Poperinghe old military cemetery

Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery

Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery is located 10.5 Kms west of Ieper town centre, in the town of Poperinge itself.From Ieper, Poperinge is reached via N308. From Ieper town centre the Poperingseweg (N308), is reached via Elverdingsestraat then directly over two small roundabouts in the J.Capronstraat. The Poperingseweg is a continuation of the J.Capronstraat and begins after a prominent railway level crossing.On reaching the town of Poperinge the left hand turning from the N308 leads onto the R33 Poperinge ring road. 1 Km along the N33 lies the right hand turning onto Deken De Bolan. The cemetery is located 200 metres from the ring road level with the junction with Polenlaan, on the right hand side of the road.Helvetica Light is an easy to read font, with tall and narrow letters, that works well on almost every site.

The town of Poperinghe (now Poperinge) was of great importance during the First World War because, although occasionally bombed or bombarded at long range, it was the nearest place to Ypres (now Ieper) which was both considerable in size and reasonably safe. It was at first a centre for Casualty Clearing Stations, but by 1916 it became necessary to move these units further back and field ambulances took their places.
The earliest Commonwealth graves in the town are in the communal cemetery, which was used from October 1914 to March 1915. The Old Military Cemetery was made in the course of the First Battle of Ypres and was closed, so far as Commonwealth burials are concerned, at the beginning of May 1915. The New Military Cemetery was established in June 1915.

The Old Military Cemetery contains 450 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 24 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to seven casualties known or believed to be buried among them.
The graves of about 800 French and Belgian soldiers and nearly 500 civilians were removed from the cemetery after the Armistice. For the most part, the civilians died in an epidemic of typhoid at the end of 1914, and were buried from an emergency hospital housed in a neighbouring chateau.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.*

28300 Driver Thomas Fletcher

Royal Field Artillery 23 April 1915 Age 21

Born in Preston in 1894.

In the 1911 census,aged 17 he is recorded as living with his mother,Nancy Jane and 2 brothers at 1 Water Lane,Preston.

He was employed in the Weaving Industry as a Spinners Bobbin Carrier.

He enlisted in Preston and his dis-embarkation into France was on 22-12-14.

He died of his wounds on 23-4-15.

2096 Private Norman Howard Small

1/9th Royal Scots 23 April 1915 Age 20

Born on 27 September 1895,Norman lived with his parents David Alexander and Minnie and 2 brothers at 40 Granby Road,Edinburgh.

He enlisted on 29th August 1914 and dis-embarked into France on 24-2-1915.

He died on the evening of 23-4-1915 at No.5 Casualty Clearing Station in Hazebrouck, from a gunshot wound to his arm he received earlier in the day during fighting at St Jean near Ypres.**

Private Herbert Knight

1st Battn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

2 May 1915 Age 28

Born in St Mary's Sheffield in 1885.

In the 1911 census,he is reorded as living at 1/10 Fitzwilliam Street Sheffield with his wife Eliza Ann

and 2 daughters.He was employed as a Hammer Grinder.

He enlisted in Sheffield and his dis-embarkation into France was on 7-4-1915.

He died of his wound at the 84th Field Ambulance on 2-5-1915.

Captain Francis John Wyley

2nd Battn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

23 April 1915 Age 31

Born in 1884 in Brewood Staffordshire.

In The 1911 census,he is recorded as being a Lieutenant based at the 57th & 65th Regimental Depot. Wakefield Road,Famshelf,Pontefract.

His disembarkation into France was on 7-3-1915 and he died of his wounds 23-4-1915.

12242 Private James William Frederick Duffield

2nd Battn Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry

24 April 1915 Age 23

6298 Private John William Hicks

3rd Battn Duke of Cambridge(Middlesex) Regiment

18 April 1915 Age 38

Born in Battersea in 1891.

In the1911 Census,he is recorded as living with his father James,a house decorator,mother Ada and sister Myra at 23 Fontarabia Road Clappham.He was employed as a builders assistant.

He enlisted in Battersea and his dis-emabarkation into France was on 23-2-1915.

He died of his wounds on 24-4-1915.

Born in 1878 in Feltwell,Norfolk.

In the1911 Census he is recorded as living with his father Philip,a labourer and mother Francis at the West End Inn Feltwell.

He was also employed as a labourer.

He enlisted in Bury and his dis-embarkation into France was on 6-3-1915.

He died of his wounds on 18-4-1915

2nd Lieutentant Robert Edward Charles Groome

Royal Field Artillery

4 March 1915 Age 19

1373 Lieutentant Colin Edward Cumming M.A.

1st HB Royal Field Artillery

25 February 1915

Born in Eastbourne in 1894.

In the 1901 Census,he is recorded as living with his father,Harry and mother Marguerite in Lulfords Lane,East Grinstead.

His father is recorded as living on his own means.

His dis-embarkation into France was on 20-8-14.

He died of his wounds on 4-3-1915.

Lieutentant Colin Edward Cumming M.A.

Born in Stafford in March 1890. He was educated at the Royal High School,Edinburgh and The Edinburgh University,where he earnt an M.A. with first class honours in classical literature in 1911.

