- Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing
Infobox Military Memorial
name=Ploegsteert Memorial
country=Commonwealth War Graves Commission
caption=
commemorates=soldiers missing in the area duringWorld War I
unveiled=7 June 1931
coordinates= coord|50|44|17|N|02|52|55.2|E|
nearest_town= Ploegsteert, Hainaut,Belgium
designer=H Chalton Bradshaw
inscription=The Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing (also known as Hyde Park Corner [http://www.firstworldwar.com/today/hydeparkcorner.htm FirstWorldWar.com] , accessed 26 May 2006] and referred to colloquially as "Plug Street") is aCommonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) memorial for the missing soldiers ofWorld War I who fought in the immediate area of theYpres Salient on the Western Front.The grounds were assigned to the
United Kingdom in perpetuity by KingAlbert I of Belgium in recognition of the sacrifices made by theBritish Empire in the defence and liberation ofBelgium during the war.Foundation
The memorial stands in the middle of
Berks Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery Extension , which was founded by Commonwealth troops in June 1916 as an extension toHyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery which lies across the road. [ [http://www.wo1.be/eng/database/dbDetail.asp?TypeID=6&SubTypeID=19&ItemID=5735 www.wo1.be] , accessed 26 May 2006]The memorial lists the 11,367 [ [http://ww1cemeteries.com/othercemeteries/ploegsteertmemorial.htm ww1cemeteries.com] , accessed 26 May 2006] missing Commonwealth soldiers from battles in the area: [http://www.firstworldwar.com/today/hydeparkcorner.htm FirstWorldWar.com] , accessed 26 May 2006)]
*Armentieres
*Aubers Ridge
*Loos
*Fromelles
*Estaires
*Hazebrouck
*Scherpenberg
*Outtersteene RidgeThe memorial was designed by
H Chalton Bradshaw , who also designed theCambrai Memorial in France. [ [http://www.webmatters.net/cwgc/cambrai_mem.htm First World War] , accessed 26 May 2006] It is 70' (21.3m) in diameter and 38.5' (11.7m) tall and was unveiled on7 June 1931 by the then-Duke of Brabant , [http://www.firstworldwar.com/today/hydeparkcorner.htm FirstWorldWar.com] , accessed 26 May 2006)] later KingLeopold III of Belgium .Notable names
The memorial holds the names of three recipients of the
Victoria Cross , SapperWilliam Hackett , PrivateJames MacKenzie and CaptainThomas Tannatt Pryce , who have no known grave. [ [http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/ggbemem.htm#ploegsteert VictoriaCross.org.uk] , accessed 26 May 2006]"The Last Post"
Since
7 June 1999 , the "Comité du Memorial de Ploegsteert" has arranged for theLast Post to be played at the memorial on the first Friday of each month. [ [http://www.ww1plugstreet.org/ ww1plugstreet.org] , accessed 26 May 2006] This mirrors the daily playing of the Last Post at theMenin Gate in nearbyIeper .References
External links
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GSln=Bragg&CRid=2160981&pt=Ploegsteert%20Memorial%20(CWGC)& Find-A-Grave]
* [http://www.silentcities.co.uk/cemeteryp/Ploegsteert%20Memorial,%20Hainault.htm Silent Cities]
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