Exploring Normandy and Ypres: Battle Plan Day 3 {Part 3}

Actual Date of Event: March 12, 2014

After spending our early afternoon in Arromanches and the Musée du Débarquement we were off to the remaining two beaches, the Juno Beach Centre, and the Canadian Military cemetery. 

Juno Beach Centre

Juno Beach is the beach the Canadians landed on that proved a military success but costly in terms of men lost. The main task of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division upon landing was to move inland to cut the Caen-Bayeux road and form a connection between the British beaches, Gold and Sword.

The plan was to land at low tide so the German defensive obstacles would be exposed but low tide was three hours prior to their landing so they were partially submerged. The mines took a toll on the landing craft and destroyed or damaged 30% of them. The men, after wading ashore, were then met with heavy firepower with an estimated 50/50 chance of surviving the gunfire.

After fighting hard for Juno Beach they reached the German positions behind the beach and were able to move inland with some speed to reach their target by the end of the day. The price they paid was 1,200 casualties of the 21,400 men that landed on the beach.
 

Exhibits at the Juno Beach Centre

In September 1939, Canada declared the state of war and joined its allies by mobilizing the mightiest military force in its history at sea, on land, and in the air. The Juno Beach Centre tells the story of the Canadians who fought in the military, as well as those the waited at home for their return. In the first room we stood in a simulated landing craft to watch a film projected around us showing images of the war, D-Day, as well as families back home describing what they were thinking and feeling at the time.

The permanent exhibits have lots of photographs and other artifacts to tell the story but my favourites are always the more personal documents like letters to home, even the letters sent home with the sad news that a loved one wouldn't be returning. The batteries, bunkers, and guns can tell part of the story but those artifacts are always what gets me. One word. Heartbreaking.

For the Fallen

by Laurence Binyon

They shall grow not old

As we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them

Nor the years condemn;

At the going down of the sun

And in the morning

We will remember them. 

Sword Beach

 

Sword Beach

Sword Beach was the furthest east of the five beaches used on D-Day that was assigned to units of the British 2nd Army. The area around the beach was lightly defended by the Germans, but only as compared to some of the other beaches, and doesn't mean that the British troops didn't lose soldiers too.

The landings started at 7:25 am and by 8:00 am most of the fighting around the beach was over. By 1:00 pm that day the soldiers had met up with the paratroopers at the bridges over the Orne waterways, but on the right were unable to link up with the Canadian troops from Juno Beach. At 4:00 pm the 21st Panzer Division (German) launched an attack but it wasn't to last long. 

By the end of D-Day the British had 29,000 men landed with 630 casualties. German casualties were much higher and many German soldiers had been taken prisoner, but the Caen objective was still several kilometers away. 

Musée Radar

Musée Radar de Douvres

After our short visit to Sword Beach the sun was starting to set so it was time to make our way to the Canadian War Cemetery which was our last planned stop of the day. On the way though we realized we had come upon the Musée Radar (which was on our list for the morning) so we decided to make our stop then.

This is the site of a former German radar station that was one of the most important radar detection links in the Atlantic Wall defenses with a unique example of the Wurzburg Riese radar. The site was closed so we took in the views through the fence and therefore didn't stay very long. 

Canadian War Cemetery

Before the sun did set on us it was time to make our way to the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery which is the very peaceful resting place of 2,048 soldiers. A large number of these soldiers were killed in early July 1944 in the Battle of Caen and the also those soldiers that fell during the D-Day assault on Juno Beach. Canadian prisoners of war, that were illegally executed at the Ardenne Abbey, are also interred here. 

After quiet wander it was time for another wonderful day out to wind down. Time to head back for a delicious {and romantic} dinner and our last night at our rustic and charming hotel in Crépon. 

In my next post I'll finish off our time in France as we spend the morning at Pegasus Bridge {with a guest post about this by L!} and at our last WWII cemetery in Ranville. The it is off to Belgium!

Day Trips: Beautiful Bodiam Castle

Actual Date of Event: August 1, 2013

Medieval. Dreamy. Romantic. Moated like the sandcastles we used to build at the beach...and you can even arrive by steam engine which only helps transport you back a little further in time, closer to the year 1388 when Bodiam Castle was completed.

