Belgium WW1 battlefields, memorials, and more

2014-2018 marked four years of commemorating the end of the Great War, World War I, now more than 100 years ago. There was an influx of people from around the world visiting the Belgium WW1 battlefields, memorials, museums, and cemeteries. If you weren’t one of them but would still like to come and remember, here’s a list of sites you can find around and related to the battlefields in Belgium.

 

Belgium WWI Museums

1. In Flanders Fields Museum

During The Great War individuals from more than 50 different countries took part in the fighting in Flanders. The World War 1 museum In Flanders Fields in Ypres focuses on the various results of war from various perspectives – historical, cultural, and personal. Education is of primary importance, and the research center provides vast stores of information where you can do your own research, whether you are a tourist or a scholar.
 

2. West Front Nieuwpoort

During World War One, the flooding of the IJzer Plains was orchestrated at Nieuwpoort’s sluice complex, stopping the relentless march of the German army. In the modern visitor center, you can enjoy amazing views of the WWI Belgian battle site areas and computer simulations where you can see how the system of sluices operates. While you’re there, be sure to pay a visit to the monument for King Albert I and the fallen Belgian soldiers as well.
 

3. Hill 62

The Hill 62 Canadian Memorial, also known as Sanctuary Wood, is about 30 kilometers north of Lille. It commemorates the defense of Ypres by Canadian troops in 1916, during the First World War. Over 8,000 Canadian soldiers gave their lives during five months of fighting in order to keep the German forces from occupying what little of Belgium was still controlled by the Allies.
 

4. Lange Max Museum

A visit to the Lange Max Museum is a wonderful way to get a better understanding of the German side of the Western Front. Situated about 3 kilometers north of Koekelare, this museum is on the site of one of the largest artillery pieces of the First World War, the “Long Max”. There are many interesting and educational displays, as well as audio programs to listen to. Up to date and visually pleasing, this museum has a wealth of information to share.
 

5. Hooge Crater Museum

In the summer of 1915, the exposed British forces around Hooge were easy targets for the Germans. To counter their attacks, the British tunneled toward the Germans and placed a 1700 kilogram charge of explosives in the tunnel. The explosion resulted in the Hooge Crater. Hooge Crater Museum is a private museum dedicated to this amazing piece of history. Located in a chapel commemorating fallen soldiers from World War One, the war museum is home to a number of historic collections from the era, including weapons, photos and a variety of military equipment that was used in Belgium in World War 1.
 

6. Museum aan de IJzer

On the Yser River in Diksmuide, the Museum Aan de Ijzer is a place where Peace, Freedom, and Tolerance are emphasized. The museum holds a collection of artifacts, personal stories, films and other displays following the timeline of the First World War, primarily with a Flemish focus. Your tour begins on top of the 22-story structure and features an amazing view of the surrounding land.
 

7. The Pondfarm

During World War 1, the Pondfarm was a place of upheaval and turmoil. In November 1914, residents were told to evacuate the area immediately as the German army advanced into the area. Residents desperately wanted to return to their homes but were prevented from doing so for a long time due to the Pondfarm repeatedly changing hands during the War. The daunting post-war task of rebuilding is a truly inspiring story. Today you can visit the small farmhouse museum where many relics of the War are kept and learn even more about the history of the Pondfarm.
 

8. Talbot House

The Talbot House was the respite for every soldier passing through Poperinge. It was located in unoccupied Belgium – removed from the actual fighting. British Army chaplains Talbot and Clayton decided that the soldiers coming through the area needed the Talbot House to be a place where they could enjoy rest and relax during their downtime. Today a tour of the facility begins in the old barn, which was converted into a concert hall. You’ll enjoy a full-immersion experience that provides a taste of what day to day life was like in this camp setting during the Great War.
 

9. Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917

The World War One Battle of Passchendaele is memorialized in this museum. It pays tribute to the 500,000 men killed over the course of 100 days. Located in the historic Zonnebeke Castle, this museum is broken down into 5 parts. Each part focuses on a different aspect of the War and its effects on the region and its people. It ends in the Hall of Reflection, where the many victims of the fighting are remembered. Enjoy the many featured displays where you can re-live many actual war-like experiences.
 

10. Museum of 18 Days

Through vignettes featuring period uniforms and equipment, numerous documents, and other displays, the Museum of 18 Days looks at the effects of the Great War at the local and regional level. The thousands of artifacts tell the stories of the people of the area during World War One and how their lives were forever altered by the politics and military actions of the time.
 

11. Memorial Museum for the Regiment

Created in 1830, the Memorial Museum for the Regiment covers all aspects of a remarkable Regiment. The museum features actual military equipment, weapons, and uniforms from the various eras and you will get a real education regarding one unit’s contribution to the history of the region. The Memorial Museum for the Regiment is located on an active military installation. Therefore, the museum is open by appointment only, and groups are limited in size.
 

12. Fort Boncelles Museum

The Fort Boncelles Museum is located approximately 8 kilometers south of Liege. It features an amazing collection of historic artifacts from both World War I and II. You’ll see artillery field pieces, aircraft, sidearms, and even a scale model of the fortifications. The fort is one of twelve constructed in the late 1800s and played a key role in the defense of Belgium during several conflicts.
 

13. Blockhaus Pionnier 14-18

Located in Comines-Warneton, Blockhaus Pionnier 14-18 is one of the smaller museums in Belgium and consists of only three rooms. Its true importance is in how it depicts the everyday lives of the German soldier who were stationed in this blockhouse. You will gain a greater understanding of what life was like here from 1914 to 1918 as you look through this unique collection of historic items.
 

14. Mons Memorial Museum

The Mons Memorial Museum features displays highlighting the area’s military history through two World Wars. Through these displays, the museum provides an understanding of life during those conflicts. It also offers a place to reflect on the various interactions which brought about these conflicts. The many complexities of war and its outcomes are also explored in this modern facility.
 

15. Museum of the Battle of the Borders in the Gaume – Museum Baillet-Latour

One of the most pivotal parts of the First World War was the Battle of the Borders. During this fighting France attempted to drive into Germany, while the Germans invaded Belgium and Luxembourg in order to strike the French along their northern border in an effort to take Paris. Tens of thousands of soldiers lost their lives during this campaign and the Museum of the Battle of the Borders in the Gaume, with its collection documents and personal items, is dedicated to their memory.
 

World War I Cemeteries in Belgium

1. Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery

This is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground. It contains the remains of almost 11,000 Commonwealth soldiers who died during the Great War. It is the second-largest WW1 cemetery for Commonwealth soldiers in Belgium.
 

2. Buttes New British Cemetery

This Commonwealth cemetery located near Zonnebeke is the final resting place for 2,108 soldiers from World War One, 80% of whom are unknown. It is actually two WW1 cemeteries that have been joined.
 

3. Flanders Field American Cemetery

This is the only American military WW1 graveyard in Belgium. It holds the remains of 370 soldiers who died in the First World War.
 

4. German Military Cemetery Langemark

One of only 4 German military cemeteries in Belgium, it honors more than 44,300 German soldiers who died in combat during the First World War. Only about 17,000 of them could be identified and their names have been made a permanent part of the cemetery.
 

5. Belgian Military Cemetery De Panne

This is the largest Belgian military cemetery in West Flanders and is the final resting place of over 3300 Belgian soldiers. Soldiers who died in the nearby military hospital were interred here. Almost half gave their lives in the Final Offensive in 1918.
 

6. Belgian Military Cemetery Houthulst

Many of the graves in this cemetery came from field graves and smaller cemeteries in the area. There are 1723 Belgian graves and 81 Italian graves of those who were German POWs. The graves are arranged in a six-pointed star pattern.
 

7. Essex Farm Cemetery

This Commonwealth War Graves Commission site commemorates the 1204 Commonwealth soldiers who gave their lives during World War One. This is where Canadian doctor John McCrae wrote his famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.
 

8. Saint-Charles de Potyze

Although this French cemetery is the largest on Belgian soil, it started out as a simple garden adjacent to a school which the French used as a military hospital. Today it commemorates 4200 French soldiers who died in the Great War.
 

9. Aeroplane Cemetery

The unusual name for this cemetery comes from the wrecked aircraft which crashed into it during combat. There are 1105 Commonwealth servicemen commemorated here with 636 of them unidentified.
 

10. Zeebrugge Churchyard

The port town of Zeebrugge is home to a Commonwealth cemetery which is the final resting place of 185 British and German soldiers from the First World War. A total of 20 of those are unidentified.
 

11. German Military Cemetery Hooglede

This is one of only four cemeteries in Belgium honoring the German dead from World War One. Following the consolidation of German graves from around the area, the cemetery now holds the remains of 8,241 soldiers. It features a Hall of Honor constructed out of stones from the German Pavilion from the 1928 World’s Fair.
 

