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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Most beautiful cemetery on the Western Front


Mat McLachlan

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Maybe not the most beautiful cemetery but still one of my favourites.

Positioned in the middle of nowhere in a former quarry:

Quarry Cemetery on the Loos Battlefield

Walter

post-19-1103656982.jpg

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Does anyone have a photo of Le Troux Aid Post they could post? The only time I was there with a camera was in the middle of a rainstorm - somehow the windswept greyness doesn't quite convey the beauty I was talking about...

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Sorry but all the memorials in France and Belgium are special.

John

Quite right too, I can't walk past a war grave headstone in a regular cemetery over in Blighty without going and paying my respects (of both conflicts).

I can spot them a mile off, what I regret is when I miss the private memorials/headstones, which then means I have to walk around looking for them,

private or domestic headstones relating to parents of the dead and missing soldiers I find very moving, seems like their last salute to their loved ones, generally with a subtext under their own inscription stating when and where they were lost soldier boys......

Just some places will be special to people for a multitude of reasons

Soren

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too many to list. they are all very moving.

Etaples is special for me as my great grandad Arthur Thomas Bird of the coldstream guards lies there.

Bulls road, Fleurs, as just at the back of the village and is surrounded by the noise of wildlife and local cows!!! and i cvisited this while the sun was setting and was the most gorgoreus sky id ever seen.

Caberet rouge as it was the first i had ever stopped at and i couldnt believe what i was standing in the middle of.

also i have to agree with fellow members The devonshires. very moving.

karen.

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Hi all,

Three cemeteries come to mind:

Quarry Cem. near Loos, as mentioned by Walter Kortooms;

Bedford House Cem. near Ypres, one of Aurel's favourites;

Vladslo, which incorporates Käthe Kollwitz's Mourning Parents so beautifully.

Regards,

Fred

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As I have recently posted on a different topic, I always find the cemetries at Munich Trench & Waggon Road to be the most affecting and beautiful on the Western Front. I always visit them when I'm in the Somme area, and am always very moved by their wonderful stillness & isolation, and by the way the CWGC maintain them, despite the dearth of visitors. Very much worth a visit if any Pals are in the Beaumont Hamel area.

There is also a cemetery, whose name completely escapes me at the moment, just south of Ypres, on the Messines / Armentieres road, that is very beautiful in summer. It is fairly large and is in what was once the garden of a now ruined chateau. The graves are located in what still seems to resemble gardens and around an ornamental lake, very pretty indeed - if that is not too facile a word for a cemetery! Interestingly enough, there are also a number of WW2 graves located there from the long retreat to Dunkirk.

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There is also a cemetery, whose name completely escapes me at the moment, just south of Ypres, on the Messines / Armentieres road, that is very beautiful in summer.

Is Bedford House (see my earlier posting)

Jacky

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There is also a cemetery, whose name completely escapes me at the moment, just south of Ypres, on the Messines / Armentieres road, that is very beautiful in summer.

Is Bedford House (see my earlier posting)

Jacky

Thanks Jacky, I can never remember the name of that cemetery, despite liking it so much.

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Waggon Road and Munich Trench for me. Beautiful spot, peaceful, and a wonderful choice of trees has been chosen to embellish them.

A large hare sat amongst the stones at the former site for half an hour during my last visit. Suddenly, it ran across the fields and was lost to view. I was transfixed.

My uncle and his mates were there on 15th November 1916.

Stephen

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Sue...

I just noticed your Steyning et al memorial link. I visited Steyning and Bramber just last fall, went for a stamp up to the Downs and the Chanctonbury Ring. Hazy day, but glorious nonetheless. Love the photograph at the top of your Steyning page! <sigh>

Our Lampard/Lamper/Lamport family originated from Steyning, before moving on to various villages that surround Hayward's Heath.

Alison

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Big Cemetery: Etaples

Small ones: Welsh Cemetery (Caesars Nose) and Petit Vimy

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Welsh Cemetery (Caesars Nose)

Matt,

At last ! Someone with a good taste !

Like mine I mean. ;)

Welsh Cemetery, but then before the cherry tree was cut down, and before the industrial estate was coming too near ...

Aurel

post-19-1103834112.jpg

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How about Authille cemetery sloping curving hillside above the Ancre. Didnt get a photo when their , does any pal have one to post on here SG

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How about Authille cemetery sloping curving hillside above the Ancre.

Here is one, taken May this year. Was over during a mini-heat wave, and I agree this is a beautiful spot.

Alan

post-19-1103849591.jpg

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IIRC, there is a soldier buried here by the name of Pvt William McBride. I wonder if this was the grave that inspired Eric Bogle to write 'No Man's Land', the most emotive WWI song I have heard.

(Not sure if Mr Bogle's fine work is known outside Australia, but you may know him as the man who wrote 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda'.)

Cheers,

Mat

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Visited quite a few back in 1997, but AIF Burial Ground Flers sticks out strongest in my mind. To other people it might not be the most beautiful looking cemetery around but of those visited, it had the most affect on me.

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Matt,

I think you are right: a song was made about McBride. I forget the singer's name.

It is indeed a beautiful cemetery and it fits the surroundings.

I would like to add LA SUCRERIE here in this respect.

So many German cemeteries have this as well: they are at one with the surroundings. The always make me feel melancholy, e.g. the one in Sapignie, near Arras. Langemark springs to mind with the anonymous, faceless statues in the back.

Regards,

Fred

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