One of the many beautiful views of Bodiam Castle {Photo by L}

Our day out in East Sussex, England to visit Bodiam Castle last August actually began with us boarding a restored steam engine in Tenterden for the picturesque ten mile journey through the Rother Valley. The coaches and locomotives, dating back from Victorian times, are operated by the Kent & East Sussex Railway and chug along past little towns, farms, and just generally lots of scenic views.

A step back in time at Tenterden Station

Quiet, picturesque countryside along the rail line {Photo by L}

Upon arrival at the station in Bodiam be sure to allow some time to get up close to the engines especially if you're with a male of any age...they'll need a few minutes to check out all the parts and pieces and see how it all works. You'll definitely have a smiling guy on your hands if you take my advice. :-)

Wonderfully restored steam engine {Photo by L}

 From the rail station it's only a few minutes walk to the castle with great views of it through the trees as you get closer and closer. Keep your camera handy as this castle is one photo op after another.

Bodiam Castle coming into view through the trees {Photo by L}

The castle was built from 1385 to 1388 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge with the permission of Richard II presumably to defend the area against a French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. Looking at it further though historians think it is unusually far from a coastline for this to have really been the reason to build it. Despite this it was built with many defensive features like the crenels (gaps in the stones) at the tops of the towers on each corner and at the entrance that could have been used to shoot arrows through. It is also moated and that would have helped keep attackers from gaining access to the base of the castle's walls. If they did manage to get up to the castle and get to the gatehouse they  then had to contend with the 'murder-holes' where guards would drop all sorts of things on them to get them to turn back- like boiling water, hot sand, and even rats!

Be careful! There are murder-holes behind them gates {Photo by L}

 
These days, instead of being greeted with rats dropped on your head at the gate, visitors are welcome to stroll the grounds and encouraged to explore the remains of the castle. There are lots of neat little nooks and crannies among the chambers, a water well, and then stairs to allow you to climb the towers for wonderful views of the surrounding countryside from the roof.

Lots of chambers to explore {Photo by L}

Can't beat a view like this {Photo by L}

After exploring I highly recommend finding a spot in the shade under one of the great trees to enjoy an ice cream and maybe even a little afternoon cat nap especially if it is as hot as the day we were there... like 34°C (or 93°F)! My goodness that wasn't the English weather I was hoping for to escape the Houston heat! Oh well it might have been hot but the view way more than made up for it.

Our view of the castle from our resting spot under the tree {Photo by L}

For schedules and fares for the train from Tenterden to Bodiam please visit the Kent & East Sussex Railway site.

For more information about Bodiam Castle like operating hours and rates, please visit the National Trust Collection site.

Postcard from...Canterbury, England

To me there is just something so pretty about vines and trees against a backdrop of stones, especially old irregular shaped stones like most of the ones in this photo so when we found these stone walls behind Canterbury Cathedral I just had to stop and take pictures from all angles.

Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage site that is consistently one of the most visited towns in the United Kingdom. At the heart of the city is Canterbury Cathedral that is well known for several reasons especially as the site of Thomas Becket's murder in 1170 right in the cathedral by the followers of King Henry II. Since then the cathedral has become a place of pilgrimage for Christians all over the world. This pilgrimage is the theme for the classic The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer from the 14th century.

There is just so much history in this little town that it is definitely worth a visit and you have to leave yourself plenty of time to just stroll through the narrow little streets, have lunch in a local pub (bangers and mash...yum!), and browse the little shops.

For those of you that visit regularly I just wanted to let you know that I'll be taking a break for a few weeks. I've got some traveling coming up and will be getting ready for both of those trips in the next week or so. When I return I'll pick back up with the next part of our wonderful trip to Normandy and Ypres and after that I'll be blogging about a completely different part of the globe as we take a cruise to the Caribbean. 

Until then, happy travels and I'll be back in a few weeks!


Photo taken August 2, 2013

Day Trips: A Drizzly Day at Dover Castle {Part 2}

Actual Date of Event: October 13, 2013


Last Sunday was the first part of our day in Dover spent wandering through the great castle, church, and the grounds but today is something a little unexpected- the Secret Wartime Tunnels.

