Wimereux Communal
Location
Wimereux is a small town situated about 5 kilometres north of Boulogne. From Boulogne take the A16 to Calais and come off at Junction 33 (If you are using an old map it may be marked as junction 4). Take the road to Wimereux north, D242, for approximately 2 kilometres, following the road through the roundabout.
Take the first turn on the left immediately after the roundabout and the Cemetery lies approximately 200 metres down this road on the left hand side.
Follow the signs for the Southern Cemetery (Cimitière Sud)
You can sometimes get parked on the left hand side of the road near the cemetery gate. Be aware that this is a one-way street, so you cannot turn around.
The Commonwealth War Graves are situated to the rear of the Communal Cemetery.
To leave the cemetery, follow the road down to the bottom of the hill where you will join the main coast road.
Historical Information
Wimereux was the headquarters of the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps during the First World War and in 1919 it became the General Headquarters of the British Army.
From October 1914 onwards, Boulogne and Wimereux formed an important hospital centre and until June 1918, the medical units at Wimereux used the communal cemetery for burials, the south-eastern half having been set aside for Commonwealth graves, although a few burial were also made among the civilian graves.
By June 1918, this half of the cemetery was filled, and subsequent burials from the hospitals at Wimereux were made in the new military cemetery at Terlincthun. During the Second World War, British Rear Headquarters moved from Boulogne to Wimereux for a few days in May 1940, prior to the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk.
Thereafter, Wimereux was in German hands and the German Naval Headquarters were situated on the northern side of the town. After D-Day, as Allied forces moved northwards, the town was shelled from Cap Gris-Nez, and was re-taken by the Canadian 1st Army on 22 September 1944.
Wimereux Communal Cemetery contains 2 845 Commonwealth burials of the First World War.
The cemetery also contains 14 Second World War burials, six of them unidentified.
There are also five French and a plot of 170 German war graves.
The German Plot
The Commonwealth section was designed by Charles Holden.
Because of the sandy nature of the soil, the headstones lie flat upon the graves.
Graves being relaid
Many of the other headstones have been badly weathered by the wind and rain, this close to the sea.
Sister Myrtle Wilson
Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
Died on 23 December 1915 aged 38
Daughter of Andrew Wilson and Catherine Wilson, of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Left Queensland for Nursing Service, April 1915
Grave: III M 1
Bugler Rangihiwinui Hiroti 16/379
1st Bn NZ Maori (Pioneer) Battalion
Died on 05 June 1916 aged 21
Son of Katarino Hiroti, of Gonville, Wanganui, New Zealand
Grave: Grave: I N 3A
Private Joseph Zorian 60589
2nd Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Died on 13 October 1917 aged 19
Son of Mr K and Helen Zorian, of Diarbekir, in Armenia.
Educated at Manchester Municipal Secondary School,
and employed at Ayrton's Engineering Works, at Belle Vue
Grave: VI D 2A
Lt Colonel John McCrae
Amongst the gravestones is John McCrae the author of the poem: In Flanders Fields.
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
Canadian Army Medical Corps
Died on 28 January 1918 aged 45
Son of Colonel David McCrae and Janet McCrae, of Guelph, Ontario.
John McCrae was a Canadian doctor who started to write verse at McGill University.
He went to Europe in 1914 as a gunner, but transferred to the Medical Service.
His poem In Flanders Fields first appeared in Punch during December 1915 and became the most famous poem of the War. It was written during the second Battle of Ypres.
In January 1918 McCrae was appointed consultant to all the British Armies in France but he died of pneumonia before he could take up the post.
A book of his poems was published in 1919. McCrae also wrote a book on pathology.
Grave: IV A 3
As you come down from the communal cemetery if you look across to your right you will see a memorial seat quoting some of McCrae's lines.
For further information follow the links:
Lt Colonel John McCrae RCAMC
Essex Farm Cemetery