Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery

Infobox Military Cemetery
name=Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks)
body=Commonwealth War Graves Commission


use_dates= April 1915 - November 1917
established= 1915
designer= H Chalton Bradshaw
coordinates= coord|50|44|15.8|N|02|52|59.0|E|
nearest_town= Ploegsteert, Hainaut, Belgium
total=87
unknowns=
by_country=Allied Powers:
*United Kingdom: 81
*Canada: 1
*Australia: 1
Central Powers:
*Germany: 4
by_war=
World War I: 87
source= [http://ww1cemeteries.com/ww1cemeteries/hydeparkcornerroyalberkscemetery.htm WW1cemeteries.com]

Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) 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

This small cemetery was founded by 1st and 4th Royal Berkshire Regiment troops in April 1915. The cemetery later expanded across the road, where the Berks Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery Extension was built. [ [http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=9101&mode=1 CWGC entry] , accessed 26 May 2006]

The cemetery was designed by H(arold) Chalton Bradshaw, who also designed the Cambrai Memorial in France. [ [http://www.webmatters.net/cwgc/cambrai_mem.htm First World War] , accessed 26 May 2006]

Notable graves

The cemetery contains the graves of 87 soldiers. Amongst these graves lies Rifleman Samuel McBride of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, who was executed for desertion on 7 December 1916. [ [http://www.shotatdawncampaignirl.org/Irish%20Executed%20WW1.htm Irish Shot at Dawn Campaign] , accessed 26 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]

References

External links

*
* [http://www.wo1.be/ned/database/dbDetail.asp?TypeID=6&SubTypeID=19&ItemID=5736&lID=3 www.wo1.be]
* [http://www.silentcities.co.uk/cemeteryh/Hyde%20Park%20Corner%20(Royal%20Berks)%20Cemetery,%20Ploegsteert,%20Hainain.htm Silent Cities]