* All of the photos in this post were taken by L...well except for the last one as he tends not to take pictures of his food, unlike me. :-) *

In the Middle Ages tunnels were constructed under Dover Castle to be used as a protected line of communication for the soldiers stationed in the northern outposts and to allow for the garrison to gather before attacks without being seen. Later during the Napoleonic Wars the tunnels were expanded to prepare the castle for a French invasion. Seven tunnels were dug to serve as barracks for soldiers who had already filled up the castle and the town. These tunnels were capable of holding 2,000 troops and are the only underground barracks ever built in Britain.


In WWII the tunnels were used again as the center from which Admiral Ramsay and his team worked around the clock for nine days on Operation Dynamo- the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force and French troops from the beaches of Dunkirk. It was estimated that 45,000 troops could be brought back to Britain but on May 26th there were about 400,000 troops awaiting rescue on the beaches. By June 4th, nearly all were evacuated with 338,000 men brought back. Admiral Ramsay used as many Royal Navy vessels as the could gather, along with a now famous flotilla of 'little ships'- the civilian and merchant boats. Churchill called it a 'miracle of deliverance'.

Communication Post inside the tunnels

Various rooms along the tour

Some parts of the tunnels were dark and a little eery.

During the Cold War the tunnels were expanded again to form a Regional Centre of Government in the event of nuclear war but with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 the need for this facility decreased. In the early 1990s it was decommissioned and areas of the tunnels were open to the public.

When visiting you have to take the guided tour as many parts of the tunnels are not open to the public. It was a really good tour though and we didn't feel rushed along as we visited communication centers, hospital bays and even dining areas that smelled like roast beef! There were also many places along the tour where they projected video along the walls of the tunnel sometimes making it seem like you were in the room as actual events played out as the shadows of the officers went about their duties.

This video does a much better job of showing you the tour than I can explain.

*Please note that some scenes may be upsetting.

After such an interesting tour of the tunnels and around the grounds and look out posts we had worked up an appetite! Well not really after such a good lunch but there was cream tea to be had so off we went back to the café for a spot of tea and that oh so delicious clotted cream with raspberry jam on a scone. Is there a better afternoon snack to have in this world? At this point I'm going to have to go with no and think I will be hard pressed to ever find anything that will make me change my mind.

For more information about Dover Castle and the other castles under the care of English Heritage you can visit their site here. I can't wait to move over and become a member- there are over 400 sites to visit. I'm going to be a busy bee!

Day Trips: A Drizzly Day at Dover Castle {Part 1}

Actual date of event: October 13, 2013

Sitting atop the famous white cliffs of Dover since the12th century, overlooking the historic port, is the formidable Dover Castle. It is here that L and I ventured off to on cool and rainy Sunday morning back in October for a little day trip. Besides being on my list of castles to see in England we knew there were also some Secret Wartime Tunnels that were used in WWII for Operation Dynamo (the evacuation of British and Allied troops from Dunkirk) that we wanted to explore. This castle really seemed to have it all, and those were just the things we knew about before we arrived. On our visit we discovered even more treasures!

*All of the photos in this post (except the last two) were taken by L. Unfortunately I only had a camera phone and they just do not take the best pictures. But L sure does!*

Welcome to Dover Castle

Although the castle was started in 1066 the history of this location goes back about a 1000 years before that when the Iron Age inhabitants built a fort here. Along came the Romans who then erected a pharos, or lighthouse, inside their fort in about 125AD. They built a second lighthouse across the Dover harbour but only the one on the grounds at Dover Castle remains. The lighthouse is octagonal in shape and built in five layers out of ragstone and flint with brick archways. The first four layers were from the Romans and the top layer was added around 1430 to act as the bell tower for the St Mary in Castro church beside it. We were pretty impressed at the condition of the lighthouse as it is, after all, almost 2000 years old! Inside it is hollow and you can go in and look around.

Roman Lighthouse

After the Romans moved out the Saxons moved in and around 1000 AD they constructed the church of St Mary in Castro, which was later remodeled in the Victorian period. The church was used by the garrison of Dover Castle and held sacred relics during medieval times. The building was restored in 1582 but then fell into decay again in the 17th century and was little more than a crumbling shell by the 18th century. After being used as a coal store the church was finally restored in 1862 and today the interior includes a mosaic alter and tiled floors.

