Underhill Farm CWGC Cemetery

Gazing upon Underhill Farm CWGC Cemetery, can you sense the weight of history? This serene final resting place holds the stories of those who served during the First World War. Underhill Farm CWGC Cemetery, near Ploegsteert Wood, stands as a testament to their sacrifice. The name “Underhill Farm” originates from two buildings on the edge of Ploegsteert Wood, one being a dressing station. The cemetery itself, established in June 1917, provided a burial ground for those who perished in the nearby battles. Underhill Farm CWGC Cemetery witnessed the ebb and flow of the conflict. Used until January 1918, it fell into German hands in the spring of that year and was renamed “The Military Cemetery at the foot of the Nightingale Hill”. Recaptured in September 1918, it once again served as a Commonwealth burial ground until October. Among the 190 Commonwealth casualties buried or commemorated here, nine remain unidentified. Special memorials honor five casualties whose exact burial locations within Underhill Farm CWGC Cemetery could not be determined. The cemetery’s design, by G H Goldsmith, reflects the quiet dignity of the fallen. Here lie soldiers from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, united in their shared sacrifice. Within Underhill Farm CWGC Cemetery, individual stories emerge. Private James Herbert Clegg, an Australian, was killed in action at Pozieres, France, on July 2, 1917, and is memorialized here. Private William Hirst, of the East Lancashire Regiment, died on September 28, 1918. His wife’s poignant poem, published in a local newspaper, speaks volumes of the grief felt by those left behind. These are but a few of the many stories held within these hallowed grounds. Underhill Farm CWGC Cemetery serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war. As you stand here, remember those who rest here and the sacrifices they made. Their memory lives on in this peaceful sanctuary.