There are
hundred’s of British War Cemeteries on the Western Front, this one near
Fromelles had the most effect upon me.
It can be found by following the road north-west from VC Corner Cemetery and taking the D175 turn to the right shortly after the road crosses a stream - Layes Brook, which was a feature of the 1916 battlefield near Fromelles, and also important earlier in the War and further south near Neuve Chapelle.
It is reached by
a path that crosses a moat and one enters the cemetery through a small entrance
house. The moat runs all around the cemetery, and a bench at the rear left is a
good spot to sit and enjoy the tranquility here. It is a wonderful place to
stop and contemplate life. Ducks live in the moat and can be seen wandering
among the graves here.
Started very
early in the War, in October 1914, this cemetery was used until July 1915, and
at the time of the Armistice contained just 123 burials. After the Armistice
more burials were brought here, from other small cemeteries and the
battlefields nearby, including Aubers Ridge, Loos and also Fromelles.
These later
graves more than doubled the total number of burials here; there are now 356
burials here, with 207 of these unknown. There are 56 Australian graves here,
but only 4 of them are named.
Many of the
graves of unknown soldiers from the Great War in war cemeteries simply state
"A Soldier of the Great War: Known Unto God". Occasionally there was
sufficient information to identify the unit the soldier had served with, in
which case this was included on his headstone, or else his rank or just the
fact he was an officer.
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