Essex Farm Cemetary and other Ieper, Belgium Things to Do Tips

The first cemetery we visited was Essex Farm, where the famous poem 'In Flanders Field' was written by Dr. John McCrae

Essex Farm Cemetery has 1,185 graves. It was used during the war as an advanced dressing station an important aid station for ambulances. It was here that the wounded received their first care.

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The Menin Gate is a huge memorial to those soldiers who died before 16th August 1917 and who have no graves.

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The Gate was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield after a model of a roman triumphal arch.

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It was here at Essex Farm on 3rd May 1915 Dr. John McCrae who was a Canadian wrote the famous poem 'In Flanders Field'.

We visited the renovated dug out, where he wrote the poem, and which is displayed at the entrance.

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The Canadian Forces Memorial. This memorial was erected in remembrance of the Canadian soliders who died on 22nd April 1915.

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This monument dedicated to the Canadians depicts a soldier resting with joined hands on the butt of his reversed gun.

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Tyne Cot is the biggest military cemetery on the continent. The name Tyne Cot refers to the Tyne, a river in the north east of England, and cot is an abbreviation of cottage, because during the war there was a small barn standing here.

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11,956 Commonwealth soldiers are buried here. When we visited there were quite a few coaches of school children visiting.

Also in each cemetery there are 'Remembrance' books which lists the names of all the soldiers buried. There are also books for visitors to sign.

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On a wall at the back of the cemetery are inscribed the names of 34,957 missing soldiers.

Every soldier that died was treated equally, without distinction of rank, therefore all the grave stones are identical. Written on the grave stones, is their name and regiment, and a religious symbol, either a cross of Star of David.

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In the German cemetery is a communal grave containing the bodies of 24,917 soldiers. Nearly 8,000 of which are unknown. Altogether over 44,000 German soldiers, quite a few of which were young cadets are buried here.

As you entered through a small building, there was a book of condolences, for you to write your name and where you come from and you could add a comment, unfortunately the day we visited someone had written some awful things in this book. Thankfully someone who must have visited just before us had crossed these uncalled for remarks out and written 'May God Forgive Them'. It filled me with horror that people could be so cruel.

This photo which is a bit dark shows four statues which were made by the sculptor Emil Krieger.

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