Gent City Cemetery
- Country Belgium
- Total identified casualties 196 Find these casualties
- Region Oost-Vlaanderen
- Identified casualties from First & Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 51.06872, Longitude: 3.69824
Location information
Gent City Cemetery is located in the north west corner of the city, at a point where the N9 Brugsevaart meets the N40 Gent Inner ring road. Approaching the cemetery via the E40 motorway, visitors should leave the motorway at junction "Gent West" on the N466. After 5 kilometres turn left onto the N70 following signs for Lokeren. After 1.3 kilometres the road crosses the ship canal. There then follows a left turning following signs for Eeklo. After 400 metres turn right into the Francisco Ferrerlaan (the fourth street on the right hand side after the bridge). Having passed through the cemetery gates, follow the main cemetery road to the right. The Commission plot is on the extreme right hand side of the Cemetery 500 metres from the main gate.
Visiting information
ARRIVAL
The CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) section is in the northeast corner of the municipal cemetery.
PARKING
Parking available at the main entrance to the cemetery in front of the main entrance archway.
The ground is flat with a cobbled surface.
ACCESS, LAYOUT AND MAIN ENTRANCE
A large stone archway marks the main entrance to the cemetery, there is a tall (over 2 metre metal gate) which is approximately 2 metres wide.
The CWGC section is situated in the northwest corner of the large municipal cemetery, approximately 500 metres from the entrance gate.
The plot is in an arc shape with the Cross of Sacrifice in the top north-east corner. A stone kerb surrounds the plot. There are parts of the kerb higher than the ground outside the plot.
The Register box is on the east side of the cemetery built into a pillar.
There are seating areas with stone benches; one is next to the Cross of Sacrifice. Another is part of the stone feature with the Register Box built in.
The internal paths are grass or tarmac, and the ground is flat.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The cemetery is only open during daylight working hours 0800 hrs to 1700 hrs and locked outside of these times.
History information
Gent (also known as Ghent) was occupied by French Marines and the British 7th Division early in October 1914, but evacuated on the 11th. It then remained in German hands until reoccupied by the Belgians on 10 November 1918.
The Germans returned to Gent in May 1940 and remained there until the city's liberation on 10 September 1944. In May 1940, the main fighting around Gent occurred near the junction of the Ghent-Bruges and Ternenzen canals, and in September 1944, it was the northern part of the city that was most heavily affected.
Gent City Cemetery contains military plots of many nationalities, including Commonwealth. The First World War Commonwealth graves, which total 86, are prisoners of war buried there during the German occupation, plus two brought in from JABBEKE CHURCHYARD after the Armistice. In addition, nearby, are 111 of the Second World War.