12. Bedford House Cemetery

This Commonwealth cemetery located just outside of Ypres on the grounds of the castle Rosendael which was used as a medical facility by the British. Small cemeteries were created in the gardens of the castle which now hold the remains of 5,144 Commonwealth soldiers.
 

13. Belgian Military Cemetery Oeren

One of the smaller Belgian cemeteries, this one commemorates 508 Belgian soldiers who died in the Great War. Although a number of the graves were marked with Flemish “fallen hero” crosses, only a handful remain intact.
 

14. Belgian Military Cemetery Steenkerke

During the First World War, Steenkerke was the site of a medical infirmary to treat wounded soldiers. Over 500 Belgian soldiers are buried here. Well-known Flemish soldier Joe English was the first fatality interred here, although his remains were later transferred to another location.
 

15. Hooge Crater Cemetery

The cemetery was originally begun in 1917 at the beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres. It was small but eventually took in graves from other battle sites in the area. Currently, the cemetery has approximately 5800 graves.
 

16. Belgian Military Cemetery Vleteren

One of nine Belgian military cemeteries in West Flanders, it was taken over from the French in 1916 after relocating the French graves. Today it is the final resting place of 1207 Belgian soldiers killed in the First World War.
 

17. Belgian Military Cemetery Hoogstade

Belgian soldiers who were wounded and died at the nearby military field hospital were buried in this cemetery. It is the final home to 825 Belgian soldiers from the First World War, 35 of whom are unknown. There are also 20 British soldiers interred here.
 

18. Ossuaire Francais

This cemetery honors those French soldiers who gave their lives during World War Two. The cemetery is comprised of a total of four mass graves containing 5,294 fallen soldiers, only 57 of whom were ever identified.
 

19. Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery

This Commonwealth cemetery was created in 1914, then, despite fighting from the French and Commonwealth forces, lost to the Germans in 1918. Later that year it was retaken, although it was badly damaged during those months. There are 1135 Commonwealth burials from the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
 

20. Belgian Military Cemetery Bruges

Located in the Bruges district of Assebroek, this Belgian cemetery has 611 graves. Most of those killed were part of the Liberation Offensive in October of 1918.
 

21. Harelbeke New British Cemetery

This cemetery commemorates those Commonwealth soldiers who fell on the battlefield during the Final Offensive of World War One, in 1918. The remains of soldiers who died in other combat were transferred to this cemetery, which now holds 1116 graves.
 

22. Poelcapelle British Cemetery

The third largest Commonwealth cemetery in the Westhoek, it was created in 1919. Approximately 7500 Commonwealth soldiers are buried here, mostly as a result of major conflicts in the Autumn of 1917.
 

23. Belgian Military Cemetery Keiem

Containing the graves of 590 Belgian soldiers, many of whom were killed in the fight for Keiem, this cemetery was not created until after the Great War was over. Roughly 60% of those interred here are unknown.
 

24. Cement House Cemetery

During the fighting in World War One the British designated a nearby farmhouse as “cement house” and the name remained. For a long time, this cemetery was one of the few which was still accepting Commonwealth remains. Any Commonwealth victims that were discovered, especially in recent years as construction has occurred in the area, are interred here.
 

25. Divisional Collection Post Cemetery and Extension

The need for this cemetery arose due to the carnage following the Third Battle of Ypres 1917. Originally holding only 87 graves, the extension brought 678 more graves from surrounding smaller cemeteries and battlefields.
 

26. New Irish Farm Cemetery

This cemetery is located at what was, at one time, the front line of World War One. In the beginning, it had only about 73 graves, but following a program of consolidation of smaller cemeteries, the number expanded to 4500. 70% of the people interred are unidentified.
 

27. Dozinghem Military Cemetery

Anticipating the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 several field hospitals were established in the area. Dozinghem was one of them and it soon became the location of a cemetery to deal with who were mortally wounded. There are 3,174 Commonwealth burials in the cemetery as well as 65 German graves.
 

28. French Military Cemetery Machelen-aan-de-Leie

This French cemetery is the final resting place for 750 soldiers from the First World War. The deaths occurred during the Liberation Offensive of 1918.
 

29. Kezelberg Military Cemetery

The Moorsele area around this cemetery was retaken by the 15th Royal Irish Rifles in October of 1918 after being held by German forces for much of the war. The cemetery holds the remains of 147 Commonwealth soldiers as well as 14 Germans.
 

30. French Soldier Ereperk Veurne

In addition to the approximately 80 French soldiers who share a mass grave at this cemetery, there are about 150 individual graves honoring the French soldiers who fell here during the Great War.
 

31. French Soldier Ereperk Roeselare

This cemetery holds the graves of Commonwealth, French, and Belgian servicemen from World War One. There are a total of 93 wartime casualties buried on this site.
 

32. Dadizeele New British Cemetery

This Commonwealth cemetery is the final resting place for 1028 soldiers from the First World War. Of those, 158 remain unknown.
 

33. Ingoyghem Military Cemetery

Originally constructed by the Germans following the battles which took place in 1918, this cemetery contains 88 Commonwealth graves as well as 54 German graves. It was declared a protected monument.
 

34. Duhallow ADS Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery

Duhallow was originally a medical post. The cemetery was created in 1917, following the Battle of Pilckem Ridge. There are 1544 Commonwealth graves from World War One at this site. 231 of those are listed as unknown.
 

35. Potijze Chateau Grounds Cemetery

Over 200 casualties from the First World War are located here. Almost 30 of them are still unidentified. Although the area was behind British lines for almost the entirety of the War, it was still within range of German guns and the original chateau which housed the medical aid station is in ruins.
 

36. Potijze Chateau Wood Cemetery

One of three Potijze Chateau cemeteries, including Chateau Grounds and Chateau Lawn, Chateau Wood contains 151 Commonwealth graves from the Great War.
 

37. Tuileries British Cemetery

During World War One the frontline trenches ran right through the community of Zillebeke where the “Tuileries” or Tile Works were located. In 1915 a number of Commonwealth and French soldiers were buried there. Unfortunately, during a heavy enemy shelling, many graves were destroyed. The cemetery contains 95 burials, although only 26 of them are known and marked. There is a special memorial on site commemorating those whose graves were destroyed.
 

38. German Military Cemetery Vladslo

At the end of World War Two, the decision was made to consolidate the German war graves from World War One into four major cemeteries. As a result of this merging, the German cemetery at Vladslo now contains the remains of 25,644 soldiers.
 

39. Zuidschote Churchyard

Although most of the burials on this site are Commonwealth soldiers from the Second World War, there are also five unidentified French burials from the First World War.
 

40. Coxyde Military Cemetery

This cemetery was started by the French at the beginning of the First World War. It became one of the primary Commonwealth cemeteries along the Belgian coast. There are now 1507 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this site, the French remains having been returned to their homeland for full military burials.
 

41. Belgian Military Cemetery Ramskapelle

This military cemetery was created at the end of the First World War and is the result of the merging of small local field graves and municipal cemeteries. This site contains the graves of 635 Belgians, most of whom were killed during the Battle of IJzer in 1914.
 

42. Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery

This cemetery was created by enclosing a number of smaller, regimental cemeteries and combining it into one all-encompassing facility. It contains the remains of 164 World War One soldiers.
 

43. Cemetery of Heuleu

The French cemetery of Heuleu is the final resting place of over 200 soldiers who were killed during the defense of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse in August of 1914.
 

44. Saint-Symphorien Military Cemetery

This World War One military cemetery is unique for several reasons. It is located on land which was donated by a private owner Belgian naturalist Jean Houzeau de Lahaie, and it is a multinational facility. Soldiers from the Commonwealth and Germany are interred in one place as a way to unite both sides of the conflict.
 

45. Locre No. 10 Cemetery

This is one of a number of cemeteries created by the French in 1918, but all 248 French graves were relocated to another cemetery. There are now 58 Commonwealth burials on the site, with 14 of them unidentified.
 

46. Toronto Avenue Cemetery

Not a large cemetery, but it holds the remains of 78 soldiers of the First World War. They were officers and enlisted men of the 9th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division. They were killed during the Battle of Messines in June of 1917. Two of those buried remain unidentified.
 

47. Dranoutre Military Cemetery

The local churchyard was used for the burial of Commonwealth soldiers until 1915 when the military cemetery was created. It now holds 458 Commonwealth graves as well as a lone German grave.
 

48. Adinkerke Churchyard Extension

Located on the west side of the churchyard, the cemetery holds 67 Commonwealth graves of those fallen during the First World War.
 

49. La Clytte Military Cemetery

Begun in November of 1914 there are now 1,082 casualties of the Great War buried here. Of those buried, 238 of them are unidentified.
 

50. Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery

Due in part to the serious combat which took place in and around the village of Kemmel in April of 1918, there are 805 Commonwealth war graves in this cemetery, 109 0f them unidentified.
 

