Somer Farm Cemetery

• Country Belgium
• Total identified casualties 90 Find these casualties
• Region West-Vlaanderen
• Identified casualties from First World War
• GPS Coordinates Latitude: 50.79053, Longitude: 2.88969

Location information

Somer Farm Cemetery is located 6.5 Kms south of Ieper town centre on the Hollebekestraat, a road leading from the Rijselseweg (N365), connecting Ieper to Wijtschate and on to Armentieres. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg. On reaching the village of Wijtschate, Hollebekestraat is reached by turning left from the N365. The cemetery itself is located 70 metres along the Hollebekestraat on the right hand side of the road.

Visiting information

ARRIVAL

The route to the cemetery is signposted.

PARKING

Parking is along the boundary of the cemetery along the side of the main road.

There is space for multiple vehicles to park along the front of the cemetery.

Between the parking and grass along the exterior of the cemetery is a grey concrete drainage channel, it extends the full length of the cemetery roadside boundary.

Ground is firm and slopes downwards from the wall to the drainage channel and within 5 to 25 metres of the main entrance depending on where vehicle is parked.

ACCESS LAYOUT AND MAIN ENTRANCE

Gently sloped paving (flat stone and cobbles) leads from the road/drainage channel into the cemetery through two stone columns with 2 white stone bollards in the gap. Space between each bollard is 78 centimetres.

In the central opening between the two bollards, there is a black metal chain with a hook and loop attachment. This must be unhooked on the left side to access the cemetery. Paving inside the entrance is cobble and flat stone, level with the grass.

The Cross of Sacrifice is at the rear of the cemetery opposite the main entrance.

There is no Register Box or seating in the cemetery.

The internal paths and ground are flat and firm.

ALTERNATIVE ACCESS

There are no other entrances into the cemetery.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The cemetery is permanently open.

History information

Wytschaete (now Wijtschate) was taken by the Germans early in November 1914. It was recovered by Commonwealth forces during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917, but fell into German hands once more on 16 April 1918. The village was recovered for the last time on 28 September.

Somer Farm Cemetery (also known as Somer Farm Cemetery No.1 - the burials in Somer Farm No.2 were removed to Wytschaete Military Cemetery) was begun in June 1917. It was used until March 1918 and again in October 1918.

The cemetery contains 91 First World War burials.

The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.