Dranoutre Military Cemetery
Location
Dranoutre Military Cemetery 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 50 metres or so, up to your right and the Churchyard cemetery is in front of you — at the church.
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 | 50.766831 | 2.780399 | 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.
Dranoutre Churchyard was used for Commonwealth burials from October 1914 to July 1915 when the military cemetery was begun. It was used by fighting units and field ambulances until March 1918 (Plots I and II), many of the burials being carried out by the 72nd Brigade (24th Division) in April-June 1916, and Plot III was added in September and October 1918. In 1923, 19 graves were moved into Plot II Row K from the churchyard when the church was rebuilt.
Dranoutre Military Cemetery now contains 458 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is also one German war grave.
The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.
Driver Archibald McKigney 16666
1st Battery
Royal Horse Artillery
Died on 18th October 1914 aged 29
Brother of Mrs. E Woodward
of Darenth Training Colony, Dartford
Grave: II K 19
2nd Lieutenant Edward Cramer-Roberts
2nd Bn East Kent Regiment
The Queen’s
Died on 10th August 1915 aged 18
Son of Herbert and Evelyn Cramer-Roberts
of 2 Julian Rd, Folkestone
Grave: I B 18
Shot at Dawn
Private Frederick Broadrick 17402
11th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Died on 1st August 1917
Grave: II J 24
Shot at Dawn for desertion
On the 1st July 1917 whilst resting in Loker (A few kilometres from here) Broadrick decided to desert rather than parade for a working party to which he had been detailed. He managed to get as far as Calais where he was arrested.
Already under a suspended death sentence for desertion, the second offence resulted in Broadrick facing a firing squad within weeks of his going absent.