51. Godezonne Farm Cemetery

The history of this cemetery begins in the garden of the Godezonne Farm in 1915. After the Armistice graves were consolidated on this site from a large area north and east of the village of Kemmel. There are now 79 burial sites in this cemetery, 44 of them have never been identified.
 

52. Kemmel No. 1 French Cemetery

The origin of this cemetery is unknown, but it contained Commonwealth, French and German casualties. The French graves have since been removed to other locations and there remain only 296 Commonwealth graves, mostly unknown, and 94 German graves, also mostly unknown.
 

53. Irish House Cemetery

Created by the 16th Irish Division in 1917 and named for a nearby farmhouse, this cemetery contains 117 Commonwealth burials, with 40 of them unknown. Included are 33 officers and men of the 1st Gordon Highlanders who were killed in combat in Wijtschaete, but who were reburied on this site by the 11th Royal Irish Rifles.
 

54. Kemmel Churchyard

Near the front lines of World War One, Kemmel itself was held by the Germans for a while. The Churchyard cemetery contains 25 Commonwealth burial sites. There is a special memorial to those soldiers whose graves were destroyed by enemy shelling.
 

55. Lindenhoek Chalet Military Cemetery

The cemetery was begun in 1915 and was actively used by field ambulances and combat units until 1917. Following the Armistice, over 100 graves were added to the cemetery from battlefields in the surrounding area. There are now 315 internments, 67 of those unidentified.
 

56. Suffolk Cemetery, Vierstraat

At one time referred to as Cheapside Cemetery, it now contains 47 burial sites of Commonwealth soldiers. Many of those soldiers were killed in April of 1918, during an attempted German advance.
 

57. Loker Churchyard

During the spring of 1918, the town of Loker changed hands several times amid fierce fighting. The churchyard was used by both fighting units and by field ambulances during the fighting. It now contains 215 Commonwealth burials.
 

58. La Laiterie Military Cemetery

Created in 1914 and used until October of 1918, this cemetery was used as a place to consolidate graves from many battlefields to the north and northeast of Kemmel. Because of this consolidation, there are now 751 Commonwealth graves here. There is a special memorial on site which commemorates two soldiers whose original graves were destroyed during combat.
 

59. Locre Hospice Cemetery

Although the area changed hands several times during fighting, this World War One cemetery survived largely intact. There was some restoration of the garden area and there are now 244 Commonwealth graves on the site. There are 12 burials which are unidentified.
 

60. Kandahar Farm Cemetery

Located near the village of Wulverghem, this Commonwealth cemetery was lost to German forces for 5 months in 1918, but the village was retaken, along with the cemetery in September of that year. There are a total of 443 Commonwealth soldiers buried here.
 

61. Westhof Farm Cemetery

This farm was headquarters for the New Zealand Division in 1917 when the cemetery was begun. It was used by combat units as well as field ambulances until April of 1918. There are 131 Commonwealth graves on this site as well as 5 German graves.
 

62. Westoutre British Cemetery

Westoutre remained in Allied hands from the beginning of the First World War until the Armistice, even though at times it was within 2.5 km of the front lines. Although some French and German soldiers were temporarily interred here, they were later removed to other locations. Today the cemetery is the final resting place for 175 Commonwealth soldiers.
 

63. Westoutre Churchyard and Extension

This Churchyard and extension were used by fighting units and field ambulances from 1914 to 1918. There are 98 Commonwealth soldiers and 3 German soldiers interred here.
 

64. Cabin Hill Cemetery

The town of Wijtschaete is home to Cabin Hill Cemetery, begun in 1917 after the area had changed hands several times. The 11th Division created it as a front-line cemetery until March of 1918. It now contains the remains of 67 Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War.
 

65. Croonaert Chapel Cemetery

The Croonaert Chapel, in “No-Man’s-Land” prior to the Battle of Messines, was created during the First World War by the 19th Division in 1917. There were originally 15 German graves on this site, but they were relocated after the Armistice. Currently, there are 75 Commonwealth soldiers buried in this cemetery.
 

66. Derry House Cemetery No. 2

Derry House Cemetery, so named by the soldiers of the Royal Irish Rifles, was created in June of 1917. It was used as a front line cemetery by the 2nd London Scottish. In addition to 166 Commonwealth war dead, the cemetery also contains the remnants of a concrete command post built in 1917.
 

67. Lone Tree Cemetery

The Battle of Messines occurred in June of 1917 and it necessitated the creation of this cemetery. It contains the bodies of 88 soldiers who fell on the first day of that Battle.
 

68. Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery

Created during the Battle of Messines in 1917, this cemetery became a concentration point for graves in outlying battlefield areas. It now contains 1,119 Commonwealth burials.
 

69. R.E. Farm Cemetery

A merger of two separate cemeteries, the R.E.Farm cemetery was begun in 1914. It now contains 179 Commonwealth burials with 11 of them unknown.
 

70. Somer Farm Cemetery

Begun in June of 1917 this Commonwealth cemetery was in use until October of 1918. It is the final resting place of 91 soldiers from the Great War.
 

71. Packhorse Farm Shrine Cemetery

Packhorse Farm Shrine Cemetery was one of two such cemeteries begun by the 46th North Midland Division in 1915. It contains 59 First World War burials.
 

72. Torreken Farm Cemetery No. 1

The town of Wijtschaete was taken and retaken by Commonwealth forces several times during the First World War. This cemetery was created by the 5th Dorset Regiment in June of 1917. It contains 90 Commonwealth burials as well as 14 German war graves.
 

73. Artillery Wood Cemetery

When the Battle of Pilckem Ridge ended in 1917, the Guards Division created this cemetery. It continued as a front-line cemetery until 1918. Following the Armistice, a large number of graves were moved to this site from battlefields around the area. Currently, there are 1,307 burials at this site with 506 still unidentified.
 

74. Bard Cottage Cemetery

During the First World War, the Bard Cottage was just across the Yser Canal from the front lines, and the cemetery was started close by, under a high bank. Following the Armistice, graves from Marengo Farm Cemetery and other areas. The total of Commonwealth burials now stands at 1,639.
 

75. Saint Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery

Begun in February of 1915 by the 46th Division, this cemetery lies adjacent to the St. Quentin Cabaret. The cabaret was used as battalion headquarters until it was captured by Germans in 1918. The cemetery contains 460 Commonwealth burials.
 

76. Pond Farm Cemetery

Pond Farm Cemetery was begun in 1916 by the 3rd Rifle Brigade and was used by both combat units as well as field ambulances. Two hundred ninety-six Commonwealth soldiers are buried at this site along with 5 German graves.
 

77. Colne Valley Cemetery

This cemetery was begun in July and August of 1915 by the West Riding Regiment, 49th Division. It remained in use until February 1916. It contains 47 World War One burials, 30 of those belonging to officers and men of the West Riding Regiment.
 

78. Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery

Soldiers of the 5th Division began this cemetery in 1914. Originally designated as the Wulverghem Dressing Station Cemetery, it was used up until October of 1918. Remains from numerous burial sites and battlefields in the area were brought to this location following the Armistice. Today the cemetery holds 1,010 Commonwealth servicemen.
 

79. Ration Farm (La Plus Douve) Annexe

In the Douve river valley, just north of Ploegsteert Wood, this cemetery was begun in January of 1915. It was in use until January of 1918 and contains 202 Commonwealth burials from the First World War.
 

80. Welsh Cemetery (Caesar’s Nose)

On the east side of the village of Boesinghe is a spot known as “Caesar’s Nose”. This is where the 38th Welsh Division began this cemetery. It was only in use from July of 1917 until the following November. There are 65 Commonwealth soldiers buried at this location.
 

81. Dragoon Camp Cemetery

Originally known as the Villa Gretchen Cemetery, after a local landmark, this cemetery was begun by the 13th Royal Welch Fusiliers in August of 1917. It contains 66 First World War burials, ten of which are unidentified.
 

82. La Belle Alliance Cemetery

Created in 1916 by the 10th and 11th King’s Royal Rifle Corp, this cemetery took its name from a nearby farmhouse. It is the final resting place for 60 Commonwealth soldiers of the Great War.
 

83. No Man’s Cot Cemetery

From July of 1917 until March of 1918 this cemetery was active. It contains 79 burials of Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War. Of those, more than half belong to officers and men of the 51st Highland Division.
 

84. Talana Farm Cemetery

Named for a group of farmhouses, Talana Farm Cemetery was originally created by the French but was taken over by the 1st Rifle Brigade and 1st Somerset Light Infantry in 1915. There are 529 Commonwealth servicemen buried in this cemetery, with 14 of those unidentified.
 

85. Dickebusch New Military Cemetery Extension

The extension of this Commonwealth World War One Military cemetery was in use from May 1917 until January of the following year. It has 547 burials with 5 of those unidentified.
 

