Kemmel No.1 French Cemetery

Kemmel No.1 French Cemetery is a First World War burial ground located in Heuvelland, in the West Flanders province of Belgium, close to the village of Kemmel and at the foot of the Kemmelberg hill — a location that saw some of the fiercest fighting of the Ypres Salient during the final year of the war.

Where does the cemetery's name come from?

The name reflects both its location near Kemmel and the fact that, in its early years, the site contained a mix of French, Commonwealth and German graves — hence the designation "French Cemetery." The number "1" distinguishes it from other, smaller burial sites established in the same area around the same time.

What historical events are connected to this site?

April 1918 marked a period of intense combat around Kemmel, where Commonwealth and French forces clashed with the German army. From 26 April until the end of August 1918, the village itself remained under German control, making this stretch of the front one of the most contested in the war's closing phase. The struggle for control of the Kemmelberg hill and the surrounding terrain became one of the bloodiest episodes of the Flanders campaign that year.

Who established the cemetery, and when?

The exact origins of the cemetery are not documented. It is believed to have been established shortly after the war, when the French Graves Services discovered the site not long after the November 1918 Armistice. From the outset it held Commonwealth, French and German burials together — a feature that sets it apart from many other cemeteries in the region, which were typically established as single-nation sites from the start.

What happened to the French burials?

In the years following the war, the French graves were removed from Kemmel No.1 and relocated — some to the French ossuary at Kemmel, others to the French cemetery at Potijze, near Ypres. What remained were the Commonwealth burials, along with a number of German graves that were located and consolidated by the Belgian Graves Services.

Who designed the cemetery, and who maintains it today?

The cemetery's layout was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, one of the principal architects responsible for Commonwealth war memorials after the First World War. It is now owned and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), the organisation responsible for the care of Commonwealth war graves and memorials worldwide.

Why does the land belong to the United Kingdom?

The ground on which the cemetery stands was granted to the United Kingdom in perpetuity by King Albert I of Belgium, in recognition of the sacrifices made by soldiers of the British Empire in the defence and liberation of Belgium during the war. This gesture, repeated at many similar sites across the region, remains a lasting symbol of Belgium's gratitude toward its wartime allies.

How many graves does the cemetery hold today?

Kemmel No.1 French Cemetery now contains 296 Commonwealth burials from the First World War, of which 260 are unidentified — a reflection of the chaos and heavy losses suffered along this section of the front. Alongside them are 94 German graves, the majority of which also remain without a confirmed identity.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors access the cemetery? Yes. Like most CWGC cemeteries in Belgium, the site is open to the public and free to visit.

Is this the only war cemetery in the area? No — the wider Kemmel and Ypres Salient area contains numerous First World War burial grounds established around the same period and for similar reasons.

Why are so many graves unidentified? The intensity of the fighting, the repeated changes of control over the terrain, and the difficult battlefield conditions made identifying the fallen extremely difficult — a pattern common to many cemeteries from this stage of the war in Flanders.