Calvaire (Essex) Military Cemetery
Location
Calvaire (Essex) Military Cemetery is located 16 km from Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the N365, connecting Ieper to Wijtschate, Ploegsteert and on to Armentières. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg. 2 km after passing through the village of Ploegsteert lies the left hand turning onto Witteweg (Chemin de la Blanche). The cemetery lies 1km along the Witteweg on the right hand side of the road.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 50.718753 | 2.898465 | Map |
Historical Information
This cemetery was established beside a building known as Essex House and is an example of a regimental cemetery, many of which were made in 1914 and 1915.
It was begun in November 1914 by the 2nd Essex and 2nd Monmouthshire Regiments (Rows A to M of Plot I), continued by the 9th Royal Fusiliers and the 11th Middlesex Regiment (Plot I, Row 0), the 7th Suffolk and 9th Essex Regiments (Plot II), the 6th Buffs (Plot III), and the 1/7th and 1/8th Worcestershire Regiment (Plot IV, Rows A to C).
Apart from two later burials, the cemetery was completed by the 11th Queen’s Royal West Surrey and 10th Royal West Kent Regiments in June and July 1916. It was in German hands from 10th April to 29th September 1918.
There are now 218 First World War burials in the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by G H Goldsmith.
Private George Lester 46
2nd Bn Monmouthshire Regiment
Died on 14th December 1914 aged 44
Son of William and Lucy Lester
of 3, Moreton St., Pontypool, Monmouthshire
Grave: I A 1
L/Serjeant C Hooper 9661
2nd Bn Essex Regiment
Died on 1st December 1914
Grave: I B 3
L/Corporal William Raven 3/2039
2nd Bn Essex Regiment
Died on 7th April 1915 aged 19
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Raven
of 4, Rosslyn Rd., Barking, London
Grave: I L 9
Private Albert Leat L/10670
6th Bn The Queen’s
Royal West Surrey Regiment
Died on 28th June 1915 aged 17
Son of William and Alice Leat
of 7, Grey Villas, Russell Rd, Woking
Grave: I N 3
Private Nathaniel Amies G/703
6th Bn East Kent Regiment
The Buffs
Died on 20th August 1915 aged 30
Son of the Rev. Stuart Amies
Vicar of The Brents, Faversham
and Frances Amies
of 44, London Rd., Canterbury
Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute
Guatemala Branch, Central America
Native of Faversham, Kent.
Grave: III C 6
Private Arthur Huckstep G/3067
6th Bn East Kent Regiment
The Buffs
Died on 31st August 1915 aged 17
Son of Stephen and Elizabeth Huckstep
of Belmont, Garlinge, Margate
Grave: III C 4