Ypres Reservoir Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery

Infobox Military Cemetery
name= Ypres Reservoir
body= Commonwealth War Graves Commission


use_dates= 1915-1918
established= 1915
designer= Sir Reginald Blomfield
coordinates= coord|50|51|12.1|N|02|52|39.1|E|
nearest_town= Ieper, West Flanders, Belgium
total= 2702
unknowns= 7
by_country=Allied Powers:
*United Kingdom: 2250
*Canada: 151
*Newfoundland: 4
*Australia: 142
*New Zealand: 128
*South Africa: 12
*British West Indies: 6
*Undivided India: 1
Central Powers:
*Germany: 1
by_war=
World War I: 2702
source= [http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/ypres_reservoir.htm Battlefields 14-18]

Ypres Reservoir Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) burial ground for the dead of World War I located in the Ypres Salient on the Western Front.

The cemetery grounds were assigned to the United Kingdom in perpetuity by King Albert I of Belgium in recognition of the sacrifices made by the British Empire in the defence and liberation of Belgium during the war.

Foundation

The cemetery was founded by Commonwealth troops in October 1915 and remained in use until after the Armistice in November 1918. [ [http://www.wo1.be/eng/database/dbDetail.asp?TypeID=6&SubTypeID=19&ItemID=5614&lID=3 www.wo1.be] accessed 23 May 2006]

It was originally one of three cemeteries in the immediate area. At the end of the war, the Ypres Reservoir South Cemetery (formerly known as "Broadley's Cemetery" and "Prison Cemetery No 1") and the Ypres Reservoir Middle Cemetery (formerly "Middle Prison Cemetery" and "Prison Cemetery No 2") were concentrated into the North cemetery. The cemetery at the Infantry Barracks was also concentrated into the North cemetery, with additional scattered graves from nearby areas added later. [ [http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/ypres_reservoir.htm Battlefields 14-18] accessed 23 May 2006]

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield who was also responsible for the nearby Menin Gate memorial. [ [http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=9500&mode=1 Commonwealth War Graves Commission] , accessed 22 May 2006]

Notable graves

The cemetery contains the graves of some 2702 soldiers. Amongst these are the graves of three men executed by the Commonwealth military authorities - Privates Moles, Lawrence and McColl. [ [http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dccfarr/sad.htm Ypres and the Great War] by Simon Farr, accessed 23 May 2006] It is now felt by many that these "shot at dawn" men were unfairly tried and executed as they may have been suffering from combat stress reaction rather than acting in cowardice. [ [http://www.shotatdawn.org.uk/page7.html The Shot at Dawn Campaign website] , accessed 23 May 2006]

Also buried at this cemetery is Brigadier General Francis Aylmer Maxwell, a holder of the Victoria Cross who was killed in Ieper by a sniper in 1917. [ [http://www.silentcities.co.uk/cemeteryy/Ypres%20Reservoir%20Cemetery,%20West-Vlaanderen.htm Silent Cities] , accessed 23 May 2006]

References

External links

*
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GSln=Wilde&CRid=1966576&pt=Ypres%20Reservoir%20Cemetery& Find-A-Grave]
* [http://www.webmatters.net/cwgc/ypres_reservoir.htm First World War]