86. Dickebusch Old Military Cemetery

This was a World War One front-line cemetery, used from January through March of 1915. It has 46 Commonwealth burials, as well as 10 burials from the Second World War.
 

87. Wijtschaete Military Cemetery

This cemetery was created after the Armistice and was used to consolidate burials from a number of smaller field cemeteries and battlefields in the area. There are 1,002 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this site. 673 of those are unidentified.
 

88. Dickebusch New Military Cemetery

Begun in 1915 and in use until April of 1918, this Commonwealth cemetery also includes an extension that began in May of 1917. The cemetery proper includes the remains of 624 World War One war casualties, with 8 of them listed as unidentified.
 

89. The Huts Cemetery

Named for the line of huts along the road between Dickebusch and Brandhoek, this cemetery was created by field ambulance crews in 1917. Due to the German advance into the area, the cemetery was closed in April of 1918. This site contains 1,094 Commonwealth burials.
 

90. Bleuet Farm Cemetery

The Bleuet Farm was appropriated for use as a dressing station in 1917. As a cemetery, it was in use from June to December of that year and only occupied a corner of the property. After the Armistice, other graves were brought to this location from outlying areas, bringing the total of World War One Commonwealth soldiers buried here to 442. There are also nine soldiers from the Second World War interred here.
 

91. Solferino Farm Cemetery

Begun by Commonwealth forces in 1917, the cemetery is actually across from the location of the farm. There are 296 World War One soldiers from the Commonwealth buried here, along with 5 burials from World War Two and a plot containing 3 German war graves.
 

92. Spanbroekmolen British Cemetery

Named after a nearby windmill, this Commonwealth cemetery contains 58 casualties of the first two days of fighting in the Battle of Messines in the Great War. There are special memorials on this site commemorating 6 soldiers who were buried here, but whose graves were destroyed during combat.
 

93. Canada Farm Cemetery

The nearby farmhouse was used as a dressing station during the Allied offensive in 1917. Most of those buried here were soldiers who died of their wounds at the dressing station. There are 907 soldiers of the First World War interred at this site.
 

94. Ferme-Olivier Cemetery

In continuous use from June 1915 until August of 1917, this cemetery was the product of a number of successive dressing stations and field ambulance operations in the area. Over 400 Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War have been laid to rest at this site.
 

95. Hagle Dump Cemetery

Begun following the Battles of Lys in April of 1918, the cemetery took its name from a stores dump located adjacent to it. Following the Armistice, over 200 graves from nearby battlefields were brought to this site. There are now 437 Commonwealth burials here.
 

96. Hospital Farm Cemetery

Originally a farm building that was used as a dressing station during the Great War, the cemetery was in use from 1915 until 1917. There are 115 Commonwealth and 1 Belgian soldier interred at this location.
 

97. Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery

Three batteries of Belgian artillery were positioned at a junction near this cemetery, giving it its name. Nearly one-half of the graves are those of soldiers who were part of the artillery units. The cemetery has 573 burials of World War One Commonwealth soldiers.
 

98. Menin Road South Military Cemetery

First used by the 8th South Staffords and 9th East Surreys in 1916, this Commonwealth cemetery was used until the summer of 1918. Following the Armistices, other graves from isolated Belgian battlefields and smaller cemeteries were brought to this site. The total number of First World War soldiers at this location is 1,657.
 

99. Potijze Chateau Lawn Cemetery

Because of incessant enemy fire, there is very little left of the chateau. The Chateau Lawn Cemetery was in use from May of 1915 until October of 1918, though not in continual use. There are 226 World War One casualties interred at this site, with almost 30 of those unidentified.
 

100. Ramparts Cemetery, Lille Gate

Begun by French troops in November of 1914, this cemetery was later used by Commonwealth units until April of 1918. It houses the remains of 198 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War. French graves have been relocated to French soil.
 

101. Ypres Reservoir Cemetery

Combat units and field ambulances first established this cemetery in October of 1915 and it was in use until the Armistice. At that time it contained 1,099 burials. Later, graves from other locations were centralized in the Reservoir Cemetery. It now holds the graves of 2,613 Commonwealth soldiers of the First World War. Of those 1,034 are unidentified.
 

102. Ypres Town Cemetery Extension

The extension is located on the east side of the town cemetery in Ypres. It was begun in October of 1914 and used until April of the following year. Following the Armistice, graves from nearby battlefields and smaller cemeteries were added to the extension in a consolidation effort. There are 604 Commonwealth burials at this site.
 

103. Buffs Road Cemetery

Created by the 12th, 13th, and 14th Royal Sussex and the Royal Artillery in July of 1917, this cemetery was later increased in size when graves from surrounding battlefields were added. Currently, there are 289 World War One Commonwealth soldiers buried in this site.
 

104. La Brique Military Cemetery No. 1

Named for the brickworks which stood until the First World War, this cemetery was created in May of 1915 and was in use until December of that year. It is the final resting place for 91 soldiers, 4 of whom are unidentified.
 

105. La Brique Military Cemetery No. 2

This cemetery in the small town of LaBrique was used from February of 1915 until March of 1918. Originally there were 383 burials at this site, but after the Armistice, many more were brought in from surrounding battlefields. The total now is 840 Commonwealth servicemen from the First World War, with 400 of those unidentified.
 

106. Minty Farm Cemetery

Used at various times as a German blockhouse and a company headquarters for Commonwealth units, the cemetery was begun in October of 1917 and was active until the following April. Over a third of the burials are of officers and men of the Royal Artillery. There are 192 World War One soldiers buried at this site.
 

107. Oxford Road Cemetery

The “Oxford Road” in the name of this cemetery was actually a name Commonwealth soldiers gave to a small road which ran behind the support trenches in the area. The cemetery was in active use from August 1917 until April of 1918. Graves which had been scattered throughout the area were added and now there are 851 soldiers from the First World War interred at this location.
 

108. Track X Cemetery

This cemetery is situated between what were the front lines of Allied and German forces in World War One as they were in June of 1917. The 38th and 49th Divisions created the cemetery which was used only from the end of July 1917 until November of that year. There are 149 soldiers of the Great War in the cemetery now, with 27 of them unknown.
 

109. White House Cemetery, St. Jean-Les-Ypres

Taking its name from an actual “white house” on the Ypres Road, it was created in March of 1915 and was used until April of 1918. By this time the town of St. Jean had been completely destroyed. After the war, many graves from the surrounding area were concentrated here, and today the number of burials exceeds 1400 with the bulk of those soldiers from the U.K.
 

110. Wieltje Farm Cemetery

Created by fighting units in July of 1917, it was active until the following October. There are 115 soldiers of the Commonwealth buried at this site with 10 of the unidentified. There is also a memorial to 20 soldiers whose graves were destroyed by artillery fire.
 

111. Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No. 3

In August of 1917, this new cemetery was created in anticipation of the coming Allied offensive. It was in use until the following May. There are 975 First World War burials at this location.
 

112. Brandhoek Military Cemetery

During the First World War, the area surrounding this cemetery was relatively safe from enemy fire, so field ambulances were stationed there and the cemetery was created in May of 1915, just adjacent to the dressing station. There are 669 Commonwealth burials here.
 

113. Brandhoek New Military Cemetery

Begun in July of 1917 ahead of the massive Allied offensive, this cemetery contains 530 burials of Commonwealth soldiers from the First World War, as well as 28 German war graves.
 

114. Divisional Cemetery

Begun by Commonwealth units in April of 1915, it was active until May of the following year. Following the 1917 Flanders offensive, the cemetery was again pressed into use, predominantly to handle casualties from the artillery units involved. Now there are 283 burials from the Great War at this site.
 

115. Hop Store Cemetery

Although the surrounding area was within range of enemy artillery, it was sometimes selected as headquarters for Allied artillery and field ambulances. The cemetery was begun in May of 1915, but due to its location, it remained relatively small. There are 251 soldiers from the Great War interred here.
 

116. Railway Chateau Cemetery

Begun in 1914, this cemetery, also known as “Augustine Street Cabaret”, was used sporadically until October of 1916. It contains 105 burials of World War One soldiers, six of them unknowns.
 

117. Red Farm Military Cemetery

For the bulk of World War One, the area in and around the village of Vlamertinghe was just beyond the reach of German artillery. Because of this, it was used by both Allied artillery units and field ambulances. The cemetery was begun in April of 1918 and it holds 46 Commonwealth burials.
 

118. Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery

Begun in June of 1917, in anticipation of the coming offensive, and in order to augment the original military cemetery, it was used until October of 1918. The cemetery now contains the remains of 1,812 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War.
 

119. Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery

Although this unique cemetery was created by the French in 1914, it was taken over by Commonwealth troops in 1915. The cemetery was used by field ambulance units as well as combat units. The unique aspect of this location is that great care was taken to bury soldiers from the same unit side by side whenever possible. There are 1,175 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War interred here.
 

