Maple Leaf Cemetery
- Country Belgium
- Total identified casualties 176 Find these casualties
- Region West-Vlaanderen
- Identified casualties from First World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 50.72056, Longitude: 2.83899
Location information
Maple Leaf Cemetery is located 14 Kms south of Ieper town centre, on a road leading from the Rijselseweg, N365, which connects Ieper to Wijtschate, Mesen, Ploegsteert 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 Ploegsteert, turn right at the church onto rue du Romarin. At the end of this road lies the left hand turning onto Niepkerkestraat (for only 50 metres), then immediately right onto Zakstraat. The cemetery is located 50 metres beyond the right hand turning onto Zakstraat.
Visiting information
ARRIVAL
The route to Maple Leaf Cemetery is signposted when approaching from the east of the site. There is no sign at the pathway leading to the site, off Zakstraat.
PARKING
It is possible to park close to the entrance of a grass track leading from the main road to the cemetery. Parking for 1 vehicle is in the open-air storage area belonging to the farm surrounding the cemetery.
The ground is flat and firm with a compacted gravel surface.
It is also possible to park to the side of any of the roads in the village close to the cemetery.
ACCESS LAYOUT AND MAIN ENTRANCE
Access to the main entrance is via a 25-metre-long grass track from the closest parking area to the main entrance gate. The ground is firm and flat, the surface is grass. There is a hedge on the right side of the path and a wire fence on the left.
At the end of the grass track, the entrance to the cemetery, are 2 white stone bollards with a 90-centimetre gap between them. Paving is located at the entrance and inside the entrance area. The paving is level with the grass.
The Register Box is inside the main entrance of the cemetery, built into the cemetery wall on the left-hand side.
The Cross of Sacrifice is in immediately in front of the entrance.
There is no seating in the cemetery.
The internal cemetery paths are grass; the ground is flat and firm.
ALTERNATIVE ACCESS
There is no alternative access into the cemetery.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The cemetery is permanently open.
History information
Maple Leaf Cemetery was begun in December 1914 by fighting units and field ambulances, but from July 1915 to April 1916, the village was occupied by the Advanced Dressing Station of the 3rd Canadian Field Ambulance and the cemetery thus acquired its present name. The last Commonwealth burial was made in December 1917, but German graves were added in April 1918 when the cemetery was in German hands.
The cemetery contains 167 Commonwealth and nine German burials of the First World War.
The cemetery was designed by G H Goldsmith.