Dranouter Churchyard
Location
Dranouter Churchyard is located 11.5 kilometres south of Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the Dikkebusseweg (N375).
From Ieper town railway station turn right off the ring road onto the N375 towards Dikkebus and Loker. Once in Loker (where there are a number of memorials and a CWGC cemetery) take the left hand fork towards Dranouter. You will pass Locre No 10 CWGC Cemetery on your right.
As you come into Dranouter you will see a green CWGC sign for Dranoutre Military Cemetery up to your right and the Churchyard cemetery is in front of you — at the church. There are parking spaces just around the corner in the main square.
With the change in spelling after the war, many of the CWGC cemeteries continue to carry the old French form, Locre/Loker and Dranoutre/Dranouter. This can be confusing if you are researching a casualty.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 50.766134 | 2.783036 | Map |
Historical Information
Dranoutre (now Dranouter) was occupied by the 1st Cavalry Division on 14 October 1914. It was captured by the Germans on 25 April 1918, in spite of the stubborn resistance of the 154th French Division, and it was recaptured by the 30th Division on 30 August 1918.
Dranouter Churchyard was used for Commonwealth burials from October 1914 and July 1915 when the military cemetery was begun. In 1923, 19 graves were moved from the churchyard to the military cemetery when the church was rebuilt.
Dranouter Churchyard contains 79 Commonwealth burials of the First World War.
Dranouter Churchyard
The War Memorial
On the left of the war memorial you can see a memorial in the shape of a Spitfire’s tail fin. This is in memory of a Belgian pilot, Flight Lieutenant Baudoin de Hemptinne who was shot down near here whilst serving with 122 Squadron Royal Air Force on 5th May 1942.
He is now buried in the Belgian Airmans’ plot in Brussels’ Town Cemetery but the other Allied pilots who died in the same aerial battle are buried in Ieper Town Cemetery Extension. For further details see the entry on Sergeant Pavlik (whose monument is near Kemmelberg).
Captain Robert Otter
2nd Bn Norfolk Regiment
Died on 15th February 1915 aged 34
Son of Robert and M Otter
of Royston Manor, Clayworth, Retford, Notts
Husband of Gwendoline Otter
Served in the South African Campaign
Grave: II B 2
A gallant Englishman
And a good sportsman