Underhill Farm Cemetery
Location
Underhill Farm Cemetery is located 12 Km south of Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the Rijselseweg N365, which connects Ieper to Wijtschate, Mesen (Messines) 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.
3 km after the town of Mesen lies the right hand turning onto the Rue du Petit Pont. (Kleine Brugstraat). 1 Km along this road on the right hand side of the road lies the cemetery.
Just after you turn onto this road you will see on your left a piggery. If you look down the alleyway between the sties this is the place where The Royal Irish Fusiliers staged their mock execution of a spy which has become a famous photo from the war.
If on leaving the cemetery you continue a little further and then turn right and then right again this will bring you up onto the crest with an excellent view looking out towards the Messines Ridge. If you go back to the piggery and turn right you will come to the Ploegsteert memorial.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 50.74097 | 2.86999 | Map |
Historical Information
Underhill Farm and Red Lodge were the names given to two buildings on the north-western edge of Ploegsteert Wood.
They were occupied by dressing stations and the cemetery which they used is close to the farm.
The cemetery was begun in June 1917 and used until January 1918.
It fell into German hands in the spring of 1918, when it was used under the name of The Military Cemetery at the foot of the Nightingale Hill.
The cemetery was recovered in September 1918 and used again for Commonwealth burials until October.
Looking out towards Nieuwkerke
There are 190 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery.
Nine of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties whose exact places of burial in the cemetery could not be determined.
The cemetery was designed by G H Goldsmith.
Three soldiers from the New Zealand Maori (Pioneer) Battalion killed in action on 14th August 1917
Died on 14th August 1917
Son of the late William
and Annie Hale
Died on 14th August 1917
Died on 14th August 1917
aged 21
Son of Henare and Maata Ruru
of Te Karaka, New Zealand
Grave: A 29
Grave: A 30
Grave: A 31