Resting quietly, Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery holds stories of courage and sacrifice. This serene place provides a final resting place for soldiers from both World Wars. It stands as a testament to battles fought and lives lost.
Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery lies six kilometers south of Ieper. The Rijselseweg N336 connects Ieper to Lille. Take the left fork and find the cemetery two kilometers along the road.
The “Oosttaverne Line” once ran just east of here. It was a German defensive line. The 19th and 11th Divisions captured it on June 7, 1917. This was the first day of the Battle of Messines. Burial officers then established two cemeteries here. These were known as Cemetery No. 1 and No. 2. They used them until September 1917. These original cemeteries now form Plots I, II, and III.
After the Armistice, Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery expanded. Graves were brought in from surrounding battlefields. Many came from Hill 60. Others came from smaller German cemeteries. These included Hoogemotte Farm German Cemetery and Houthem-les-Ypres German Cemetery. In De Ster German Cemetery and Koekuit German Cemetery also contributed graves. Tenbrielen-Amerika German Cemetery, Three Houses German Cemetery, and Zwaanhook German Cemetery added to the number. Even Croonaert Chapel, once in No Man’s Land, provided remains.
The British Expeditionary Force fought here during World War II. They covered the retreat to Dunkirk in May 1940. The cemetery now holds 1,119 burials from the First World War. Of these, 783 are unidentified. Interspersed among them are 117 graves from the Second World War. Five of these are unidentified.
Sir Edwin Lutyens designed Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery. A low rubble wall encloses the 4,339 square meter area. The Battle Memorial of the 19th Division stands nearby. It is a granite cross erected by the Herberg de Sterkte.
Among those interred here are soldiers from the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. There is also one soldier from Undivided India. One French Foreign National from World War I rests here. Additionally, two unidentified German Foreign Nationals from World War I are buried in Plot I.
Consider the story of Private William Thomas Blackwood. He was a 24-year-old Australian from Hotspur, Victoria. He served with the 6th Battalion. William died on October 4, 1917. His brother, John James Blackwood, served alongside him. John returned home. William remains here in Plot IV. C. 11.
Think of Lance Corporal Arthur James Clark. He was an engine driver from Lower Norton Horsham. Arthur enlisted in the 6th Battalion. He died on October 4, 1917, at age 30. His final resting place is Plot IV. C. 20.
Remember Second Lieutenant Oliver Robson Walford. He was only 19 years old. Oliver served with the 1st Battalion. He died on April 26, 1915. His grave is in Plot VIII. E. 12.
Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery is a place of reflection. It reminds us of the human cost of war. It honors the individuals who sacrificed everything. Take a moment to reflect on their stories. Consider the impact of conflict. Remember those who rest here.