Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Location
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery is located 12 kilometres west of Ieper town centre, on the Boescheepseweg, a road leading from the N308 connecting Ieper to Poperinge. From Ieper town centre the Poperingseweg (N308) is reached via Elverdingsestraat, then over two small roundabouts in the J. Capronstraat. The Poperingseweg is a continuation of the J. Capronstraat and begins after a prominent railway level crossing.
On reaching Poperinge, the N308 joins the left hand turning onto the R33, Poperinge ring road. The R33 ring continues to the left hand junction with the N38 Frans- Vlaanderenweg. 800 metres along the N38 lies the left hand turning onto Lenestraat. The next immediate right hand turning leads onto Boescheepseweg. The cemetery itself is located 2 kilometres along Boescheepseweg on the right hand side of the road.
Coming from France you cross the border at Abele taking the direction towards Poperinge and Ieper (Ypres in French). Not long after passing through the former Douane Control Point you will probably see the cemetery in the fields to your right. Continue for a further kilometre when you will see the sign post turning you right and then back along the parallel road in the direction you have just come.
There is a small interpretive centre in the car park.
| GPS | N | E | OSM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 50.83029 | 2.70158 | Map |
Historical Information
During the First World War, the village of Lijssenthoek was situated on the main communication line between the Allied military bases in the rear and the Ypres battlefields.
An Information Centre was opened alongside the cemetery in late 2012. Details and photographs of the fallen who lie in the cemetery are available on line from the project’s web site. See Below.
Some of the numerous French graves
Close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations. The cemetery was first used by the French 15e Hôpital d’évacuation and in June 1915, it began to be used by casualty clearing stations of the Commonwealth forces.
From April to August 1918, the casualty clearing stations fell back before the German advance and field ambulances (including a French ambulance) took their places.
The hops fields in winter
The hops as they near the harvest
The cemetery contains 9,901 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, a few of which were brought in from the battlefields after the Armistice, and 883 war graves of other nationalities, mostly French and German. It is the second largest Commonwealth cemetery in Belgium.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Major Frederick Tubb VC
7th Bn Australian Infantry
Died on 20th September 1917 aged 36
Son of Harry and Emma Tubb
of St. Helena, Longwood East, Victoria, Australia
Of Longwood
Grave: XIX C 5
The London Gazette No. 29328
15th October 1915
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty at Lone Pine trenches, in the Gallipoli Peninsula, on 9th August, 1915. In the early morning the enemy made a determined counter attack on the centre of the newly captured trench held by Lieutenant Tubb. They advanced up a sap and blew in a sandbag barricade, leaving only one foot of it standing, but Lieutenant Tubb led his men back, repulsed the enemy, and rebuilt the barricade.
Supported by strong bombing parties, the enemy succeeded in twice again blowing in the barricade, but on each occasion Lieutenant Tubb, although wounded in the head and arm, held his ground with the greatest coolness and rebuilt it, and finally succeeded in maintaining his position under very heavy bomb fire.
Rifleman Herman Bollinger 474497
2nd Bn 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade
Died on 15th March 1918 aged 28
Son of Mrs M Bollinger
of Khandallah, Wellington, New Zealand
Grave: XXVII EE 17
Private Frank Smith L 10423
1st Bn East Kent Regiment
The Buffs
Died on 14th August 1915 aged 17
Son of George and Laura Fordham
of 30, Esslemont Rd, Southsea, Hants
Born Portsmouth
Grave: III D 29A
2nd Lieutenant William Seabrook
17th Bn Australian Infantry
Died on 21st September 1917 aged 21
Son of William and Fanny Seabrook
of Great North Rd, Five Dock, Sydney, New South Wales.
Grave: XXIII B 5
A willing sacrifice
For the world’s peace
His brothers George and Theo were killed the day before and are commemorated on the Menin Gate.
Sergeant David Beattie
105th Infantry Regiment
27th US Division
Died on 31st August 1918 aged 22
Son of David and Isabel Beattie of 22 Hawthorn Avenue, Troy, New York. Having only arrived in Belgium in May 1918 Sergeant Beattie was acting as a forward artillery observer for his regiment when was killed at his post by artillery shrapnel on 31 August 1918.
There are two other US Servicemen with Beattie.
Private Harry King and Lieutenant James Pigue. All three are buried to the left of the War Stone.
Harry King died of pneumonia and was originally buried in the Meuse Argonne ABMC Cemetery, his parents later asked that he be moved to Lijssenthoek where his brother Reginald of the (British) Army Service Corps lies in Grave: XXI H 17. Both brothers had emigrated to the US from England.
Lt Colonel James Nicholas
5th Australian Field Ambulance
Australian Army Medical Corps
Died on 20th September 1917
Grave: XIX C 4
Lt Colonel Stanley Gibbs
Australian Army Service Corps
Died on 20th September 1917 aged 31
Son of Hugh and Sarah Gibbs
of 17, Abingdon Court, Kensington, London, England
Native of Southampton, England
Grave: XIX C 3
Private C Young 928337
10th Coy Canadian Machine Gun Corps
Died on 20th November 1917
Grave: XXVII B 12
Private William Baker 22635
26th Bn Royal Fusiliers
Died on 14th August 1918
Son of Mrs Elizabeth Baker, of 13, Russell St, Plaistow, London
Grave: XXV B 22
Shot at Dawn for Desertion
Baker had volunteered for service but had a history of absenting himself. He was already under arrest on 22nd April 1918 when he went missing again. He was eventually arrested at the port of Boulogne in May whilst using a false name.
He managed to get away again and this time was arrested trying to get into a Hospital at Étaples (Again under a false name). This time he could not evade the court and he was shot in Poperinge.