St Mary in Castro Church

Moving on from the church and the lighthouse you can visit the heart of the fortress- the Great Tower. Begun in 1066, but mainly a product of King Henry II's expansion in 1170, the Great Tower stands 25 m (183 ft) at its tallest with walls as thick as 6.5m (21ft) in places. It was seen as a symbol of "kingly power and authority" as it guarded the gateway to the realm. It was used for royal ceremony and to house King Henry II's traveling court but the most important use was as a military post as the castle was garrisoned uninterruptedly from 1066 until 1958. From 1740 through 1945 the castle's defenses have been updated in response to every European war involving Britain.

The Great Tower

The interior of the Great Tower, or keep, has been renovated but has been set to look like it would have when the castle was in operation and it was SO neat! We spent quite a long time wandering through rooms set up to look like cooking and storage rooms, great dining halls, long damp passageways between rooms that overlooked the grounds, and even cozy bedchambers that had roaring fires going in their fireplaces. That was likely the biggest surprise for us and as we were walking through we thought we could smell smoke and then upon entering one of those bedchambers we saw why. What a treat! It was so well done I felt like I could almost imagine myself back in those times.

Despite it being so nice and toasty inside we couldn't stay inside when there were views of Dover to be had from the top of the castle. So out we went as the wind blew and the rain came down. Yeah, we didn't stay out there too long! Even with the fog and dreary weather the view was still incredible.

After our tour of the Great Tower we decided it was time for some lunch so we headed down to the cafe for a traditional Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding. And it was delicious! Even the carrots were all right and I really don't like carrots. We also saw that they had cream tea so made a mental note to come back at tea time to enjoy that too. Can't pass up scones, clotted cream, and raspberry jam now can we? Well I can't anyway.

But before tea we had some Secret Wartime Tunnels to visit so that's where we headed after lunch. They were so very different than this medieval castle and so interesting as well. They even made them smell like the roast dinner we had just eaten. Next Sunday I'll finish our day out in Dover and take you on a photo tour of those tunnels.

WWII Commonwealth War Cemeteries

Last week I wrote about the WWI Commonwealth cemeteries L and I were able to visit in Belgium and this week I'd like to finish this series of posts with a little tour of the WWII cemeteries we visited in France.


Bayeux War Cemetery

We woke the morning of March 12th to a very foggy day and set off for our first visit of the day- the Bayeux War Cemetery in Bayeux, France.

The Allies began their offensive in this part of Europe with the D-Day landings along the coast of Normandy on June 6, 1944. There wasn't much actual fighting in the city of Bayeux but it was the first French town of importance to be liberated by the 50th British Infantry Division on June 7, 1944. As the troops moved through Bayeux towards the landing beaches they ran into difficulties bringing the heavy equipment through the city. It was dangerous and very slow moving so the British Army's engineering department decided to build a big boulevard around the city. This became known as "the by-pass" and was the first ring road ever in France. The term and the road are still in use today.

 
The Bayeux War Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth WWII cemetery in France and was completed in 1952. It contains 4,144 burials of Commonwealth soldiers with 338 of those unidentified. There are also 500 war graves of other nationalities with the majority of those being German.


The grounds were given to the United Kingdom in perpetuity by France for the sacrifices made by the British Empire in the defense and liberation of France.






The Bayeux Memorial stands just across the road from the cemetery and commemorates more than 1,800 men from the Commonwealth forces who died early in the fighting after the D-Day landings and have no known grave.

The Latin epitaph along the front of the memorial is in reference to William the Conqueror and the Invasion of England in 1066. It reads: "We, once conquered by William, have now set free the Conqueror's native land."

Bayeux Memorial

Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery

About 20 km to the east of Bayeux is the little town of Reviers and it is here out in the peaceful farmer's fields that you will find the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery.