120. Bus House Cemetery

Bus House Cemetery, named for a nearby farmhouse, was begun in June of 1917. The cemetery is a gathering of 206 burials from the First World War, 2 French war graves, and 79 burials from the Second World War.
 

121. Elzenwalle Brasserie Cemetery

This cemetery, actually a collection of small regimental cemeteries, is named for a nearby brewery. A significant number of casualties are from the 22nd Canadian Infantry. The cemetery holds 149 burials from the Great War.
 

122. Oak Dump Cemetery

Fighting units created this cemetery in July of 1917. Some burials were brought to this site following the First World War, so there are now 111 Commonwealth burials here, with 5 of them unidentified, and there is a special memorial erected to honor two graves destroyed by artillery fire.
 

123. Ridge Wood Military Cemetery

The Ridge Wood stood on an elevated site and the cemetery was created in a hollow on the west side of that high ground. It was created in May of 1915 and, although Germans advanced on the ridge, it was retaken by the 6th and 33rd Divisions. There are 619 Commonwealth burials located at this site.
 

124. Voormezeele Enclosure No.3

There were originally four of these enclosures, but that number has dropped to three. Begun in February of 1915 by Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Enclosure Number 3 now contains 1,611 Commonwealth burials from the Great War. Six hundred and nine of the burials are unidentified.
 

125. Voormezeele Enclosures No.1 and No.2

Although there are three enclosures at this location, Enclosures 1 and 2 are now considered as a single cemetery. Begun in March of 1915, and added to following the Armistice, the cemetery now holds 593 Commonwealth soldier of the First World War with 40 of those unknown.
 

126. Birr Cross Roads Cemetery

Begun as a Dressing Station, the cemetery was created adjacent to it in August of 1917. Following a post-war consolidation of graves, there are now 833 Commonwealth soldiers from World War One buried here. Of those, 332 are unidentified. There are also memorials at this site to honor those whose graves were destroyed by artillery fire.
 

127. Blauwepoort Farm Cemetery

Blauwepoort Farm Cemetery was in November of 1914. It was originally created by the French Chasseurs Alpins battalion, but it was used by Commonwealth soldiers from February of 1915 until the following February. Following the Armistice, all French graves were relocated. There are now 91 burials from the First World War at this site.
 

128. Chester Farm Cemetery

Located only 1 km to the south of Blauwepoort Farm Cemetery, this site was used by front-line soldiers from March of 1915 until November of 1917. There are 420 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War buried or commemorated at this location.
 

129. Spoilbank Cemetery

Also known as “Chester Farm Lower Cemetery”, this site is closely linked with the casualties suffered by the 2nd Suffolks in 1916. As was the case with many cemeteries, following the Armistice, a number of graves were moved from smaller, outlying sites to this one in an effort to organize and concentrate burials. The cemetery now contains 520 burials and commemorations from the First World War.
 

130. First DCLI Cemetery The Bluff

Due to its proximity to the front line trenches during the First World War, there are numerous cemeteries in this area. This one was begun in April of 1915 when there was a need for graves for officers and men of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Other burials were added to this site after the Armistice and it now holds 76 Commonwealth soldiers of the First World War.
 

131. Hedge Row Trench Cemetery

Sometimes known as Ravine Wood Cemetery, this site was created in March of 1915 and used until August of 1917. The cemetery suffered heavy damage from artillery fire and many individual graves were lost or damaged beyond repair. This is the reason that many headstones are symmetrically arranged around the Cross of Sacrifice. There are 98 World War One burials at this site.
 

132. Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery

Begun in April of 1915, this military cemetery was created in the midst of a plantation of larches. After the Armistice, graves from the battles at Ypres and from many smaller plots in the area were added to Larch Wood. There are 856 Commonwealth burials from the Great War here, with 321 unidentified.
 

133. Maple Copse Cemetery

This area was used as an Advanced Dressing Station during The Great War, and the cemetery held burials from around the time of the Battle of Mount Sorrel in June of 1916. During the fighting in the area, most of those graves were destroyed. The cemetery was enclosed following the Armistice, but of the 308 burials and commemorations, only 78 could be found, and of those, only 26 could be identified.
 

134. Perth Cemetery (China Wall)

In November of 1914, this cemetery was begun by the French. Following the Armistice, their graves were relocated. It was then appropriated by the 2nd Scottish Rifles in 1917. The cemetery was known by several names; “Perth”, to honor the 2nd Scottish Rifles, “China Wall” from the communications trench referred to as the Great Wall of China, or “The Halfway House”. There are now 2,791 soldiers of the First World War buried here.
 

135. Zillebeke Churchyard

This churchyard contains 32 Commonwealth burials from the Great War, many of whom were from the Foot Guards or Household Cavalry who were killed in 1914.
 

136. Berks Cemetery Extension

The Berks Cemetery Extension is separated from the original cemetery by a road. The extension was begun in June of 1916 and was in use until September of the following year. Following the concentration of burials, the extension now holds 876 First World War burials.
 

137. Calvaire (Essex) Military Cemetery

Begun in November of 1914, this regimental cemetery was in use until 1916, before falling into German hands briefly in 1918. There are 218 World War One Commonwealth burials at this site.
 

138. Gunners Farm Military Cemetery

Another example of a regimental cemetery, this site was established in July of 1915 by the 9th Essex and 7th Suffolk Regiments. It was in active use by various regiments until 1916. There are 175 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this site as well as 4 German war graves.
 

139. Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery

Begun in April of 1915 by the 1st and 4th Royal Berkshire Regiment, this cemetery was used sporadically until November of 1917. It contains 83 Commonwealth burials from the First World War as well as 4 German war graves.
 

140. La Plus Douvre Farm Cemetery

This area, also known as Ration Farm, was occasionally used as battalion headquarters. The cemetery was begun in April of 1915 by the 48th (South Midland) Division. It was used until it fell into German hands in May of 1918. There are 336 Commonwealth burials from the First World War at this site.
 

141. Lancashire Cottage Cemetery

This cemetery was begun in November of 1914 by the 1st East Lancashire and 1st Hampshire whose units account for 84 and 56 of the graves, respectively. The cemetery was taken by the Germans briefly in 1918, so it contains 13 German war Graves in addition to the 256 Commonwealth burials.
 

142. London Rifle Brigade Cemetery

In December of 1914, this cemetery was begun by the 4th Division. It was used by field ambulances and combat units until March 1918. At this point, the cemetery was taken by Germans until September of that year. There are 335 Commonwealth soldiers from World War One buried here along with 18 German war graves.
 

143. Motor Car Corner Cemetery

So named because no military cars were allowed any closer to the front, this military cemetery was begun in June of 1917 coinciding with the Battle of Messines. It was in use until March of 1918, when it fell into German hands for a time. Except for one, the German graves were relocated and the cemetery now holds 131 Commonwealth soldiers from the Great War.
 

144. Strand Military Cemetery

“The Strand” was a name given by soldiers to a trench that ended at the Ploegsteert Wood. It was at this point that a cemetery was begun in October of 1914. After the Armistice, graves were brought to the site from many battlefields and small cemeteries in the area. There are now 1,143 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this location, 354 of whom are unidentified.
 

145. Tancrez Farm Cemetery

In Ploegsteert there is a farmhouse, now rebuilt, which served as an aid station during World War One. Behind that farmhouse is the military cemetery, begun in December of 1914 and used by field ambulances and combat units until March of 1918. There are 333 Commonwealth burials at this site.
 

146. Toronto Avenue Cemetery

Named for one of the paths used by soldiers in the Ploegsteert Woods, this military cemetery contains casualties from the Battle of Messines. Specifically, it holds officers and men of the 9th Brigade ( 3rd Australian Division). There are 78 burials from the First World War, two of them remain unidentified.
 

147. Mud Corner Cemetery

This cemetery was begun in June of 1917, with the capture of Messines by the New Zealand Division. It was in use until December of that year. There are 85 burials from the First World War here, and with only one exception, they are all from New Zealand or Australian forces.
 

148. Prowse Point Military Cemetery

Named for war hero Major (later Brigadier General) C.B. Prowse, the cemetery was begun by the 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the 1st Royal Warwicks in November of 1914. There are 231 Commonwealth burials from the Great War located here.
 

149. Underhill Farm Cemetery

Close by dressing stations, the cemetery was created in June of 1917 and was in use until January of the following year. There are 190 First World War casualties buried here. Nine burials are unidentified.
 

150. Le Touquet Railway Crossing Cemetery

Used from October of 1914 until June of 1918, there are 74 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in this cemetery. Of those, 24 are unidentified, but there are special memorials to three soldiers known to be among them.
 

