WYTSCHAETE MILITARY CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 50.78458 Longitude: 2.87702
Picture © Geerhard Joos
Location Information
Wytschaete Military Cemetery is located 7 Kms south of Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the Rijselseweg N365, which connects Ieper (formerly Ypres) to Wijtschate (Wytschaete) and on to Armentieres.
From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat 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. The first right hand turning on reaching the village of Wijtschate leads onto the Hospicestraat, leading to the village square. The Wijtschatestraat leads from the village square, 500 metres beyond which lies the cemetery on the right hand side of the road.
Historical Information
Wytschaete (now Wijtschate) was taken by the Germans early in November 1914. It was recovered by Commonwealth forces during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917, but fell into German hands once more on 16 April 1918. The village was recovered for the last time on 28 September.
The cemetery was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated positions surrounding Wytschaete and the following small battlefield cemeteries:-
REST AND BE THANKFUL FARM, KEMMEL: 23 UK burials (13 of them 2nd Suffolks), mostly of 1915.
R.E. (BEAVER) FARM, KEMMEL: 18 Royal Engineer and four Canadian Engineer burials of 1915-1917.
The CEMETERY NEAR ROSSIGNOL ESTAMINET, KEMMEL: 18 UK burials (11 of the 1st Wiltshire Regiment), of January-April 1915.
SOMER FARM CEMETERY No.2, WYTSCHAETE: 13 UK burials made by IXth Corps in June 1917.
GORDON CEMETERY, KEMMEL: 19 UK burials (14 of them 1st Gordon Highlanders) of January-May 1915.
There are now 1,002 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 673 of the burials are unidentified, but there are special memorials to 16 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate casualties known to have been buried at the Cemetery near Rossignol Estaminet, RE (Beaver) Farm and Rest and be Thankful Farm, whose graves could not be found on concentration.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and William Harrison Cowlishaw
Total Burials: 1,016.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 311, Australia 11, Canada 5, New Zealand 1, South Africa 1. Total 329.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 200, Australia 20, Canada 14, South Africa 10, New Zealand 6, Unknown 423. Total 673.
Dedications
57455 Gunner Henry Thomas Bramble, 49th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 6th February 1916 Aged 26.
Remembered by great, great niece Wendy Grant
Wytschaete Military Cemetery is located 7 Kms south of Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the Rijselseweg N365, which connects Ieper (formerly Ypres) to Wijtschate (Wytschaete) and on to Armentieres.
From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat 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. The first right hand turning on reaching the village of Wijtschate leads onto the Hospicestraat, leading to the village square. The Wijtschatestraat leads from the village square, 500 metres beyond which lies the cemetery on the right hand side of the road.
Historical Information
Wytschaete (now Wijtschate) was taken by the Germans early in November 1914. It was recovered by Commonwealth forces during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917, but fell into German hands once more on 16 April 1918. The village was recovered for the last time on 28 September.
The cemetery was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated positions surrounding Wytschaete and the following small battlefield cemeteries:-
REST AND BE THANKFUL FARM, KEMMEL: 23 UK burials (13 of them 2nd Suffolks), mostly of 1915.
R.E. (BEAVER) FARM, KEMMEL: 18 Royal Engineer and four Canadian Engineer burials of 1915-1917.
The CEMETERY NEAR ROSSIGNOL ESTAMINET, KEMMEL: 18 UK burials (11 of the 1st Wiltshire Regiment), of January-April 1915.
SOMER FARM CEMETERY No.2, WYTSCHAETE: 13 UK burials made by IXth Corps in June 1917.
GORDON CEMETERY, KEMMEL: 19 UK burials (14 of them 1st Gordon Highlanders) of January-May 1915.
There are now 1,002 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 673 of the burials are unidentified, but there are special memorials to 16 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate casualties known to have been buried at the Cemetery near Rossignol Estaminet, RE (Beaver) Farm and Rest and be Thankful Farm, whose graves could not be found on concentration.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and William Harrison Cowlishaw
Total Burials: 1,016.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 311, Australia 11, Canada 5, New Zealand 1, South Africa 1. Total 329.
Unidentified Casualties: United Kingdom 200, Australia 20, Canada 14, South Africa 10, New Zealand 6, Unknown 423. Total 673.
Dedications
57455 Gunner Henry Thomas Bramble, 49th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 6th February 1916 Aged 26.
Remembered by great, great niece Wendy Grant
HM King George V, on Wytschaete Ridge in Belgium on 4 July 1917 during a tour of the Western Front. © IWM (Q 5586)
Lieutenant
Alfred W. Batson
2nd Bn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
12th March 1915
Plot VI. E. 3.
Alfred W. Batson
2nd Bn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
12th March 1915
Plot VI. E. 3.
65112 Lance Sergeant
John Lamb Brereton
"B" Coy. 24th Bn. Canadian Infantry
23rd May 1916, aged 25.
Plot IA. E. 7.
