Rifle House Cemetery

Rifle House Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) burial ground located near Ypres, in the municipality of Comines-Warneton, an area that formed part of the Western Front during the First World War. The cemetery is one of hundreds of small CWGC sites scattered across Belgian and French Flanders, each marking the human cost of the prolonged trench warfare fought in this corner of Europe.

Why is the land owned by the United Kingdom?

The ground on which the cemetery stands was granted to the United Kingdom in perpetuity by King Albert I of Belgium. This was a formal gesture of gratitude for the sacrifices made by the British Empire in the defence and eventual liberation of Belgium during the war. Similar grants were made at numerous points along the former front line, and they remain the legal basis on which the CWGC continues to maintain these grounds today, regardless of later administrative or ownership changes in the surrounding land.

Who is buried here?

Rifle House Cemetery holds the graves of soldiers who died during the First World War. As with most CWGC cemeteries from this period, it contains both identified burials and graves of soldiers who could not be identified, commemorated with inscriptions dedicated to unknown servicemen. The layout follows the familiar CWGC pattern: uniform white headstones set within carefully tended lawns, reflecting the Commission's founding principle of equal treatment for every fallen soldier, regardless of rank or background.

Why does the area around Ypres matter?

The region surrounding Ypres (Ieper) was the setting for some of the most destructive engagements of the First World War, including the successive battles that came to be known as the Battles of Ypres. The front line ran for years through territory that today includes the administrative area of Comines-Warneton. Cemeteries such as Rifle House Cemetery are dotted throughout this landscape — many of them small and set away from the main visitor routes, in contrast to the larger, better-known burial grounds nearby. For travellers with an interest in First World War history, these smaller sites form an essential, if less prominent, part of the region's landscape of remembrance.

What should visitors know before going?

Like most CWGC-maintained cemeteries, Rifle House Cemetery is open to visitors free of charge throughout the year. Its coordinates (50.7358° N, 2.9010° E) make it straightforward to locate, set in a quiet, rural stretch of countryside away from larger towns. Visitors are asked to observe the same quiet respect expected at any war cemetery — this remains an active site of remembrance rather than simply a historical attraction.

Frequently asked questions

Who maintains Rifle House Cemetery? The cemetery is cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the organisation responsible for the graves of British Empire and Commonwealth service personnel who died in the two World Wars.

Where exactly is the cemetery located? In the municipality of Comines-Warneton (Komen-Waasten), near Ypres, within the area of the former Western Front of the First World War.

Is there an entry fee? No — CWGC cemeteries are open to the public and free to visit.

Why does the land belong to the United Kingdom? The ground was granted by King Albert I of Belgium as a lasting mark of gratitude for the British Empire's role in defending and liberating Belgium during the First World War.