The Huts Cemetery

The Huts Cemetery is a British First World War cemetery located in Dikkebus (formerly Dickebusch), roughly 6 kilometres southwest of Ieper's town centre in the West Flanders province of Belgium. Set along Steenakkerstraat in a quiet rural setting away from the busier stretches of the Ypres Salient, it offers visitors a calmer, more contemplative atmosphere than some of the region's larger burial grounds.

Where does the name come from?

The cemetery takes its name from a line of wooden huts that once stood along the road connecting Dickebusch to Brandhoek. These huts served as field ambulance posts during the 1917 Allied offensive on this front, better known as the Third Battle of Ypres, or Passchendaele. Soldiers who died at or near these medical posts were buried nearby, giving rise to the cemetery.

When was it in use?

Burials at The Huts Cemetery began in July 1917. Plots I to X and XII to XIV were filled progressively between July and November of that year, during the height of the fighting around Passchendaele. The cemetery was closed in April 1918, when the German spring offensive — the Battle of the Lys — pushed the front line close enough to make further burials impractical.

How many soldiers are buried here?

The cemetery holds 1,094 Commonwealth war graves from the First World War, of which 6 remain unidentified. A distinctive feature of this site is that nearly two-thirds of those buried were gunners, reflecting the concentration of artillery positions in the surrounding area, which supported the 1917 offensive.

Who else is buried at The Huts Cemetery?

Among the graves is that of Brigadier-General C. G. Rawling, who commanded the 62nd Infantry Brigade of the 21st Division, buried in grave XII.C.20. His presence alongside ordinary soldiers is a reminder of how close to the front line mid-level commanders often operated during the Flanders campaigns.

Who designed the cemetery?

The Huts Cemetery was designed by Edwin Lutyens, one of the principal architects responsible for Commonwealth war cemeteries and memorials from the First World War. His characteristic style — restrained, symmetrical, and dignified — is reflected in the layout of headstones and stonework here.

Can visitors access the cemetery?

Yes, The Huts Cemetery is open to the public year-round, and wheelchair access is available through the main entrance. The site is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which oversees the upkeep of the headstones and surrounding grounds.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the cemetery located? On Steenakkerstraat in Dikkebus, about 6 kilometres from central Ieper.

How many graves does it contain? 1,094, including 6 unidentified soldiers.

When were the burials made? Between July and November 1917, with the cemetery closing in April 1918.

Is it worth visiting beyond central Ypres Salient sites? Yes — being less visited than the larger, more central cemeteries, it offers a quieter setting for reflecting on the scale of losses suffered in this part of Flanders.