Prowse Point Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery

Infobox Military Cemetery
name= Prowse Point Military Cememtery
body= Commonwealth War Graves Commission


use_dates= 1914-1918
established= 1914
designer= W H Cowlishaw
coordinates= coord|50|44|37.8|N|02|53|55.3|E|
nearest_town= Ieper, West Flanders, Belgium
total= 233
unknowns= 1
by_country=Allied Powers:
*United Kingdom: 165
*Canada: 1
*Australia: 13
*New Zealand: 42
Central Powers:
*Germany: 12
by_war=
World War I: 233
source= [http://www.ww1cemeteries.com/ww1cemeteries/prowsepointmilitarycemetery.htm WW1Cemeteries.com]

Prowse Point 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. [ [http://www.webmatters.net/belgium/ww1_friedhof_vladslo.htm First World War] , accessed 19 August 2006]

Foundation

The cemetery is on the site of a stand made by the 1st Battalions of the Hampshire Regiment and Somerset Light Infantry in October 1914. Major (later Brigadier-General) Charles Prowse displayed heroism at this stand and the site (and thus cemetery) was named after him.Bourne, John "Charles Bertie Prowse" in the [http://www.firstworldwar.bham.ac.uk/donkey/prowse.htm Lions Led by Donkeys Archive] , University of Birmingham, undated, accessed 27 September 2007] This makes the cemetery unique on the Salient for being named after an individual. [http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=51303&mode=1 Commonwealth War Graves Commission] , accessed 27 September 2007]

The cemetery was begun in November 1914 and continued to be used until fighting moved beyond the Ploegsteert area in April 1918. [http://www.ww1cemeteries.com/ww1cemeteries/prowsepointmilitarycemetery.htm WW1Cemeteries.com] , accessed 27 September 2007]

The cemetery was designed by W H Cowlishaw.

Notable graves include Sergeant W A Connor of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, who was awarded the French Croix de guerre. [http://www.wo1.be/eng/database/personen/persDetail.asp?PersoonID=267 Wereledoorlog I in de Westhoek record on W A Connor] , accessed 27 September 2007]

Later burials

This site featured heavy fighting at numerous points in the war. As such, remains of combatants are still occasionally being discovered in the area. Private Harry Wilkinson of the Lancashire Fusiliers was originally listed on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing but his body was recovered and buried here in 2001. [http://www.wo1.be/eng/database/personen/persDetail.asp?PersoonID=284 Wereledoorlog I in de Westhoek record on Harry Wilkinson] , accessed 27 September 2007]

More recently, the remains of Private Richard Lancaster of the Lancashire Fusiliers, plus two others unidentified, were found and were buried at Prowse Point with full military honours.Waterfield, Bruno "The Daily Telegraph" [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/05/ndead105.xml "First World War victims finally buried"] 5 July 2007, accessed 27 September 2007] The ceremony was attended by his granddaughter. [http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/HistoryAndHonour/WorldWarISoldiersReinterredInBelgium.htm MoD Defence News] , 4 July 2007, accessed 27 September 2007]

References

External links

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