Track "X" Cemetery

Track "X" Cemetery is a small First World War burial ground located near Ypres (Ieper) in Belgium, within the area once known as the Ypres Salient — one of the most contested and heavily fought-over stretches of the Western Front. The site is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and forms part of the dense network of military cemeteries surrounding the town.

Where is it located?

The cemetery sits close to Ypres, in the Flemish region of Belgium (coordinates: 50.878167, 2.911528). More than a century ago this quiet, largely agricultural landscape was the scene of some of the deadliest fighting of the entire war, including the successive battles fought around the town between 1914 and 1918, as both sides struggled for control of the salient bulging into German-held territory.

Why the name "Track X"?

Cemeteries in the Ypres area were often named after nearby military tracks, communication trenches, or map references used by troops during the war, rather than after farms or villages. "Track X" reflects exactly this kind of wartime battlefield naming convention, common across the salient, where countless small burial grounds sprang up close to where soldiers fell or were treated at nearby aid posts.

Who looks after the cemetery today?

Like hundreds of other war cemeteries scattered across Flanders, Track "X" Cemetery falls under the permanent care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The CWGC is responsible for the upkeep and commemoration of graves belonging to service members of Commonwealth nations who died in the First and Second World Wars, maintaining sites across dozens of countries to a consistent standard of dignity and remembrance.

What is the significance of the land itself?

The ground on which the cemetery stands was granted to the United Kingdom in perpetuity by King Albert I of Belgium. This grant was made in recognition of the sacrifices made by the British Empire in the defence and eventual liberation of Belgium during the First World War. Similar grants of land underpin many of the CWGC cemeteries scattered throughout the Ypres area and the wider West Flanders region, forming a lasting legal and symbolic bond between Belgium and the Commonwealth nations whose soldiers fought and died there.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a major tourist site? No — Track "X" Cemetery is one of many modest, local war cemeteries around Ypres, of interest mainly to visitors following the Ypres Salient's remembrance trail rather than a large-scale destination like Tyne Cot Cemetery.

Can visitors access it freely? CWGC cemeteries are generally open to the public at no charge, though smaller sites such as this one may have limited signage or parking compared with the larger, better-known cemeteries in the region.

Why are there so many war cemeteries around Ypres? The town and its surrounding salient saw sustained, large-scale fighting throughout almost the entire war, resulting in hundreds of burial grounds established within a relatively small radius to inter soldiers from across the Commonwealth.

What is the connection to King Albert I? It was under his reign that Belgium formally granted land for British war cemeteries in perpetuity, a gesture acknowledging the alliance between Belgium and Britain and the sacrifices made by British Empire forces in defending and liberating Belgian territory.