Mons Cemetery

Mons Cemetery (formally Mons Communal Cemetery, also known as Mons Bergen Communal Cemetery) sits on the north-eastern edge of the city of Mons in Belgium, along the chemin de la Procession, a road connecting to the N56 route towards Brussels. It is a place where the history of two world wars intertwines with everyday civic life, since the cemetery still functions as the town's communal burial ground today.

Why is this cemetery historically significant?

Mons played a distinctive role in the First World War: on 23 August 1914, the Battle of Mons was fought here, one of the earliest engagements between the British Expeditionary Force and the German army on the Western Front. The town then remained under German occupation for the entire war, until 11 November 1918 — the very day of the Armistice — when the Canadian Corps arrived and liberated it. This symbolic coincidence means Mons is often described as the place where the war effectively began and ended for Commonwealth forces on the Western Front.

Who is buried in this cemetery?

During the occupation, German forces extended the existing communal cemetery, adding a section on its northern side. This extension, now an integral part of the town cemetery, holds soldiers of many nationalities — Russian, French, Italian, Romanian and Belgian — alongside German and Commonwealth war dead. This national diversity makes the site an unusual testament to the sheer scale of the conflict, which drew soldiers from far-flung corners of Europe into the same patch of ground.

How many war graves does the cemetery contain?

The cemetery now contains 393 Commonwealth burials or commemorations from the First World War. Eleven of these burials belong to unidentified soldiers, though special memorials mark the graves of three casualties known to be buried among them. In addition, the cemetery holds one Commonwealth burial from the Second World War, one non-war burial (a retired member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's staff), and 110 war graves belonging to other nationalities.

Who designed the Commonwealth war graves plots?

The Commonwealth plots at Mons Cemetery were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, one of the most prominent British architects of his era, known for designing numerous war cemeteries and memorials across France and Belgium after the First World War. His characteristic style — restrained, symmetrical rows of headstones set within carefully tended lawns — gives the site a calm, contemplative atmosphere despite the dramatic history it records.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the cemetery located? On the north-eastern outskirts of Mons, along the chemin de la Procession, close to the N56 road to Brussels.

Is it solely a military cemetery? No — it is an active communal cemetery for the city of Mons, part of which was extended and used for military burials during the German occupation of the First World War.

Which nationalities are represented among the war graves? Alongside Commonwealth soldiers, the cemetery holds German, Russian, French, Italian, Romanian and Belgian burials.

Is it worth visiting for those interested in First World War history? Yes — together with the nearby St Symphorien Military Cemetery, Mons Cemetery offers a fuller picture of the fate of soldiers who fought on the Western Front from its opening days to its very last hours.