151. Ruisseau Farm Cemetery

Created by the Guards Division in October of 1917 and used until November of that year. The cemetery contains 82 burials from the First World War, with 6 of them unknown,
 

152. Bridge House Cemetery

Named for a nearby farmhouse, this cemetery was created in September of 1917 by the 59th (North Midland) Division. The vast majority of the burials are soldiers from that Division following the Battle of Polygon Wood. There are 45 World War One burials at this site, four of them unidentified.
 

153. Dochy Farm New British Cemetery

In September of 1917, in the Battle of Polygon Wood, Commonwealth forces took the German strong point at Dochy Farm. This military cemetery was created following the Armistice when burials from several nearby battlefields were concentrated here. There are 1,438 Commonwealth burials from the First World War at this site. Of those, 958 are unidentified.
 

154. Gwalia Cemetery

Gwalia Cemetery was begun in the time period between the Battle of Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. Because of its location near the camps, it was used by field ambulances, artillery troops, and combat units. There are 467 Commonwealth military burials at this site from the Great War.
 

155. Haringhe (Bandaghem) Military Cemetery

Using the popular name given by the troops, Bandaghem Cemetery was created in July of 1917, originally as a site for Casualty Clearing Stations. It remained in operation until October 1918. This location contains 772 Commonwealth burials from World War One. There is also a plot which holds 39 German war graves.
 

156. Seaforth Cemetery, Cheddar Villa

Created in April of 1915 during the Battle of St, Julien, the cemetery initially took the name given by the army to a nearby farmhouse, so it became known as “Cheddar Villa Cemetery”. That was changed to its official name of Seaforth Cemetery in 1922, at the request of Commanding Officer of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders. Since more than 100 of those buried at the site were part of that battalion, it was a reasonable request. There are 148 burials from the First World War at this location.
 

157. Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery

This cemetery was created out of necessity during the First Battle of Ypres in 1914. There are 450 Commonwealth burials here from the Great War, with 24 of them unidentified.
 

158. Grootebeek British Cemetery

In April of 1918, this cemetery was begun, following the Battles of the Lys. It was originally known as Ouderdom Military Cemetery but was later renamed Grootebeek British Cemetery. It contains 109 Commonwealth burials from the First World War and 2 burials from World War Two.
 

159. Poperinghe New Military Cemetery

The Old Military Cemetery at this location was closed in May of 1915, creating the need for the New Military Cemetery which was created in June of that year. It holds 677 Commonwealth burials from World War One, as well as 271 French war graves.
 

160. Poperinghe Communal Cemetery

The Communal Cemetery was used for the burial of Commonwealth soldiers from October of 1914 until the following March. It holds 22 burials from the First World War.

161. St Julien Dressing Station Cemetery

While this area changed hands several times, the cemetery was begun in September of 1917 and was operational until March of 1918. As was often the case with cemeteries, following Armistice, graves from other smaller locations were incorporated into this cemetery. It now holds 420 Commonwealth servicemen, with 180 of those unidentified.
 

162. Mendinghem Military Cemetery

Mendinghem was the popular name given to the casualty clearing station located in the village of Proven and is also the name of the cemetery. This military cemetery was created in August of 1916 and was in use until September of 1918. There are 2,391 commonwealth graves from World War One located at this site, along with 52 German war graves.
 

163. Nine Elms British Cemetery

Nine Elms was created in September of 1917 by the 3rd Australian and 44th Casualty Clearing Stations. The majority of those buried here are the result of the 1917 Battle of Ypres. There are 1,556 Commonwealth burials at this site as well as 37 German war graves.
 

164. Reninghelst New Military Cemetery

In 1914 the town of Reninghelst was occupied by Commonwealth forces and remained so until the Great War’s end. The cemetery was an offshoot of the field ambulance station here and was operational from 1914 until September of 1918. The cemetery contains 798 Commonwealth burials from the First World War.
 

165. Bethleem Farm West Cemetery

This cemetery was created by the 3rd Australian Division when Bethleem Farm was captured during the Battle of Messines in 1917. It was used by the 14th Light Division until the end of that year. There are 165 Commonwealth servicemen buried at this location. There is also one unidentified burial from the Second World War.
 

166. Abeele Aerodrome Military Cemetery

Named for the nearby aerodrome, this cemetery was created in April of 1918 by French troops. The following July and August the cemetery was expanded by Commonwealth forces. Following the Armistice, the French graves were removed and replaced with Commonwealth casualties. The cemetery now contains 104 burials from the First World War.
 

167. Bethleem Farm East Cemetery

Begun by the 3rd Australian Division when they captured the area during the Battle of Messines in 1917, this cemetery was used primarily as a place to bury those officers and men who fell during that fight. The cemetery was in use until the following September. There are 44 soldiers from the First World War buried or commemorated here.
 

168. Messines Ridge British Cemetery

This cemetery was created following the Armistice at the end of World War One. It was used as a place to concentrate burials from smaller cemeteries and battlefields in the area. There are 1,534 Commonwealth soldiers interred at this site.
 

169. Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery

Created in July and August of 1917, this Commonwealth military cemetery from the First World War was added to a great deal after the Armistice. At that point, burials from all over the area were included at this site in a consolidation effort and to make certain that even casualties from the smallest battlefield grave sites were not overlooked. There are 841 Commonwealth soldiers buried or commemorated at this location.
 

170. Nieuwpoort Communal Cemetery

This communal cemetery was heavily used in the summer of 1917 as German forces mounted a fierce attack from Nieuwpoort heading north. It was also used to bury British casualties during the Second World War. There are 70 burials from the First World War at this site, with 3 of those unidentified.
 

171. Watou Churchyard

Used only sporadically from April of 1915 until April of 1918, this cemetery contains 12 Commonwealth graves from the First World War.
 

172. Passchendale New British Cemetery

Located in an area that changed hands several times during the First World War, this cemetery was created at the end of the war. When the Armistice went into effect there was an effort to consolidate burial sites scattered throughout the country and many of those burials were sent to the New British Cemetery. It now holds 2,101 Commonwealth burials, with 1,600 of them unidentified.
 

173. Tyne Cot Cemetery Visitors Centre

Created in October of 1917 when British forces captured the ridge where the cemetery now stands. One of the blockhouses left behind by the Germans was pressed into use as an advanced medical dressing station. Those who did not survive their wounds were buried nearby.

The original number of soldiers buried at this site was greatly augmented at the end of the war, with burials from several battlefields and smaller cemeteries concentrated here. There are 11,954 Commonwealth burials from the Great War with 8,367 of those unidentified.
 

174. Zandvoorde British Cemetery

This cemetery is another of the post-Armistice cemeteries created in an effort to consolidate all of the burial sites from battlefields and dressing stations in the outlying areas. There are 1,538 Commonwealth servicemen interred at this site, with 1,135 of those listed as unknowns.
 

175. Zandvoorde Churchyard

Located in a heavily-contested area that changed hands several times during the course of the First World War, this small cemetery contains 4 Commonwealth burials.
 

176. Polygon Wood Cemetery

Created after Commonwealth troops cleared the woods, this front-line cemetery was used from August 1917 until September 1918. There are 107 Commonwealth soldiers buried at this site, 19 of them unidentified.
 

177. Ploegsteert Memorial

Not a cemetery, this memorial to the missing pays respect to the more than 11,000 Commonwealth servicemen who were killed in this area in Belgium in WW1, but who have no known grave.
 

178. WWI Francis Ledwidge Memorial to the Missing

This memorial to the missing is in honor of Irish war poet Francis Ledwidge who was killed during the First World War at Rose Crossroads in Boezinge.
 

WW1 Belgian forts you can visit

1. Fort St. Heribert

Built in the late 1800s to help defend the areas surrounding Namur, this fortification came under heavy fire on the afternoon of August 24, 1914. Although sturdy in construction, the scale, and length of the attack was more than the facility could withstand.

Many soldiers were overcome by toxic gasses from their own weapons as well as those emanating from exploded enemy ordinance. Though abandoned and even buried, the fort is being restored section by section by volunteers.
 

2. Fort de Lantin

This fortification is unique in that it is the only one of the original Liège WWI forts to remain unaltered since 1914. It fell under German attack in August of 1914 and, because of inadequate ventilation, was surrendered three days later. Currently, the fort is open for tours, but availability can be an issue, so calling to secure reservations is wise.
 

3. Fort de Boncelles

When the Germans arrived at the Liege fortifications during the Great War, they were dismayed to find how resistant they were to the firepower that they had brought to bear. They sent for much heavier siege weapons against which the fort had no defense. Building damage and lack of air circulation brought about the surrender on August 14, 1914. In addition to the museum, all that remains of the fort today is the air intake structure and two of the bunkers. There is also a small cemetery on site as well as a memorial to the dead.
 

