Bruyelle War Cemetery

Bruyelle War Cemetery is a small Commonwealth war cemetery located about 6 km south of Tournai, Belgium, on the N507 road (Chaussée de Tournai), right at the entrance to the village of Bruyelle where it meets the N52. It is the final resting place of Commonwealth soldiers who died in the fighting across Flanders and Wallonia during the Second World War.

Why does this cemetery exist here?

Almost all the soldiers buried here died in May 1940, during the fighting along the line of the river Scheldt (Escaut), which was intended to slow the German advance and buy time for the Allied withdrawal toward Dunkirk. This defensive stand on the Scheldt was one of the short but costly episodes of the 1940 Battle of France and Belgium, part of the broader effort to hold a line long enough for the main Allied forces to reach the coast.

Of these men, 58 were originally buried directly in Bruyelle, while the rest were interred in surrounding villages. It was only in November 1940, under German occupation, that all these scattered graves were brought together into a single cemetery — the one that stands today. Later, in September 1944, when the Allies re-entered Belgium and pushed the Germans back, one further burial was made here — the only one not connected to the 1940 fighting.

How many soldiers are buried here?

The cemetery holds 147 Commonwealth war graves from the Second World War. Of these, 17 remain unidentified, their headstones marked only "known unto God" rather than a name. This proportion of unidentified graves is typical of cemeteries from the chaotic 1940 retreat, when the speed of the fighting and the rapidly shifting front line often made proper identification of the fallen impossible.

What is the wider regional context?

The Tournai area carries a long history of wartime destruction. The city itself remained under German occupation until 8 November 1918, when it was finally entered by the 47th (London) Division and the 74th (Yeomanry) Division during the final Allied offensive of the First World War. While Bruyelle War Cemetery itself dates only from the 1940 fighting, the surrounding region had already sat on the path of major European conflicts for decades — one reason this part of Hainaut holds such a dense concentration of war cemeteries and memorials.

Is the cemetery open to visitors?

The cemetery is open to visitors, and wheelchair access is possible through the main entrance. It is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which cares for war cemeteries across Europe. Despite its modest size, Bruyelle remains an important place of remembrance for the families and descendants of the soldiers who fell defending the Scheldt line in 1940.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are buried at Bruyelle War Cemetery? The cemetery contains 147 war graves, of which 17 belong to unidentified soldiers.

From which period do most of the burials date? The vast majority of the soldiers died in May 1940 during the fighting along the river Scheldt, shortly before the evacuation to Dunkirk.

How do you get to the cemetery? It sits on the N507 road connecting Tournai to Bruyelle, right at the junction with the N52, about 6 km south of central Tournai.

Is the cemetery wheelchair accessible? Yes, the main entrance allows wheelchair access.