Brookwood Military Cemetery

Brookwood Military Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom. It sits in Surrey, near Woking, inside the famous Brookwood Cemetery, also known as the London Necropolis. It covers about 37 acres and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

How did the military cemetery come about?

In 1917 a section of Brookwood Cemetery was set aside for Commonwealth and American forces who died in the London area, many of them from wounds received at the front. When the Second World War came, the site was extended to take in the Commonwealth dead of 1939 to 1945. Brookwood Cemetery itself opened in 1854 and for decades was one of the main burial places for Londoners. Today it is listed Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

How many service personnel are buried here?

According to CWGC figures, the cemetery holds 1,601 First World War burials and 3,476 from the Second World War. Five of the Second World War graves are unidentified: three RAF and two RCAF airmen. There are also 786 non-Commonwealth war graves, including 28 unidentified French servicemen. Sources sometimes give slightly different totals, so the current CWGC cemetery record is the most reliable reference.

What is worth seeing?

Several features set this cemetery apart from other war cemeteries:

• Two Crosses of Sacrifice and two Stones of Remembrance. It is the only CWGC cemetery with a double set.
• Two memorials to the missing. The Brookwood 1914-1918 Memorial and the Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial together commemorate more than 3,600 people.
• A large Canadian section. It includes 43 men who died of wounds after the Dieppe Raid in August 1942.
• Section 29. It is dedicated to the Free French who died during the war.
• Muslim graves. In 1968 around two dozen Muslim war dead were moved here from the Muslim Burial Ground at Horsell Common.

What else does the CWGC look after here?

Right next to the military cemetery lies a plot of Chelsea Pensioners, which the CWGC maintains on behalf of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. In the neighbouring civilian Brookwood Cemetery the commission also cares for a small plot with the graves of twelve members of the nursing services.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entry fee? I found no information about any charge, and the site is a place of remembrance under CWGC care. It is wise to check the commission's current visitor information before you go.

Is Brookwood Military Cemetery the same as Brookwood Cemetery? No. The military cemetery is a separate part of the much larger Brookwood Cemetery, the biggest cemetery in the UK. They share the same grounds but differ in purpose and in who looks after them.

Can I find a specific grave? Yes. The CWGC keeps an online register of those commemorated, where you can search by name and, if needed, download a plan of the cemetery.

Who will find this place interesting? People interested in the history of both world wars, those researching family history, and anyone who enjoys historic cemeteries and quiet places for reflection near London.

How should I behave during a visit? This is a place of remembrance that is still in use, so keep quiet, show respect for the graves and for visitors who may be paying respects to relatives.