Abeele Aerodrome Military Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery

Infobox Military Cemetery
name= Abeele Aerodrome Military
body= Commonwealth War Graves Commission


use_dates= April - September 1918
established= 1918
designer= G H Goldsmith
coordinates= coord|50|48|55.5|N|02|39|25.9|E|
nearest_town= Abele, West Flanders, Belgium
total= 104
unknowns= 0
by_country=Allied Powers:
*United Kingdom: 104
by_war=
World War I: 104
source= [http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=9003&mode=1 CWGC]

Abeele Aerodrome Military 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 French troops in April 1918, receiving Commonwealth and American burials between July and September 1918 [http://ww1cemeteries.com/ww1cemeteries/abeeleaerodromemilitarycemetery.htm WW1Cemeteries.com] , accessed 19 June 2006] .

After the Armistice, the French and American graves were concentrated at other cemeteries, leaving just Commonwealth burials. These were increased by concentrating 25 graves from the nearby Boeschepe churchyard [http://ww1cemeteries.com/ww1cemeteries/abeeleaerodromemilitarycemetery.htm WW1Cemeteries.com] , accessed 19 June 2006] in France.

The cemetery is named for the wartime aerodrome established in nearby fields [ [http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=9003&mode=1 CWGC website] , accessed 19 June 2006] although the cemetery itself contains no Royal Air Force graves.

The cemetery was designed by G H Goldsmith, who also designed Orient House in Manchester [ [http://www.cube.org.uk/thecity/archisnap_detail.asp?id=75 Centre for the Urban Built Environment] , accessed 19 June 2006] .

Notable graves

Reference works point to two unusual inscriptions on gravestones in this cemetery. One asks the poignant question "Old Pal, why don’t you answer me", whilst another, less unusually, is in Welsh and reads "Arglwydd Dangos Ini Tad Digon Yw Ini". [ [http://www.ypressalient.co.uk/CWGC%20Pages/Abeele%20Aerodrome.htm YpresSalient.co.uk] , accessed 19 June 2006] .

References

External links

*
* [http://www.wo1.be/ned/database/dbDetail.asp?subtypeID=19&typeid=6&ItemID=5859&lID=3 wo1.be]