Solferino Farm Cemetery

Solferino Farm Cemetery is a small war cemetery lying north-west of Ypres, close to the village of Brielen in West Flanders. It is one of hundreds of similar cemeteries scattered across the Ypres Salient, each a quiet marker of the scale of fighting that took place here during the First World War.

Where does the name come from?

The name comes from the nearby Solferino Farm, so named by French troops who held this part of the line in early 1915. The name itself recalls the Battle of Solferino, fought on 24 June 1859 during the Second Italian War of Independence, when French forces allied with Piedmontese troops fought against Austria. The cemetery was established opposite the site of the farm.

When was it founded, and who is buried here?

The cemetery was begun in October 1917 and was used by units fighting in this sector of the front until August 1918. It now contains 296 Commonwealth burials from the First World War. Among those buried here, around a hundred served in artillery units, twenty-one belonged to Royal Engineer units, and twenty-four came from Royal Army Service Corps labour battalions. This mix reflects the nature of the fighting in the area, where artillery support and logistics work behind the lines played a decisive role.

The cemetery also holds a small plot of three German war graves from the same conflict. The presence of graves from both sides is not unusual in the Ypres area — after the fighting ended, bodies were often gathered from nearby battlefields regardless of which side the soldiers had fought for.

Traces of the Second World War

Alongside the First World War graves, the cemetery contains five burials from the Second World War. These date from May 1940, from the period of the Allied retreat toward Dunkirk — the episode that preceded the famous evacuation from the French coast.

Who designed the cemetery?

Solferino Farm Cemetery was designed by Reginald Blomfield, one of the principal architects who worked with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on cemeteries across Flanders and northern France. His approach — a simple, symmetrical layout of headstones, a central Cross of Sacrifice, and carefully maintained lawns — is a recognisable feature of many war cemeteries in the region.

How to get there

The cemetery sits close to the village of Brielen, a short distance from the centre of Ypres, making it an easy stop when visiting the wider network of memorial sites connected to the Ypres Salient. The site offers wheelchair access, though an alternative entrance may be needed in places.

Why visit?

Smaller and less visited than some of the larger cemeteries nearby, Solferino Farm Cemetery offers a clear window into the daily grind of trench warfare around Ypres — the artillery crews, engineers, and support units who kept the front line functioning for nearly a year. It is a calm, modest place of remembrance, well suited to visitors looking to step away from the busier memorial trails in the region.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are buried at Solferino Farm Cemetery? The cemetery holds 296 Commonwealth burials from the First World War, five from the Second World War, and three German war graves.

Where does the cemetery's name come from? It takes its name from the nearby Solferino Farm, named by French soldiers after the 1859 Battle of Solferino.

Who designed the cemetery? The cemetery was designed by architect Reginald Blomfield, who worked with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Is the cemetery wheelchair accessible? Yes, though visitors may need to use an alternative entrance in some cases.