Welsh Cemetery (Caesar's Nose)

Welsh Cemetery (Caesar's Nose) is a small First World War cemetery east of the village of Boezinge (formerly Boesinghe), just north of Ypres. Its unusual name reflects two layers of history: the identity of the unit that created it, and the striking shape of the German front line that once ran alongside it.

Where does the name come from?

For most of the war, the eastern edge of Boesinghe faced the German front line directly. British troops nicknamed a triangular salient in the German trenches here "Caesar's Nose," after its pointed outline as it appeared on staff maps. When soldiers established a burial ground right beside this feature, the name stuck — combined with "Welsh," after the division responsible for founding it.

Who is buried here?

The cemetery was begun in July 1917 by the 38th (Welsh) Division, which advanced from this area toward Langemark during the Third Battle of Ypres (also known as the Battle of Passchendaele). Soldiers of this division buried their fallen comrades here first, and 23 men of the 38th (Welsh) Division rest in the cemetery today. It remained in use until November of that same year, receiving further burials from other units fighting in this sector of the front.

In total, Welsh Cemetery contains 68 First World War burials. Like many smaller war cemeteries around Ypres, it sits on ground that was once literally no man's land — between the British front lines as they stood before the offensive began and the German salient known as Caesar's Nose.

Who designed the cemetery?

The cemetery was designed by A. J. S. Hutton, one of the architects who worked with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) on the postwar commemoration of the fallen across Flanders. Like other CWGC cemeteries in the region, Welsh Cemetery has a modest, restrained layout — rows of white headstones set among greenery, without the larger architectural features found at bigger cemeteries and memorials.

How to get there

Boezinge lies north of Ypres (Ieper), along the N369 road toward Diksmuide. The cemetery itself is located on Kleinepoezelstraat, on the eastern side of the village. It forms one stop among many on the wider Flanders Fields battlefield trail, tying the story of the Welsh divisions into the broader narrative of the Third Battle of Ypres.

Frequently asked questions

How many people are buried at Welsh Cemetery? The cemetery holds 68 First World War burials, including 23 soldiers of the 38th (Welsh) Division.

Where does the name "Caesar's Nose" come from? It was a British soldiers' nickname for a triangular salient in the German front line here, named for its pointed shape as seen on military maps.

When was the cemetery established? It was begun in July 1917 by the 38th (Welsh) Division and remained in use until November of the same year.

Where exactly is it located? On Kleinepoezelstraat, on the eastern side of Boezinge, north of Ypres, just off the N369 road toward Diksmuide.