4. Fort de Loncin (FSFL)

Part of the Fortifications of Liege, this fort withstood a punishing German attack for eleven days before surrendering. It took a 42 cm, 800 kg shell from the famous gun known as “Big Bertha” to shatter the fort, killing 350 men. Today, the site offers visitors a chance to experience life in the fort, including a reenactment of the fatal explosion. You can see the enlisted men’s quarters, the officers mess, and more, including recovered artifacts from the era like weapons, uniforms, and personal effects.
 

5. Fort de Barchon

Another of the Liege Fortifications, this fort is the duplicate of Fort de Loncin, except that it survived the Great War largely intact. In addition to being able to tour the facility, there is a small museum with a surprising amount of history on display. Like many of the forts in the area, Fort de Barchon was renovated in the 1930s and managed to survive another World War.
 

6. Fort Flémalle

This fort has survived a great deal of damage as the result of two World Wars, but the bulk of the facility is still open to the public. Visitors can take an underground walking tour of the galleries and get a feel for what daily life was like in the fort. There is an excellent 3D reconstruction of the fort as it was in May of 1940 which gives you an idea of how the defenses of the fort evolved between wars. There is also an impressive collection of equipment, weapons, uniforms and more from both World Wars.
 

7. Fort de Boncelles

Built in the late 1800s with the idea of protecting the Liege area, this fort saw heavy military action in both World Wars. Today you can appreciate the size and scope of this defense by enjoying a 6 km walking tour of the area. Although the fort itself has been abandoned and partially buried, you can still see the air tower and other well-known military landmarks in and around the site.
 

8. Fort d’Émines

Fort d’Emines fired its first defensive shots on August 23, 1914. It was met with heavier fire from the German artillery batteries and began to sustain serious structural damage. The fort was forced to surrender the following day after being hit by over 1500 shells. The fort was closed to the public for some time but opened for tours in 2008. Advance booking of tours is strongly recommended. Sections of the fortification which are closed for safety reasons are available digitally.
 

Important WW1 memorials and WW1 monuments

1. Saint Michael’s Church

Saint Michael’s Church has had a long and painful history since its construction in the 13th century. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1579 and very gradually rebuilt over a period of decades. During an attack in World War One, the church was again almost completely demolished by bombs. It was rebuilt again in the 1920s. Although artillery badly damaged the church during the Second World War, it was nowhere as serious and repairs were soon underway yet one more time.
 

2. St. Vedast Church

Beginning in 857 as a simple chapel, St. Vedast Church in Vlamertinge has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The most recent rebuilds took place after shelling damage in World Wars One and Two. The original 64-meter-high Neo-Gothic-style tower has been duplicated – as much as possible – in the current incarnation of the church.
 

3. The Khaki Chums Cross

Commemorating the Christmas Truce of 1914, the Khaki Chums Cross was originally erected 1999 by a group who wanted to make sure the event would be remembered for a long time. They recreated the World War One conditions, right down to digging trenches and sleeping on the soaking ground. A wooden cross was erected as a to the soldiers of both sides of the conflict – as a sign of respect. The locals were so touched that they preserved the cross and set it in cement as a permanent reminder of that special Christmas so long ago.
 

4. St Julien Canadian War Memorial

Canadian forces, in their first battlefield appearance of the Great War, acquitted themselves admirably and gained the respect of other combatants. Near Ypres, their forces, in concert with British and French divisions encountered one of the first poison gas attacks. Suffering great losses, they continued to hold strong against the Germans and even mounted a counter-offensive of their own. The beautiful memorial topped by a touching stone bust, stands over the site where 2,000 Canadian troops gave their lives.
 

5. ‘Vierfrontenbrug’ Bridge of Four Battles

Along the banks of the Lys river, near Zulte, there is a bridge which has become a landmark for its part in battles in both World Wars. Multiple battles were fought over this strategically valuable bridge, giving it its name. It has become so important that, even though the Lys has been redirected around the area, the bridge still stands as a monument.
 

6. Menin Gate

This impressive memorial gate is a tribute to the tens of thousands of British and Commonwealth Forces who gave their lives in the Ypres area during the Great War and who have no graves. The names of 54,896 soldiers listed as “Missing” are engraved upon this memorial. It is widely regarded as one of the best-known war memorials in the world.
 

7. Front Line Hooghe

Just on the outskirts of Ypres sits the famous Hooghe Chateau – site of some of the most intense fighting in the First World War. The strategic location of the property made it of supreme importance to both sides and, as is often the case in war, this section of land was taken, lost and retaken many times. The site has been excavated and numerous items from that time have been recovered and are now a part of a historic display. Visitors can also enter some of the concrete bunkers from that time.
 

8. Nieuwpoort Memorial

This memorial is a tribute to the 566 Commonwealth soldiers who died during operations along the coast of Belgium during the First World War. Located near the mouth of the Yser, it is an eight-meter-high pylon of Euville limestone and is surrounded by a band of bronze. On this band are engraved the names of those who are memorialized.
 

9. Yorkshire Trench and Dug Out

This unique memorial, located in Boezinge, is only possible through the hard work and determination of a group of amateur archeologists known as “The Diggers”. They did the research to locate the trench systems and began the actual reconstruction of the trenches themselves. During that process, the remains of a number of British, French, and German soldiers were discovered and returned to their respective countries for full military burials. The reconstruction of these trench systems will give visitors an idea of their construction as well as the brutal and claustrophobic atmosphere in which these soldiers fought.
 

10. Railway Line 74

This section of the Belgian Railway, also known as the “Frontzate” was very critical to World War One combat forces. Strategic flooding of the plains between the Yser and the railway embankment helped provide a barrier against enemy troops. Allied Supreme Commander Foch once said that France was saved by a meter and a half high railway embankment. Where the bed of the tracks was located, today there is a well-maintained path for walking or bicycling. From this picturesque path, visitors can still see the gun positions, observation posts and even a number of bunkers from the war.
 

11. Monument for King Albert I

King Albert I was known as the Knight King and it was his decisive action to flood the polders between the Yser and the railway embankment of the Nieuwpoort-Diksmuide rail line which helped secure the coastline and major ports. The monument, dating from 1938 is rightfully located next to the Ganzepoot sluice gates. It is a circular monument with a bronze depiction of the Knight King on horseback in the center.
 

12. Statue 7de Linieregiment

This monument, located in Nieuwpoort, is unique in that it commemorates two separate battles fought by the 7th Line Regiment. It honors both the Battle of the Yser and the Battle of Lombaert Zyde, fought in October and November of 1914, respectively. The memorial includes a large statue of a soldier with his hands clasped over his rifle, as though honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice here.
 

13. Guynemer Pavilion

If you are a lover of early aviation and the role it played in the Great War, this memorial will both thrill and educate you. Dedicated to one of the earliest wartime aviators, Georges Guynemer, this pavilion includes information on the legendary flyer as well as a documentation of the development of aircraft during the First World War. There is even a complete replica of the Morane-Saulnier aircraft which he flew.
 

14. Memorial 14th line regiment

While the Belgian Army began to flood the polders between the local railway line and the Yser, the German forces captured the town of Ramskapelle, stationing machine guns at high points in the surrounding area to lay down suppressing fire. On the 31st of October, the 14 Line regiment helped launch a counter-attack which retook the town and drove the German forces into the ever-deepening water. This memorial celebrates the heroism of those liberating forces and honors those lost in the fighting.
 

15. Hill 60

Hill 60 was actually made up of dirt and rock which was moved to construct the nearby railway. It was also the highest point in the area, which made it strategically invaluable during the Great War. The hill was taken and retaken many times by Allies and enemy forces. It was tunneled into, riddled with mines, and concrete bunkers and pillboxes were built into its sides. Hill 60 was fired upon with countless artillery shells and small arms fire and sadly, it is the final resting place for many soldiers who fought there.
 

16. Ypres Salient

Ypres Salient saw a number of significant battles during the Great War. Today, in addition to many memorials built to honor those who fought and those who gave their lives in these battles, there are many remnants of war. You can find concrete bunkers, remains of trench systems, and even bomb craters. Visitors to the area can also pay their respects at any of a number of cemeteries.
 

17. Mine crater Sint-Elooi

As the deepest advance of the German army in World War One, Sint-Eloi was also the center of fierce fighting. This included the detonation of mines in the area, making them as deep and as powerful as possible in order to inflict as much damage and carnage as possible. Both sides of the conflict took part in this mine warfare and the result is the enormous mine crater which can be seen today. The crater is still flanked by a British bunker, another reminder from 1917.
 

18. Island of Ireland Peace Park

The Island of Ireland Peace Park is just south of the village of Messines. It is dedicated to all Irish soldiers, regardless of their religion or political affiliations. Many combatant countries in World War One had Irish men and women serving in their ranks and this monument is in their honor, as well. A classically Irish round stone tower, it is designed and built so that the interior of the tower is lit by sunlight on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, recognizing the Armistice agreement which ended the fighting.
 

