Bethleem Farm East Cemetery

Bethleem Farm East Cemetery is a small First World War burial ground located roughly one kilometre southeast of the town centre of Mesen (Messines), just off the road known as Rijselstraat. It is one of many war cemeteries scattered across the Messines Ridge, a landscape that saw some of the fiercest and most meticulously planned fighting on the Western Front in 1917.

Where does the cemetery's name come from?

The name comes from the nearby Bethleem Farm, an ordinary Flemish farmstead before the war. During the German occupation the site was turned into a heavily fortified strongpoint, which also served as a local headquarters. The farm, together with the neighbouring Bethleem Farm West, sat directly in the path of the Allied advance during the June 1917 offensive.

How was the cemetery established?

The cemetery was made by Australian units after Bethleem Farm was captured by the 3rd Australian Division on 7 June 1917, during the Battle of Messines — one of the most carefully prepared offensive operations mounted by the British Army on the Western Front, preceded by the detonation of a series of massive underground mines beneath the German lines. Most of the men buried here fell in the fighting of 8 or 10 June 1917, though the cemetery continued to be used until the following September, showing that the struggle to hold the newly captured ground dragged on for months after the initial assault.

How many servicemen are buried here?

Forty-four First World War servicemen are buried or commemorated in the cemetery. Eight of the graves belong to unidentified soldiers, and one special memorial commemorates a casualty known to be buried among them. The cemetery was designed by G. H. Goldsmith, an architect responsible for a number of other war cemeteries in the region.

The Hitler connection

One of the more startling facts associated with this site concerns its wartime past under German occupation. According to Peter Oldham's Battleground Europe book on the Messines Ridge, the German strongpoint established at Bethleem Farm is where a young Adolf Hitler was billeted for a time during the winter of 1914–1915, while serving as a regimental messenger (Meldegänger) with the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. It is one of several episodes linking the future dictator to this corner of West Flanders long before his rise to power.

How do you get there?

The cemetery lies about 10 km south of the centre of Ieper and roughly 1 km southeast of the market square in Mesen, along Rijselstraat, the road leading out of town. Reaching the site requires walking a grassed access path of around 250 metres, which is unsuitable for vehicles — worth bearing in mind when planning a visit, especially after rain, when the ground can turn soft.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cemetery open to visitors? Yes, the site is accessible year-round, but it can only be reached on foot via a grassed path unsuitable for wheelchairs or vehicles.

How does it differ from Bethleem Farm West Cemetery? The two are separate, neighbouring cemeteries connected to the same farm. The East Cemetery was established by Australian units, while the West Cemetery has a somewhat different mix of nationalities, with a larger share of New Zealand and British burials.

Who maintains the cemetery? The site is cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), the organisation responsible for maintaining the graves and memorials of Commonwealth servicemen worldwide.

What historical event is this site linked to? The Battle of Messines in June 1917 — one of the most tactically successful British operations of the Western Front, preceded by the detonation of more than twenty underground mines beneath the German positions.