At University he was an active member of the Officer Training Corps and got his commission in the R.F.A. Reserve on 16-9-1909.

He was appointed 2nd Lieutentant to the 103rd battery at Winchester on 22-9-1914 and accommpanied the battery to France in January 1915.

He was killed in action by a shell near Ypres on 24-2-1915.The Major in command(later promoted to Lieutentant Colonel) Hope D.S.O. wrote that they had been shelled for about an hour.Their dug out was hit and when the Major,himself wounded,became conscious,Cumming was trying to help him out of the debris when another shell arrived and they were both knocked senseless.

Lieutentant Cumming died in hospital during the night,never having regained consciousness.

After his death he was promoted to a full lieutenancy to rank from 8-12-1914. ***

12878 Private Arthur Harry Nicholls

2nd Battn. Worcestershire Regiment

2nd November 1914

Born in Marlcliff,Bidford upon Avon.Warwickshire in 1892.He was baptised on 12 April 1895.

In the 1911 Census,he is recored as living with his father Frederick, a painter and glazier,mother Fanny and 4 brothers and 1 sister in Ivy Cottage Marlcliff,Bidford upon Avon. He was employed as a farm labourer.

He enlisted in Worcester and his dis-embarkation into France was on 12-8-1914.

He died of his wounds on 2-11-1914.

8236 Private Arthur Chamberlain

2nd Battn. East Yorkshire Regiment

9th February 1915

Born in Middlesex and lived in Taunton,Somerset.

He enlisted in Hounslow.

He died of his wounds at No.3 clearing hospital,Poperinghe

on 9-2-1915.

In his will, all his personal effects were left to his brother George.

7400 Private Frederick George Tiller

1st Battn. Bedfordshire Regiment

11th November 1914 Age 32

Born in Stoke Newington in 1882.

In the 1911 Census,he is recorded as living with his wife Riba(Thacker),whom he married in 1909 and also his son and daughter in 36 Croydon,Cambs.He was employed as a farm labourer.

He enlisted in Tottenham and his dis-embarkation into France was on 26-8-1914.

He died of his wounds on 11-11-1914.

379419 Private Arthur Buckley

3rd Battn. Northamptonshire Regiment

10th November 1914 Age 20

9707 Private Robert McGlashan

1st Battn.The Black Watch

10th November 1914 Age 25

Born in Dundee1889

In the 1901 Census aged 12 he is recorded as living with his mother Agnes at 27 Victoria Street Dundee.

He enlisted in Dundee and his dis-embarkation into France was on 13-8-1914.

He died of his wounds on 10-11-1914.

9209 Rifleman William Wigston

2nd Battn. Royal Irish Rifles

10th Noveember 1914 Age 29

Born in Brackley,Northants in 1894.

In the 1911 Census,he is recorded as living with his father James,mother Emily and his brother and sister in New Road, Brackley.

He was employed as a general labourer.

On 9-3-1911 he enlisted in the(1314) 4th Battn. Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry Territorials.He attended his annual training at West Lulworth between 6-8-1911 & 20-8-1911.

He enlisted into the 3rd Battn.Northamptonshire Regiment Special Reserve on 16-1-1912 and was accepted for transfer from his Oxfordshire regiment.

On 1-5-1912 he was confined to barracks for 5 days for insolence to an N.C.O.

In 1912 he is recorded as being 5ft 3/4 inches tall,weighing 9 1/2 stone and having brown eyes and hair.

His dis-embarkation into France was on 20-9-1914.

He died from a gunshot wound to the head on 10 November 1914.

Born in Shankill County Antrim in 1885.

He lived at 33 Bradford Street,Off Old Lodge Street,Belfast,Ireland with his wife Sarah Jane.

He enlisted in Belfast.

His dis-embarkation into France was on 7-10-1914.

He died of his wounds on 10-11-1914.

6668 Guardsman William Perry

3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards

10th November 1914 Age 33

Born on 10 March 1881 in Wolverhampton.

With his father Thomas and mother Jane(Darling),he lived at 38 Chester Street ,Wolverhampton.

He enlisted in 1905 and served 3 years with the colours and 6 with the reserve.

He was moblised on 4-8-1914 and his dis-embarkation into France was on 30-8-1914.

He died of his wounds at the No.4 Clearing Hospital, Poperinghe on 10-11-1914.****

9848 Private George Snow

2nd Battn. East Yorkshire Regiment

11th April 1915

Born in Hull in 1894.

In the 1901 Census,he is recorded as living with his father George,mother Minnie and 4 brothers and 1 sister at 3 William Terrace,Hull.

George married Fanny Stathers in early 1914.

He enlisted in Beverley and died of his wounds 11 April 1915.

3050 Private Thomas Broadley

1/4th Battn. East Yorkshire Regiment

26th April 1915

Born in Hull in 1896.

In the 1911 Census,he is recorded as living with his father John,a dockside labourer,his mother Elizabeth and 2 sisters in 8 Harbuts Terrace,Barnsley Street,Hull.

He enlisted in Hull and his dis-embarkation into France was on 17-4-1915.

He died of his wounds at No.3 Casualty Clearing Station,Poperinghe on 26-4-1915.