Son of Richard and Eleanor Brereton, of 156, Henwick Rd., Worcester, England. Native of Kidderminster.
John Lamb Brereton
"B" Coy. 24th Bn. Canadian Infantry
23rd May 1916, aged 25.
Plot IA. E. 7.
Son of Richard and Eleanor Brereton, of 156, Henwick Rd., Worcester, England. Native of Kidderminster.
1713 Private
David Wood Crichton
4th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
7th May 1915, aged 18.
Plot IV. C. 9.
Son of Edward James and Elizabeth Crichton, of Rosebery Villa, Banchory, Kincardineshire.
David Wood Crichton
4th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
7th May 1915, aged 18.
Plot IV. C. 9.
Son of Edward James and Elizabeth Crichton, of Rosebery Villa, Banchory, Kincardineshire.
Captain
Alastair Grant Gwyer
6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)
22nd October 1914, aged 31.
Plot VI. C. 11.
Son of Mrs. Cecil F. Gwyer (nee Mitchell), of Croftinloan, Pitlochry, Perthshire, and the late Cecil Francis Gwyer.
Alastair Grant Gwyer
6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)
22nd October 1914, aged 31.
Plot VI. C. 11.
Son of Mrs. Cecil F. Gwyer (nee Mitchell), of Croftinloan, Pitlochry, Perthshire, and the late Cecil Francis Gwyer.
1625 Private
Paul Holman
1st Bn. Honourable Artillery Company
15th February 1915, aged 22.
Plot II. E. 3.
Son of Herbert and Sophia Hawkes Holman, of 4, Whitehall Court, London, S.W.
Paul Holman
1st Bn. Honourable Artillery Company
15th February 1915, aged 22.
Plot II. E. 3.
Son of Herbert and Sophia Hawkes Holman, of 4, Whitehall Court, London, S.W.
Lieutenant
John Algernon Leventhorpe, Mentioned in Despatches
Royal Engineers
23rd January 1915, aged 21.
Plot IV. B. 11.
Son of Mr. J. B. and Mrs. N. Leventhorpe, of 18, St. Andrew's Rd., Bedford.
John Algernon Leventhorpe, Mentioned in Despatches
Royal Engineers
23rd January 1915, aged 21.
Plot IV. B. 11.
Son of Mr. J. B. and Mrs. N. Leventhorpe, of 18, St. Andrew's Rd., Bedford.
A Corporal checking shells arriving on a light railway. Wytschaete, 11 August 1917. © IWM (Q 5871)
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
A Staff Colonel of the 36th (Ulster) Division talking to an Artillery Major near Wytschaete, 10 June 1917. © IWM (Q 5627)
© Werner Van Caneghem
British Infantry in a support trench on a ground won in the battle, near Wytschaete, 12 June 1917. © IWM (Q 5484)
2537 Corporal
V. C. Macrae
"D" Coy. 4th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
20th April 1915, aged 22.
Plot II. F. 4.
Son of Donald and Jane Ferguson Macrae, of 123, Blenheim Place, Aberdeen. First Class Honours, Graduate of Aberdeen University.
V. C. Macrae
"D" Coy. 4th Bn. Gordon Highlanders
20th April 1915, aged 22.
Plot II. F. 4.
Son of Donald and Jane Ferguson Macrae, of 123, Blenheim Place, Aberdeen. First Class Honours, Graduate of Aberdeen University.
48159 Private
John Charles Neal
9th Bn. Welsh Regiment
7th June 1917
Plot IV. A. 20.
John Charles Neal
9th Bn. Welsh Regiment
7th June 1917
Plot IV. A. 20.
Second Lieutenant
Douglas D. Patterson
7th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
16th April 1918, aged 20.
Plot II. C. 10.
Son of Alec and Martha Patterson, of 76, Beaconsfield Place, Aberdeen.
Picture courtesy of Keith Patterson (Great Nephew)
Douglas D. Patterson
7th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
16th April 1918, aged 20.
Plot II. C. 10.
Son of Alec and Martha Patterson, of 76, Beaconsfield Place, Aberdeen.
Picture courtesy of Keith Patterson (Great Nephew)
6391 Private
Robert Wilson
2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys)
1st November 1914, aged 27.
Plot IA. A. 8.
Son of Thomas Wilson, of 8, Upper Village, Hawick.
Robert Wilson
2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys)
1st November 1914, aged 27.
Plot IA. A. 8.
Son of Thomas Wilson, of 8, Upper Village, Hawick.
Wytschaete Sector, Belgium. 29 January 1918. A captured German concrete redoubts and observation posts in the front line of the Wytschaete Sector. Winter rains had turned the shell torn area into a muddy waste.
© Werner Van Caneghem
21st January 1918: German shells bursting on the First Aid Post of the 1st Australian Field Ambulance, in an old German pillbox on the Gordon Road at Wytschaete in Belgium.
Post war; A German Pillbox on the Messines Road. The signboard reads: 'Ploegsteert Wytschaete'.
