Gunners Farm Military Cemetery

Gunners Farm Military Cemetery is a First World War Commonwealth cemetery located in the municipality of Comines-Warneton (Komen-Waasten), in the Belgian province of Hainaut, close to the French border. It contains 175 Commonwealth war graves and 4 German war graves.

How to get there?

The cemetery lies around 16 km from the centre of Ieper (Ypres), just off a minor road branching from the N365, the route connecting Ieper with Wijtschate, Ploegsteert and, further on, Armentières across the French border. The setting is largely agricultural, with a residential area nearby. Roughly 500 metres away stands another First World War cemetery, Calvaire Essex Military Cemetery, making it easy to visit both sites in a single trip through this part of West Flanders and border Hainaut. The cemetery is open to visitors year-round.

Where does the name come from?

The name comes from a farm that stood on the opposite side of the road during the war. Naming cemeteries after nearby farms, cottages or other landmarks was common practice for so-called regimental cemeteries — burial grounds established directly by fighting units near the front line, particularly in the early years of the conflict, 1914 and 1915.

History of the site

The cemetery was begun in July 1915. The earliest burials, in Rows A to C, were made by the 9th Battalion, Essex Regiment, and the 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Rows D to J were added by the 9th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, and the 11th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. Rows J to Q hold burials made by the 9th (Scottish) Division. Aside from a small number of later burials, the cemetery was completed in May and June 1916 by service battalions of the Royal West Kent Regiment and the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment.

The cemetery's history reflects the shifting front line in this part of Flanders. Between 10 April and 29 September 1918 the ground was held by German forces — the four German war graves on site date from this period of occupation. After Allied forces recaptured the area in the autumn of 1918, the cemetery retained its original layout, preserving a record of the successive waves of units that fought in this stretch of the Western Front.

What to expect on site

Gunners Farm Military Cemetery is one of many small war cemeteries scattered across the former Western Front in Belgium, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Unlike the larger, better-known cemeteries around Ieper, sites like this one have a more modest, intimate character: rows of simple white headstones set among carefully tended lawns, surrounded by open farmland. The lettered rows make it possible to trace the chronology and origin of the units that fought over this section of the front.

When to visit?

The cemetery is accessible year-round, free of charge, and requires no advance booking. Spring and summer make for pleasant walks through the surrounding fields and allow visitors to combine the site with other memorials in the area, while the quieter autumn and winter months suit those seeking a more reflective visit. Given its proximity to other First World War cemeteries, including Calvaire Essex Military Cemetery, it is worth planning a visit as part of a broader battlefield tour of the Ieper and Comines-Warneton area.

Frequently asked questions

How many graves are at Gunners Farm Military Cemetery? The cemetery holds 175 Commonwealth war graves and 4 German war graves.

Where does the cemetery's name come from? It is named after a farm that stood on the opposite side of the road during the war.

When was the cemetery established? It was begun in July 1915, with its expansion completed in May and June 1916.

Was the site ever under German control? Yes, German forces held the ground from 10 April to 29 September 1918.

Can the cemetery be visited independently? Yes, it is open year-round and free to visit without prior arrangement.