This cemetery contains 2,048 WWII burials with the majority of them Canadian and 19 of them unidentified. Many of the 2,048 men buried here were from the 3rd Canadian Division who died either on June 6th or in the few days following it, when the Division engaged in battle with the German 716th Division and the 21st Panzer Division. The cemetery also includes the graves of four British soldiers and one French resistance soldier who fought alongside the Canadian soldiers and had no known family. This cemetery commemorates the graves of nine sets of brothers.







Ranville War Cemetery

Our last stop in France on Thursday, March 13th was the Ranville War Cemetery and church. Ranville was the first village to be liberated in France when the British 6th Airborne Division captured the bridge over the Caen Canal in the early hours of June 6th. Those soldiers landed nearby by parachute and gliders. Many of this division's casualties are buried here or in the churchyard next to the cemetery.

The cemetery contains 2,235 Commonwealth burials of WWII with 97 of those being unidentified. There are also 330 German graves and a few graves for other nationalities. In addition to the soldiers, the mascot of the 9th Bn Parachute Regiment a dog named Glenn, is buried with his master, Private E.S. Corteil. The churchyard next door contains another 47 Commonwealth graves, one of which is unidentified and one German grave.

"We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; 

we shall never surrender."

~ Winston Churchill

Postcard from...London, England

Ahhh London. The city that has given Paris a run for its money as my favourite city. But what's not to love? London really has it all- arts, fashion, entertainment, shopping, and so much history! And I think it blends these things so well. Where else do you find a castle that's more than 1000 years old against a backdrop of modern office buildings, like the Shard, that was only finished two years ago? Personally I think together they make one of the neatest photos I have from London.

London's population has grown to over 8 million people and there are more than 300 languages spoken within its boundaries. It is also home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites {of which I have only seen two so far but might finally get to see the others this summer!}- Tower of London, historic Greenwich, Kew Gardens, and Palace of Westminster and the Abbey. There are also so many other things to see and do that is impossible to take it all in with only one visit. So looking forward to visiting again this summer and getting to show the kiddo around. I think he'll be just as taken with it as I am.

Photo taken September 8, 2012

WWI Commonwealth War Cemeteries

Actual Event Date: March 14,2014

 

Continuing the series of posts from the past couple of weeks about the Commonwealth War Graves I'd like to share some information about the specific World War I cemeteries L and I were able to visit while in Ypres last month.

Perth Cemetery {China Wall}

Just a few kilometers outside of Ypres this was the first cemetery we stopped at. It was along the road we were traveling to visit another site so it wasn't a planned stop on the Battle Plan but I'm very glad we did.

This cemetery was started by French troops in November 1914 and was adopted by the 2nd Scottish Rifles in June 1917. The French graves were removed after the Armistice. It was used for front line burials until October 1917 and up to that point contained 130 graves. After the Armistice, graves were brought in from the battlefields around Ypres and from about 30 smaller cemeteries. Today there are 2,791 Commonwealth soldiers of WWI buried or commemorated here. 1,369 of the graves are unidentified, 27 casualties believed to be buried among them are commemorated on special memorials, and names of another 104 casualties are inscribed on memorials for those whose graves could not be found.

It was called Perth because the predecessors for the 2nd Scottish Rifles were raised in Perth, and China Wall from the communication trench known as the Great Wall of China. It was also called Halfway House Cemetery. 

Sanctuary Wood

Sanctuary Wood Cemetery was the 2nd one we visited during our afternoon in the Ypres area. This area is one of the larger woods in the commune of Zillebeke and was used in 1914 to screen troops behind the front line. It was at the centre of the Battle of Mount Sorrel in June 1916 involving the 1st and 3rd Canadian Divisions. There were three Commonwealth cemeteries in this area until this battle and after only traces of one cemetery was found. It is here that they built the present day Sanctuary Wood Cemetery. 

At the Armistice there were 137 graves, but like Perth Cemetery, many more were brought in from surrounding smaller cemeteries until it reached the present day number of 1, 989 Commonwealth servicemen of WWI being buried or commemorated here. 1,353 of the burials are unidentified and many graves are identified in groups but not individually. 

In this cemetery we chose to leave our cameras in the car and just take a quiet stroll around the cemetery. 

