Ration Farm (La Plus Douve) Annexe

Ration Farm (La Plus Douve) Annexe is a British First World War cemetery located in the municipality of Comines-Warneton, in Belgium's Hainaut province, close to Ploegsteert Wood. It sits in the valley of the river Douve, roughly 10.5 km south of the centre of Ypres, on a road branching off the Rijselseweg (N365) that connects Ypres with Wijtschate and Armentières.

Where does the name come from?

Two farms once stood in this stretch of the Douve valley: La Petite Douve and La Plus Douve. The latter generally lay within the Allied lines and was used at times as a battalion headquarters. It earned the nickname "Ration Farm" because battalion transport could approach it at night carrying rations for the men holding the front line nearby. The neighbouring farm, La Petite Douve, was instead the target of a successful night raid carried out by the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion in November 1915.

History of the cemetery

The cemetery was established gradually between January 1915 and January 1918, as fighting continued in this sector of the Western Front. It now holds 202 Commonwealth burials from the First World War. The site was designed by G. H. Goldsmith, one of the architects who worked on cemeteries for what would become the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The word "Annexe" in the name signals that this cemetery was created as an extension to the larger, nearby La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery — the two sites lie close together and together record the fighting that took place in this part of the valley across the later years of the war.

What the site is like today

Like most Commonwealth war cemeteries in Belgium and northern France, Ration Farm (La Plus Douve) Annexe has a restrained, orderly layout: rows of uniform white headstones set among lawns and planting, without grand monuments. This design was meant to express the equality of all those who died, regardless of rank or origin. The cemetery offers wheelchair access through its main entrance, making it easier for visitors with limited mobility to reach the graves.

The surrounding area — the Douve valley north of Ploegsteert Wood — saw sustained, if less widely remembered, trench warfare throughout 1914–1918. It was here that the front line settled for long stretches, and farms such as La Plus Douve played an important logistical and command role for Allied forces holding this part of the line.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are buried at Ration Farm (La Plus Douve) Annexe? The cemetery contains 202 Commonwealth burials from the First World War.

Where does the name "Ration Farm" come from? It refers to the nearby La Plus Douve farm, which battalion transport could reach at night to deliver rations to troops on the front line.

When was the cemetery established? It was created gradually between January 1915 and January 1918.

Where exactly is the cemetery located? It lies in the Douve valley, about 10.5 km south of Ypres, on a road off the N365 (Rijselseweg) connecting Ypres with Wijtschate and Armentières, within the municipality of Comines-Warneton.

Is the cemetery wheelchair accessible? Yes, wheelchair access is available through the main entrance.