Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery

Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery is a small First World War burial ground in Poperinge, a town in West Flanders, Belgium, roughly ten kilometres west of Ypres. It is one of many cemeteries maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), the organisation responsible for the graves and memorials of Commonwealth servicemen and women who died in both world wars.

Why Poperinge?

Unlike Ypres, which was largely destroyed during the war, Poperinge remained a relatively safe town for most of the conflict. It was occasionally shelled from long range and bombed, but it never sat directly on the front line. That relative safety, combined with its proximity to Ypres, made Poperinge an essential rear base for British and Allied forces fighting in the Ypres Salient. Casualty clearing stations and rest facilities for troops rotating out of the trenches were established here.

History of the cemetery

The cemetery was begun during the First Battle of Ypres in the autumn of 1914, used to bury soldiers who died of wounds or illness at nearby medical posts before those units were moved further back from the front. Burials of Commonwealth servicemen at this cemetery effectively stopped at the start of May 1915, after which the larger Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, opened in June of that year, took over as the main burial ground in the area.

Today the Old Military Cemetery holds around 450 Commonwealth burials from the First World War. Of these, 24 graves remain unidentified, and special memorials commemorate seven casualties believed to be buried among them without a precisely known grave location. Among those interred is a sixteen-year-old sergeant of the Canadian Army Medical Corps, who died of wounds in April 1915 — a stark reminder of how young many of the men serving in this sector were.

Design and layout

The cemetery's layout was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, a British architect who worked extensively with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is also credited with the Cross of Sacrifice, the stone cross found in the great majority of Commonwealth war cemeteries from both world wars. The cemetery follows the restrained, uniform style typical of CWGC grounds: rows of identical white headstones set in mown lawn, enclosed by a low wall, with an emphasis on quiet dignity rather than grandeur.

Visiting the area

Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery sits within the town of Poperinge itself and can be reached via the N308 road from Ieper (Ypres). Nearby are the larger Poperinghe New Military Cemetery and the town's communal cemetery, making Poperinge one of several significant stops on a First World War remembrance route through West Flanders, alongside better-known sites such as Tyne Cot Cemetery and the Menin Gate in Ypres.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are buried at Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery? Around 450 Commonwealth servicemen from the First World War, including 24 unidentified burials.

When was the cemetery established? During the First Battle of Ypres in the autumn of 1914. Burials continued until the start of May 1915.

How does it differ from Poperinghe New Military Cemetery? The New Military Cemetery was opened in June 1915 to take over burials once the Old Military Cemetery was closed to further Commonwealth graves.

Who designed the cemetery's layout? Sir Reginald Blomfield, a British architect who collaborated with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on numerous war cemeteries.