19. Death cells & Execution room Poperinge

The Great War saw combat on a scale never before imagined. And the war’s effects on those fighting was not very well understood. Because of this, many soldiers who were “shell-shocked” either tried to run away or simply would not continue to fight. These unfortunates were quickly court-martialed, held in a death cell, and executed by firing squad the next morning. The cells and the execution pole are now a part of a historical display in the courtyard of the town hall.
 

20. Interallied Memorial

This memorial is actually a merger of two projects; the Inter Allied Memorial Tower, and a regional church of the Sacred Heart. The church was built to commemorate the Great War and the tower was designed as a tribute to the countries that worked together to defeat the invading armies. The memorial was built in Liege, the first city to face attack in the War and the first to raise armed opposition to the invading force.
 

21. Bayernwald German Trenches

One way to experience what life in the trenches of World War One was like is to visit the Bayernwald Trenches. Restored with historical accuracy, just as they would appear in 1916, this trench system will allow you to appreciate the labor that went into building and reinforcing these trenches. In addition to standard sandbag construction, these trenches also feature woven branches along the sides, duckboard walkways, and reinforced concrete dugouts.
 

22. Lettenberg Bunkers

Built by British engineers, these bunkers are interconnected and provided strategic shelter during the Great War, as well as a headquarters for military operations in the area. Although some areas are no longer accessible by visitors, there is still plenty of World War One history to explore. Allow plenty of time to walk the area and get an idea of the part these bunkers played.
 

23. 36th & 16th Div Memorial Stones

These memorial stones are placed on either side of the road where the two divisions fought side by side for the first time. The predominantly Protestant 36th (Ulster) Division and the mostly Catholic 16th (Irish) Division linked up at this spot during the Great War. These stones were dedicated in 2007 as a part of the 90th Anniversary of Passchendaele Commemorations.
 

24. Passchendaele Dodengang or trenches

The Belgian trenches at this site were held against the enemy for four years. Although this is not one of the larger locations for World War One history buffs, it has a great deal of information to share. In addition to being able to actually walk in the preserved trench system, there is a view from the top floor of an adjacent building which provides an amazing view of the area.
 

25. Pool of Peace

Ironically, the Pool of Peace was created by a devastating act of war. It was a part of the mine warfare of World War One which was waged by both sides in an effort to gain some strategic advantages. Nineteen deep mines were detonated in June of 1917, creating the loudest man-made sound up to that point. It was said that the explosion was heard as far away as Dublin. After the war, this particular piece of land was purchased and reclaimed so as to preserve the now water-filled crater as a Pool of Peace.
 

26. St George’s Memorial Church, Ypres

Completed in 1929, this beautiful church honors the memories of over 500,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who gave their lives in the three major battles fought for Ypres. The church is open to visitors every day and regular church services are held. The services are ecumenical and everyone is welcome to attend them.
 

27. Hof Ter Molen

This local mill, built in the 1800s was a part of the local agrarian commerce and also included a small inn. During World War One, it fell victim to wartime strategies and was dynamited down to roughly half its original height to prevent it from being used as an observation post. In 1995 the mill and the Miller’s house were designated for protection as a monument due to its historic past.
 

28. Coming World Remember Me

This incredible work of art is a tribute and remembrance of all victims of the Great War who lost their lives on Belgian soil. Toward that end, the artists created 600,000 figurines out of native clay and set about displaying them in an appropriate setting. At the heart of the enormous work, is an egg, symbolizing the fact that even in the aftermath of war, there can still be life. The scale and scope of this work is a way to put a more human face on that terrible loss of life.
 

29. German Command Post, Zandvoorde

This incredibly well-preserved and restored command post bunker was built in 1916 and is open to visitors with no charge. In 1999 this bunker was officially designated as a monument. All six rooms in this 19-meter-long bunker are accessible. There is a concrete plaque in the bunker describing when it was built and by which unit of the Imperial German Army.
 

Other

There are also a bunch of bunkers and literally hundreds of other, smaller memorials spread throughout the country and especially in West Flanders. I don’t think it would be of much value to list all of them here but if you’re interested in them this site has a complete list.

In regards to the bunkers: most of these are in ruins or not accessible. When they’re potentially worth a visit, I’ve listed them above.

Around West Flanders, there are also a bunch of craters created by bomb impacts. Some craters were filled up again in the past. Others are still visible, although often barely. Only the ones mentioned above (Hill 60, Hill 62, and the Pool of Peace) are somewhat worth a visit. Lots of (former) crater sites nowadays lie on private property too.

In terms of cemeteries, the ones above are military cemeteries or communal cemeteries which also have a lot of war graves. There are, however, also communal cemeteries where just a few former soldiers, or sometimes even just one solder, have or has been buried. These are not listed in this post.
 

World War 1 battlefield tours

If you’d rather visit the Belgian World War 1 sites with a guide, there are plenty of WW1 battlefield tours to choose from:
 

1. World War I Battlefields Tour of Flanders from Brussels
On this full-day tour from Brussels, an expert guide takes you to WWI-related memorials, cemeteries, and the renowned In Flanders Fields museum. You’ll also get the chance to spend time in Ypres and experience the Last Post ceremony there in the evening.

Aside from the tour itself, hotel pick-up in an air-conditioned vehicle and lunch at Passchendaele’s famous Old Cheese Factory are included.

Click here to book this tour.
 

2. Private World War I Flanders Battlefields Tour from Brussels
This full-day tour is similar to the one above except that it’s a private tour, which means that you’ll have your guide all to yourself and will be able to personalize the itinerary based on your interests. Lunch isn’t included but hotel pick-up is.

Click here to book this tour.
 

3. Private WWI Canadian Battlefields tour from Brussels
This full-day private tour focuses on the role of Canada in the First World War. You’ll visit places like the Thiepval Memorial, Beamont-Hamel, Vimy Ridge and Tyne Coty Cemetery. On top of that, you’ll get to experience the Last Post Ceremony in Ypres and all of this while traveling in a luxury minivan with an expert guide to answer all of your questions.

This tour includes hotel pick-up but no meals.

Click here to book this tour.
 

4. Private WWI day tour from Paris
This full-day tour from Paris takes you to some of the most important World War One sites in Flanders. A professional guide will tell you all about places such as Tyne Cot Cemetery, Hill 60, and the St Julien Memorial. You’ll end the day in Ypres, where you’ll have some free time after having visited the Menin Gate.

Click here to book this tour.
 

5. Full-day Flanders Battlefields tour from Bruges
On this full-day battlefields tour, an expert historical guide will take you to some of the most moving memorials and cemeteries as well as to the exquisite In Flanders Fields Museum. In the evening, you’ll attend the famous Last Post cemetery at the Menin Gate in Ypres.

Aside from the guided tour itself, lunch and admission to the In Flanders Fields Museum are included.

Click here to book this tour.
 

6. Small-Group Australian Battlefield Tour from Bruges
On this full-day trip from Bruges, you’ll focus on the role Australian soldiers played in World War I in Belgium. You’ll visit cemeteries such as Messines, Polygoon Wood and Passendale and will see mine craters laid by the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company. You’ll end the day in Ypres where you’ll attend the Last Post ceremony at the famous Menin Gate.

Aside from the actual guided tour, this experience includes hotel pick-up and drop-off and lunch.

Click here to book this tour.
 

7. Private New Zealand and Australia Battlefield Tour
This full-day private tour from Ghent focuses on the ANZAC Corps, made up of Australians and New Zeelanders. You’ll visit places such as the memorial on Messines Ridge, the Pool of Peace (Spanbroekmolen), several cemeteries, and Ypres in the company of an expert guide.

This tour starts at the Kortrijk train station and includes a drop-off at your hotel in Ghent should you choose to stay there. Lunch is included in the tour price.

Click here to book this tour.
 

Where to stay

Whether you’d like to stay in a city like Brussels, from which many tours depart, or somewhere near the battlefields to explore them by yourself, I highly recommend Booking.com to book your accommodation. It’s where I always book my hotels as I love their filtering options and they always seem to offer a great price as well.

Booking.com


 

How to get to the battlefields

Depending on where you come from and how you want to visit the battlefields, you can choose to travel to Belgium by bus, train, plane, or car.
 

By bus
Flixbus offers long-distance bus travel between European cities at cheap prices.

By train
The NMBS is the Belgian railroad company. On their international website, you’ll find train times and prices for trains to and within Belgium.

By plane
Brussels Airport is the biggest and most important international airport in Belgium. Brussels-South or Charleroi is the second biggest and from a select number of destinations, you can also fly into Antwerp or Oostende. I recommend checking Skyscanner for an extensive list of flight options and prices.
 

Also interested in WW2 sites? Find my list of World War 2 tours, museums, and war memorials in Belgium here.

And if you want to go behind the battlefields, check outthese fun things to do in Belgium.
 
 

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