Beehive cemetery

[cooky]

Happy new year everyone,

has anyone visited 'Beehive' cemetery up on the Vimy ridge ?

The name has always interested me,is it named after a strongpoint and when was it created ?

Cooky.

[GrahamC]

One source says:

"The cemetery owes its name to a German machine gun emplacement known to the British troops as "The Beehive". It was made by fighting units after the occupation of Willerval in the Battles of Arras, 1917, and it was used as an advance cemetery until the following September; one grave was added in March, 1918." - see here

[Michelle Young]

Beehive is at Willerval, a lovely little place, quite a trek from the village but don't let that put you off

Michelle

[BelgianExile]

There's some more info here - which is where I suspect the original quote above has been borrowed from. I can't cut and paste the text I'm afraid.

[cooky]

^{Thanks to you all,}

^Cooky.

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

Beehive Cemetery is here on Google Earth (green arrow). The route in is signposted from the farm entrance on the D50E2 at the northern end of Willerval. (Satnav may try to take you up the track to the left farther north up the D50E2, which doesn't work as there is no path to the cemetery on the northern side). Its quite a treck from the farm but much of it can be driven if the track is reasonably dry. The final approach to the cemetery is a CWGC maintained grass path >

A view from the cemetery looking south. The car is at the end of the grass path and the farm and Willerval are distant to the left of photo. The Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge is about 5Km to the right of the camera.

Tom

[nigelcave]

The trek is well worth it. When visited last the cemetery was in tip top horticultural condition, despite difficult access. Interestingly for a cemetery that was in a pretty active zone of fighting at times post April 9th 1917, albeit to the rear of the immediate front line area, only two of the fifty or so buried here are unidentified. What really makes a visit are the excellent views of Vimy Ridge from the German perspective - you can see its whole length from here; as well as outstanding views of Lens and Loos across the Douai plain. The bonus is the view across to N D de Lorette ridge - identifiable by the large antenna with its warning light at the top.

[Guest]

We would like to visit this cemetery in September 2017, as that is the 100th anniversary of my Mom's cousin being killed and he is buried in this cemetery. Is it possible to walk to the cemetery from Willerval? Also, does anyone know if there is a train or bus that goes to Willerval from a large center (either London or Paris)?

[Michelle Young]

I walked to the cemetery from a gite in Willerval. Regarding transport, there is a railway halt at Bailleul Sir Berthoult,which is quite close but not in Willerval itself. I imagine trains would run from Arras. I don't recall any buses when I stayed there.

Michelle