleton, Leicestershire.
Picture courtesy of great nephew, James Mills
Leonard J. Stokes
2nd Bn. East Surrey Regiment
29th March 1915.
Plot II. B. 15.
Killed by a sniper in trenches just east of St Eloi, he was the only casualty that day in the battalion. Leonard was from Middleton, Leicestershire.
Picture courtesy of great nephew, James Mills
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
The 55th Australian Siege Battery in action with 9.2 inch howitzer near Voormezeele. Camouflage netting screens the emplacement. © IWM (E(AUS) 694)
German shell bursting near Chateau Segard, Voormezeele, 30th April 1916. © IWM Q 548
The ruins of Chateau Segard, near Voormezeele, 30th April 1916. © IWM Q 546
Soldiers bathing in the pond of a farm near St. Eloi, 10 June 1917. © IWM Q 5500
Soldiers, mules and carts stopped on a street in the ruined village of Voormezeele. August 1917.
