YPRES TOWN CEMETERY EXTENSION
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates - Latitude: 50.85417, Longitude: 2.89727
Location Information
Ypres Town Cemetery Extension is located 1 kilometre east of Ieper town centre, on the Zonnebeekseweg (N332), connecting Ieper to Zonnebeke. From Ieper town centre the Zonnebeekseweg is located via Torhoutstraat and right onto Basculestraat. Basculestraat ends at a main cross roads and the first left hand turn is the Zonnebeekseweg (N345). The cemetery itself is located 300 metres along the Zonnebeekseweg on the right hand side of the road.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access possible via main entrance.
Historical Information
From October 1914 to the summer of 1918, Ypres (now Ieper) formed the centre of a salient held by Commonwealth (and for a while French) forces. From April 1915, the town was bombarded and destroyed more completely than any other town of its size on the western front.
By the outbreak of the Second World War, Ypres had been completely rebuilt, but saw heavy fighting before it fell to the Germans on 29 May 1940.
YPRES TOWN CEMETERY, close to the Menin Gate, was used from October 1914 to May 1915, and once in 1918. The cemetery contains 145 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, grouped in plots among the civil graves.
The EXTENSION, on the east side of the town cemetery, was also begun in October 1914 and was used until April 1915, and on two further occasions in 1918. The extension was much increased after the Armistice when 367 graves were brought in from small cemeteries and isolated positions east and north of Ypres.
During and after the fighting of May 1940, three civilian hospitals in the town, (Hopital de Notre Dame, the Clinique des Soeurs Noires and the Red Cross Hospital in St. Aloisius School, D'Hondstraat), cared for the wounded, and those who died were buried in the Town Cemetery Extension. Others buried on the battlefield were later brought in by the Ypres town services.
There are now 598 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in the extension. 137 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to 16 servicemen known or believed to be buried among them. Second World War burials number 43, of which 13 are unidentified.
The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
Ypres Town Cemetery Extension is located 1 kilometre east of Ieper town centre, on the Zonnebeekseweg (N332), connecting Ieper to Zonnebeke. From Ieper town centre the Zonnebeekseweg is located via Torhoutstraat and right onto Basculestraat. Basculestraat ends at a main cross roads and the first left hand turn is the Zonnebeekseweg (N345). The cemetery itself is located 300 metres along the Zonnebeekseweg on the right hand side of the road.
Visiting Information
Wheelchair access possible via main entrance.
Historical Information
From October 1914 to the summer of 1918, Ypres (now Ieper) formed the centre of a salient held by Commonwealth (and for a while French) forces. From April 1915, the town was bombarded and destroyed more completely than any other town of its size on the western front.
By the outbreak of the Second World War, Ypres had been completely rebuilt, but saw heavy fighting before it fell to the Germans on 29 May 1940.
YPRES TOWN CEMETERY, close to the Menin Gate, was used from October 1914 to May 1915, and once in 1918. The cemetery contains 145 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, grouped in plots among the civil graves.
The EXTENSION, on the east side of the town cemetery, was also begun in October 1914 and was used until April 1915, and on two further occasions in 1918. The extension was much increased after the Armistice when 367 graves were brought in from small cemeteries and isolated positions east and north of Ypres.
During and after the fighting of May 1940, three civilian hospitals in the town, (Hopital de Notre Dame, the Clinique des Soeurs Noires and the Red Cross Hospital in St. Aloisius School, D'Hondstraat), cared for the wounded, and those who died were buried in the Town Cemetery Extension. Others buried on the battlefield were later brought in by the Ypres town services.
There are now 598 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in the extension. 137 of the burials are unidentified and there are special memorials to 16 servicemen known or believed to be buried among them. Second World War burials number 43, of which 13 are unidentified.
The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
Bodies of four officers under blankets awaiting burial at the Ypres Cemetery, 1st November 1914. © IWM Q 57326
Six British Soldiers Reburied in Ypres Town Cemetery Extension on April 20th 2016
(Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem)
They were all killed in action on May 24th 1915, as the Second Battle of Ypres was drawing to a close. Together with the remains of four other soldiers who're still unknown are Gunners Rowbottom and Venus.
1817 Gunner Albert William Venus, North Riding Battery, Royal Field Artillery, aged 22. Son of Alfred and Frances Venus, of Thorne, Hull.
1308 Gunner Joseph William Rowbottom, North Riding Battery, Royal Field Artillery, aged 27. Son of Fred and Maria Mary Rowbottom, of Scarborough.
1308 Gunner Joseph William Rowbottom, North Riding Battery, Royal Field Artillery, aged 27. Son of Fred and Maria Mary Rowbottom, of Scarborough.
British sentry near the ruined cathedral in Ypres, 5th September 1917. © IWM Q 3121
Ruins of the Cathedral at Ypres, 22 November 1916. © IWM Q 6213
Images in this gallery © Werner Van Caneghem
4344517 Private
John Thiepval Chester
4th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment
28th May 1940, aged 23.
Plot 4. A. 32.
John Thiepval Chester
4th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment
28th May 1940, aged 23.
Plot 4. A. 32.