Hooge Crater

This cemetery we found quite by accident. It wasn't on our route but we saw several tour buses on a street we passed so we made note to come back to see what was up that street. We found a museum that we now have on the list for our next trip to Belgium and the Hooge Crater Cemetery.

At one time there stood Hooge Chateau which was the scene of much fighting during WWI. In October 1914 the 1st and 2nd Divisions were wiped out when the chateau was shelled. In May and June of 1915 the chateau was defended against the attacking Germans and in July of the same year the crater was created by a mine detonated by the 3rd Division. The chateau was then taken by the Germans four times between July 1915 and April 1918, and finally regained for the last time in September 1918 by the 9th (Scottish) and 29th Divisions. 

The cemetery itself was begun in October 1917 and originally contained 76 graves but was greatly increased after the Armistice to the current number of 5,923 Commonwealth soldiers commemorated within its low walls, with 3,579 of the burials unidentified. 

Tyne Cot

Tyne Cot received its name from the Northumberland Fusiliers who dubbed the small barn by the rail crossing on the Passchendaele-Broodseinde road "Tyne Cot" or "Tyne Cottage". The barn had become the centre of half a dozen German pill-boxes. One of these pill-boxes was unusually large and was used as an advanced dressing station after its capture by the 3rd Australian Division. In late 1917 through early 1918, 343 graves were made on two sides of it. The cemetery fell back into German hands from April to September but was finally recaptured by the Belgian Army.

There are four pill-boxes in the cemetery with the Cross of Sacrifice placed on the largest one at the suggestion of King George V. 

Image can be enlarged by clicking on it.

Tyne Cot is now the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world in terms of burials. There are 11,956 servicemen buried or commemorated here with 8,369 of the burials unidentified. There are also 4 German soldiers buried in this cemetery. In addition to the graves the Tyne Cot Memorial forms the north-eastern boundary around the cemetery and commemorates another 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom and New Zealand who died in the Ypres Salient after August 16, 1917 and whose graves are not known.

Essex Farm

We finished off our day in Belgium with a stop at Essex Farm Cemetery which is the resting place for 1,200 servicemen of WWI. Of these 103 are unidentified and it was here that we saw the youngest soldier in all the cemeteries we visited. Rifleman V.J.Strudwick was just 15 years old when he was killed in 1916.

It was also here that Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian Army Medical Corps wrote his well known poem "In Flanders Fields" in May 1915. It is believed he started this poem the evening after he performed the burial service for his friend, and fellow soldier, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer. His poem has become one of the most enduring poems of the First World War and made the poppy a lasting symbol of self-sacrifice in war. I remember well reciting this poem each year at our Remembrance Day services in elementary school.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

~ John McCrae, May 1915

Design and Structure of the Commonwealth War Cemeteries

Last Sunday I started a series of posts about the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and wrote about the history of the Commission and how the cemeteries came to be created. This week I'd like to continue in this series by describing the structure of these cemeteries, the symbols found within them, and the design of the stones marking the burials of the fallen soldiers.


Sir Frederic Kenyon who described his vision of the cemeteries in 1918 said this: 
 

 "The general appearance of a British cemetery will be that of an enclosure with plots of grass or flowers (or both) separated by paths of varying size, and set with orderly rows of headstones, uniform in height and width.  Shrubs and trees will be arranged in various places, sometimes as clumps at the junctions of ways, sometimes as avenues along the sides of the principal paths, sometimes around the borders of the cemetery.  The graves will, wherever possible, face towards the east, and at the eastern end of the cemetery will be a great altar stone, raised upon broad steps, and bearing some brief and appropriate phrase or text.  Either over the stone, or elsewhere in the cemetery, will be a small building, where visitors may gather for shelter or for worship, and where the register of the graves will be kept.  And at some prominent spot will rise the Cross, as the symbol of the Christian faith and of the self-sacrifice of the men who now lie beneath its shadow."

The structure and design of the cemeteries and memorials played an important part from the very beginning of their creation. Except for a few exceptions, due to local geological conditions, all of the cemeteries follow the same design globally so that they may be easily recognized and distinguished from war graves of other countries or groups.

