Polygon Wood Cemetery

[Mat McLachlan]

Hi all,

I've heard stories about how the German cemetery behind Polygon Wood Cemetery was removed after the Second World War, but I'm looking for some specifics. Does anyone know:

- The exact year the cemetery was removed.

- Where the graves were relocated (I assume to Langemarck).

- How many other German cemeteries were removed at the same time.

- The reasoning behind this.

I've heard that the explanation is anti-German sentiment after the war, but I'd like to know the full story.

Cheers,

Mat

[Aurel Sercu]

Mat,

The German cemetery which was right behind CWGC Polygon Wood Cemetery, was R.I.R. 248, and begun by that German Regt. in May 1915.

In 1927 it was enlarged to approx. 360 graves.

Later (don't know when) it was moved to Soldatenfriedhof Langemark. There were 304 identified remains, and 62 non-identified.

As to how many German cemeteries... I am in the middle of my research, and please don't ask me to count what I have so far, but I estimate : approx. 400 I have now. (Another source says there were 670.)

They were moved in shifts. A first fase approx. late 1920s and 1930, after which concentration 128 remained in existence, a second mid-50s, with the final concentrations made in 1970-72.

I'm not sure but I think German Polygon Wood Cem. was transferred mid 1950s or 1970, for I know people who remember that cemetery. (By the way, one can still see where the connection (gate) was to the German cemetery, in the back wall of the CWGC cemetery.

As to the motivation for the removal of German cemeteries, I'd rather leave that to someone else. This aspect has already been dealt with recently (anti-German resentments in Ypres now) in a different thread ...

Aurel

[j.r.f]

MAT

It is worth noting that there is one German stone remaning in th cemetery.I visited there last year on the 11/11.It seemed ,to me, right and proper that this stone is there.I think we all to often forget that German boys were also lost and still need to be mourned.

May all these boys of what ever nation colour or creed rest in peace and rise in glory.

CHEERS.

JOHN