4014 Private
William Maxwell
11th Bn. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
10th July 1917, aged 22.
Plot I. C. 15.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Maxwell, of 58, Johnstone St., Airdrie.
Picture Courtesy of Joe O'Raw and William Kilgour
William Maxwell
11th Bn. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
10th July 1917, aged 22.
Plot I. C. 15.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Maxwell, of 58, Johnstone St., Airdrie.
Picture Courtesy of Joe O'Raw and William Kilgour
3119 Private
Jack Bowden Pryor
33rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
16th October 1917, aged 27.
Plot III. C. 9.
Son of Benjamin and B. Pryor; husband of Ella E. Pryor, of 39, Parry St., Hamilton, Newcastle, New South Wales. Native of West Maitland, New South Wales.
A plasterer from West Maitland, NSW prior to enlistment, Pte Pryor embarked with the 7th Reinforcements from Sydney on HMAT Anchises on 24 January 1917. On16 October 1917, aged 27, he was killed in action at Passchendaele Ridge, Belgium and was buried West of Cavalry Farm near Ypres. Following the Armistice, he remains were exhumed and re-interred in the Ypres Town Cemetery Extension.
3114 G. E. W. Porter witnessed Jack Pryor's death, he wrote:
"He came out of the line on October 15th with trench feet and we were in the horse lines (about 6 miles behind the front line) when a stray shell got his tent. He was killed instantly, had half his head blown off. It happened at Polygon Wood, I was in the next tent to his. He was buried about 20 yards away from where he was hit, I saw them digging his grave but was unable to attend the burial. Sgt. Meek* was killed by the same shell, both were buried together."
*1872 Sergeant, (CWGC shows his rank as Corporal) Alexander Meek, 33rd Bn. Australian Infantry, 16th October 1917, aged 33. Ypres Town Cemetery Extension, Plot I. F. 15.
Jack Bowden Pryor
33rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A. I. F.
16th October 1917, aged 27.
Plot III. C. 9.
Son of Benjamin and B. Pryor; husband of Ella E. Pryor, of 39, Parry St., Hamilton, Newcastle, New South Wales. Native of West Maitland, New South Wales.
A plasterer from West Maitland, NSW prior to enlistment, Pte Pryor embarked with the 7th Reinforcements from Sydney on HMAT Anchises on 24 January 1917. On16 October 1917, aged 27, he was killed in action at Passchendaele Ridge, Belgium and was buried West of Cavalry Farm near Ypres. Following the Armistice, he remains were exhumed and re-interred in the Ypres Town Cemetery Extension.
3114 G. E. W. Porter witnessed Jack Pryor's death, he wrote:
"He came out of the line on October 15th with trench feet and we were in the horse lines (about 6 miles behind the front line) when a stray shell got his tent. He was killed instantly, had half his head blown off. It happened at Polygon Wood, I was in the next tent to his. He was buried about 20 yards away from where he was hit, I saw them digging his grave but was unable to attend the burial. Sgt. Meek* was killed by the same shell, both were buried together."
*1872 Sergeant, (CWGC shows his rank as Corporal) Alexander Meek, 33rd Bn. Australian Infantry, 16th October 1917, aged 33. Ypres Town Cemetery Extension, Plot I. F. 15.
31072 Lance Corporal
John William Sunter M. M.
46th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
31st July 1917.
Plot III. H. 17.
John William Sunter M. M.
46th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
31st July 1917.
Plot III. H. 17.
30183 Driver
Clive Townsend Thompson
10th Bde. Australian Field Artillery
8th October 1917, aged 20.
Plot III. F. 25.
Son of Joseph Peebles Thompson and Mary Ann Thompson, of 17, Collingwood St., Drummoyne, New South Wales. Native of Sydney, New South Wales.
A 19 year old student prior to enlisting on 5 September 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 22nd Reinforcements of the 1st FAB from Sydney on 9 November 1916 aboard HMAT Benalla. After a period of training in England, he joined the 38th Battery of the 10th FAB in Belgium where he was killed in action at Passchendaele on 8 October 1917.
Clive Townsend Thompson
10th Bde. Australian Field Artillery
8th October 1917, aged 20.
Plot III. F. 25.
Son of Joseph Peebles Thompson and Mary Ann Thompson, of 17, Collingwood St., Drummoyne, New South Wales. Native of Sydney, New South Wales.
A 19 year old student prior to enlisting on 5 September 1916, he embarked for overseas with the 22nd Reinforcements of the 1st FAB from Sydney on 9 November 1916 aboard HMAT Benalla. After a period of training in England, he joined the 38th Battery of the 10th FAB in Belgium where he was killed in action at Passchendaele on 8 October 1917.
Two almost identical scenes of Ypres in 1912 and then November 1914 after the first German bombardment of the city. © IWM (Q 57290)
The Brick Arches, Cloth Hall, Ypres, November 1914.
Lieutenant Colonel Owen Mortimer Lanyon and Captain Charles, Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General, 4th Division, collecting roofing glass for periscope making. Ypres, May 1915. © IWM Q 56696
Battles of Ypres. A 12inch howitzer of the 104th Siege Battery in Ypres. 27th August 1917. © IWM Q 7807
