French Cemetery

[zijde26]

To All,

Recently I got an old postcard showing a French cemetery in Reninghelst (= Reningelst) (a small village close to the French borderline, behind the Ypres Salient and comprising during ww1 a lot of military camps). Since many, many years Reninghelst has nomore a French cemetery. This cemetery has been transferred, but to where ?

Does anyone know where I can get this information ?

Many thanks.

Gilbert Deraedt

[MartinWills]

My copy of Catherine Grive-Santini's Guide Des Cimetieres Militaires En France suggests that to follow up the grave of a soldier you should start by contacting the

Secretariat d'Etat a la defense charge des Anciens Combattant

37 Rue de Bellechasse, 75007 Paris

Tel. +44 (0)1 44 42 10 00

www.defense.gouv.fr

I expect someone else will promptly suggest a better route to explore the question but it would be a starting point. Let us know how you get on.

Martin

[Neil Mackenzie]

Gilbert.

There are 3 cemeteries at Reninghelst on the CWGC database if you go (here) and type in Reninghelst on the cemetery selection you will see the details.

They too seem a bit unsure of the spelling as in the description they use Reningelst.

Good luck.

Neil

[zijde26]

Thanks for this information. I also give an old postcard showing the very beginning period of an English Cemetery of ww1

To Martin

I will write a letter this week the given address

To Neil

Thanks for that three Commonwealth Cemeteries. There is even a fourth Commonwealth Cemetery, i.e. The Grootebeek British Cemetery. This cemetery is situated in a hamlet (=Ouderdom) of Reningelst.

Gilbert Deraedt

[Paul Reed]

This French cemetery was closed - as were the majority of French cemeteries in Flanders - in the early 20s and the remains were either repatriated to France or buried in the French Cemetery at Potijze.

[CROONAERT]

This French cemetery was closed - as were the majority of French cemeteries in Flanders - in the early 20s and the remains were either repatriated to France or buried in the French Cemetery at Potijze.

However, as late as 1961, some French bodies were being moved after exhumation. Assevent French Cemetery (mentioned elsewhere on this forum) recieved bodies exumed from the Salient in this year.

Dave.

[john w.]

Had a look at the name on the cross in the English cemy to see where that body was located now.. but cant seem to be able to trace it. Has anyone else tried it and succeeded?

John

[Terry Denham]

Neil

Regarding the spelling of Reninghelst & CWGC using different versions....

The use of both spellings by CWGC is in line with their policy regarding Belgian/French town names.

They use the new spellings on all occasions when describing a town/village or in the name of a churchyard or communal cemetery (ie a cemetery not under their control). However, when talking about a CWGC cemetery, they use the name as it was when the cemetery was built - usually the old version of spelling.

The entries for Reninghelst seem to be errors which have escaped the 'spelling police' and I have just informed them of these. Those for the churchyard & churchyard extension should be changed to the new spelling.

[Paul Reed]

However, as late as 1961, some French bodies were being moved after exhumation. Assevent French Cemetery (mentioned elsewhere on this forum) recieved bodies exumed from the Salient in this year.

Were these isolated graves, bodies found on the battlefield during work or the closure of an existing cemetery? If the latter - which one?

All the maps and sources I have say that the only French cemeteries in the Salient after the 1920s were Kemmel and Potijze, with possibly the majority of burials being sent back to France.

[CROONAERT]

Hi Paul.

I'm afraid I can't answer that one, but I presume (judging by the numbers involved (90+)), that it's actually the closure of a small cemetery.Which one ,I've no idea.Maybe they were poilus buried in other cemeteries,churchyards,etc? I honestly don't know.

I got the info from the Ministere des Anciens...(etc.) a while ago and this is also mentioned in the "Atlas des Necropoles Nationales" published by themselves (though not in much detail).

I don't know whether you've ever noticed ,but 1961 seems to have been a popular year for moving around bodies and the dedication or re-dedication of cemeteries, especially with the Germans and French. I've always wondered why?

Dave.

[stevew]

Had a look at the name on the cross in the English cemy to see where that body was located now.. but cant seem to be able to trace it. Has anyone else tried it and succeeded?

John

John,

What do you think the name is???

I thought it was Barron, or Barren, but it obviously isn't as I can't find any details of that name and that date of death

[john w.]

Steve I found him... see below

Name: HARRON

Initials: G W

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Private

Regiment: Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regt.)

Unit Text: 28th Bn.

Age: 18

Date of Death: 09/07/1916

Service No: 441743

Additional information: Son of John Andrew and Elizabeth Harron, of Venn, Saskatchewan.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. H. 13.

Cemetery:Cemetery: RENINGHELST NEW MILITARY CEMETERY

[Terry Denham]

Neil

Following your comment re spelling above, CWGC will be correcting their error to bring the spelling in line with their policy.

Reninghelst New Military Cemetery and Reninghelst Churchyard Extension are CWGC cemeteries and so the name will stay as the old version. However, Reningelst Churchyard is not in their control and the name will be changed to that used by the locals as shown.

[zijde26]

To Terry

The correct spelling of the name of the village is ‘ Reningelst ‘ (in French : Reninghelst, in English : Reninghelst). Reningelst is, since more than 25 years, a part of Poperinge.

The fourth one (the Grootebeek British Cemetery) at the Ouderdom (Reningelst) is also a CGWG cemetery (in my opinion).

To Paul

A small enquiry in Reningelst, itself, learned me that there has been a French cemetery in front of the New Military Cemetery (Commonwealth or British cemetery), at the other side of the street heading to Poperinge (right side of the street with back to the church of Reningelst). A difficult point remains that it is very hard to find someone who is really aware of it .

Those persons there can exactly say where it was.

This French cemetery has been closed many, many years ago and where the graves of that graveyard are transferred now, is not known at this moment.

To John

I am happy that you could read the writing on that cross of the postcard showing the beginning period of the british cemetery.

Personnally, I had a lot of difficulties in reading this name.

Gilbert Deraedt

[john w.]

Isnt Grootebeek cemy a small one where a group of Indian graves are set to one side, they died as they had been gassed I believe. It also contains a VC winner if I have the right cemetery

John

[zijde26]

To John and every interested people,

Indeed, the Grootebeek British Cemetery is rather small. Some (not more than 5, I think) Indian soldiers are buried there.

I wonder if the VC winner is buried there. According to my information, the VC winner would be buried in Vlamertinge. Vlamertinge is only +/- 3km away from this Grootebeek Cemetery.

Gilbert Deraedt

[Terry Denham]

Grootebeek British Cemetery has the following burials...

WW1

UK 100, NZ 1, S Africa 1, India 7

WW2

UK 2

[zijde26]

To Paul,

Very recently, I got some information that it was transferred to Merville (Northern France). I do not know if this is the case.

Gilbert Deraedt