Perth Cemetery in Belgium

Typically the cemeteries are surrounded by a low wall or hedge with a wrought-iron gate at the entrance. Notably for cemeteries in France and Belgium, a land tablet is found near the entrance to identify that the grounds have been provided the the French or Belgian government.

Land tablet and register at Bayeux War Cemetery in France

 

All but the very smallest cemeteries also contain a register with an inventory of the burials, a plan of the plots and rows, and a basic history of the cemetery. These registers are found in metal cupboards marked with a cross found near the entrance or in a shelter within the cemetery.

 

 
The grounds are covered in grass with a floral border around the headstones (except in drier climates) and were designed as such to make the cemetery feel like a traditional walled garden where visitors could feel a sense of peace instead of traditionally bleak graveyards.

"There is no reason why cemeteries should be places of gloom."

~ Sir Frederic Kenyon, How the Cemeteries Abroad Will be Designed, 1918

Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium

Cross of Sacrifice

Designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, the cross of sacrifice is a symbol of the selflessness displayed by those commemorated in each cemetery and represents the denominations of all Christians. On each one is a downward facing bronze sword that symbolizes that the battle has been fought and those that gave their lives are now mourned. In order not to overshadow the grave stones a cross of sacrifice is only placed in those cemeteries with more than 40 graves. In cemeteries with a majority of non-Christians buried there is no cross, but instead they may have another symbol of the culture of the majority of the soldiers such as a magnificent pine tree representing longevity and endurance as found in the Chinese cemetery at Noyelles-sur-Mer in France.




 
Stone of Remembrance

The Stone of Remembrance was designed by an architect Edward Luytens and expresses the idea of eternity. It can be found in each cemetery that has more than 1000 graves and each one bears the words "Their Name Liveth for Evermore" which was chosen by Rudyard Kipling from the Old Testament. Although the words are from the Bible the Stone of Remembrance was designed to be a non-Christian memorial as a sign of respect for the diversity of the 1.7 million commemorated. Unlike the other religious symbols it is meant to represent everyone. Their bodies are buried in peace and their name liveth for evermore.

Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery in France

British headstones at Bayeux War Cemetery in France

Headstones

On almost all headstones is a cross, whether wide or narrow depending on the country and regiment of the soldier, which shows the faith of those fallen. There are also some stones that bear the Star of David to mark the graves of Jewish casualties, and some bear no religious symbol at all at the request of some families.

The emblem on all Canadian headstones

Emblems

All British headstones bear the regimental badges (including those of Irish regiments) and the others are marked with their respective national emblem.


Personal Details

Each headstone is marked at the top with the soldier's name, number, unit, date of death and, often,his age. Preceding his name is his rank or Private if he was in the infantry, Gunner if he was an artilleryman, Sapper if he was with the engineers, and so on.

Sadly many bodies could not be identified at all and bear the inscription "A Soldier of the Great War, Known unto God" that was also developed by Rudyard Kipling. If they could be partially identified then the headstone carries the additional known information.

Where applicable the soldier's decorations, such as Military Medal and Distinguished Conduct Medal, follow the soldier's name on the stone.

Unknown soldiers at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium

Epitaph

Soldier's families could chose an epitaph to be added to the bottom of the headstone. Many chose lines from poems or the Bible, while others chose more personal messages to show their pride and love. Interestingly Australian headstones have the highest ratio of epitaphs yet New Zealand headstones contain none.






Special Memorials

When a soldier is known to be buried in a particular cemetery but the exact location of his grave can not be determined, he is commemorated by a "Special Memorial". His name will appear on this stone only, and not on a Memorial to the Missing. Engraved above his name will be one of the following inscriptions:
a)  "Believed to be"
b)  "Believed to be buried in this cemetery"
c)  "Known to be buried in this cemetery"
d)  "To the memory of"

For those soldiers where there is no known grave his name is inscribed on a Memorial to the Missing. In the coming weeks I'll have some information about these memorials too, most specifically those at the Menin Gate and Tyne Cot.

To view information about each of the 23,000 cemeteries and memorials maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission you can visit their website and search their databases for particular cemeteries or soldiers.

"Where the sacrifices had been common, the memorial should be common also" 

~ How the Cemeteries Abroad will be Designed, 1918