Pond Farm Cemetery
Location
Pond Farm Cemetery is located south-west of Ieper near the village of Wulvergem. From Ieper town centre follow the Rijselstraat to the roundabout at the ring road; go straight over the roundabout and follow direction for Armentières.
In the next village at the roundabout bear right in the direction of Mesen. Follow the main road straight through Wijtschate and onto Mesen. On reaching the village of Mesen, turn right at the crossroads in the direction of Wulvergem.
At the crossroads in Wulvergem by the church turn right in the direction of Wijtschate. Follow this road for a short distance then take the first turning left into Vrooilandstraat. The cemetery is along here on the left.
Note that you have to walk around the back of the farmyard to reach it.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 50.768969 | 2.844965 | Map |
Historical Information
Wulverghem (now Wulvergem) was the scene of a German gas attack on the night of 29th-30th April 1916 which was repulsed by the 3rd and 24th Divisions. The village was captured by the Germans on 14th April 1918 and reoccupied by the 30th Division on the following 2nd September.
Pond Farm was in the fields about 800 metres East of Packhorse Farm, and on the North-West side of Pond Farm is the Cemetery.
The cemetery was begun by the 3rd Rifle Brigade and the 8th Buffs in July 1916 and it was used by fighting units and field ambulances until October 1917.
Further burials were made in April and September 1918.
There are now 296 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery, including special memorials to three casualties of the 1st/7th Cheshires, buried here early in September 1918, whose graves could not be found.
The cemetery also contains five German war graves.
The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.
Lieutenant D Baily MC
9th Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers
Died on 21st February 1917 aged 23
Son of John Baily
of 17, Mall, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Grave: J 11
Gunner W Langford 25317
d Battery 168th Brigade
Royal Field Artillery
Died on 7th June 1917
Husband of Mrs. F Langford
of 1, Wainfact St., Caerphilly, Cardiff
Grave: P 6
Lance Corporal Alexander Pollock 14/15779
14th Bn Royal Irish Rifles
Died on 5th May 1917 aged 19
Son of John and Maggie Pollock
of 105, Saunders St., Belfast
Native of Govan, Glasgow
Grave: N 16
Private Sidney Kemp 43011
107th Coy Machine Gun Corps
Died on 24th March 1917 aged 18
Son of Mr H and Mrs A Kemp
of 7, Sandrock Villas, Hawkhurst, Kent
Grave: L 9