Cemetery: |
VLAMERTINGHE MILITARY CEMETERY, Ieper,
West-Vlaanderen, Belgium |
Grave Reference/ Panel Number:
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IV. L. 5.
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Location: |
Vlamertinge Military Cemetery is located 5 Km
west of Ieper town centre, on the Hospitaalstraat, which is a road leading
from the Poperingseweg. (Connecting Ieper to Poperinge). (* Vlamertinge is
the modern spelling of Vlamertinghe). From Ieper town centre the
Poperingseweg (N308), is reached via Elverdingsestraat then straight over
two small roundabouts in the J. Capronstraat. The Poperingseweg is a
continuation of J. Capronstraat and begins after a prominent railway level
crossing. On reaching the village of Vlamertinge the cemetery is located
on the Hospitaalstraat, which is the second right turning after the
village church. The cemetery lies 50 metres along the Hospitaalstraat on
the right hand side of the road.
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Historical Information: |
Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery was started by
the French troops in Belgium in 1914. The Cemetery was used by fighting
troops and Field Ambulances. It was very carefully tended by them until
June 1917, when further extension was forbidden and burials practically
ceased as the adjoining land was claimed for a Military railway. It is
remarkable for the care with which men of the same unit were buried side
by side if they fell about the same time; for the very high proportion of
graves of Territorial units; and in particular for the presence of nearly
250 Lancashire Territorial graves in plots IV, V and VI. During the early
months of 1917 the 55th Division, whenever it was possible, brought their
dead from the front for burial here. There are now over 1,000, 1914-18 and
a small number of 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. The
Cemetery covers an area of 6,875 square metres and is enclosed by a
terrace wall on the road frontage and on the other three sides by a stone
kerb. |