GENERAL DIRECTIONS: The Ploegsteert Memorial stands in Berks Cemetery Extension, which is located 12.5 kilometres south of Ieper town centre, on the N365 leading from Ieper to Mesen (Messines), Ploegsteert and on to Armentieres. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg (N336). 3.5 kilometres along the N336 lies a fork junction with the N365. The N365, which forms the right hand fork, leads to the town of Mesen. The Cemetery lies 3 kilometres beyond Mesen on the right hand side of the N365, and opposite Hyde Park Corner Royal Berks Cemetery. The sounding of the Last Post takes place at the Ploegsteert Memorial on the first Friday of every month at 7 p.m.

The Ploegsteert Memorial commemorates more than 11,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave. The memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood. The original intention had been to erect the memorial in Lille. Those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere. Berks Cemetery Extension, in which the memorial stands, was begun in June 1916 and used continuously until September 1917.

At the Armistice, the extension comprised Plot I only, but Plots II and III were added in 1930 when graves were brought in from Rosenberg Chateau Military Cemetery and Extension, about 1 kilometre to the north-west, when it was established that these sites could not be acquired in perpetuity. Rosenberg Chateau Military Cemetery was used by fighting units from November 1914 to August 1916. The extension was begun in May 1916 and used until March 1918. Together, the Rosenberg Chateau cemetery and extension were sometimes referred to as 'Red Lodge'. Berks Cemetery Extension now contains 876 First World War burials. Hyde Park Corner Royal Berks Cemetery is separated from Berks Cemetery Extension by a road. It was begun in April 1915 by the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment and was used at intervals until November 1917. Hyde Park Corner was a road junction to the north of Ploegsteert Wood. Hill 63 was to the north-west and nearby were the 'Catacombs', deep shelters capable of holding two battalions, which were used from November 1916 onwards. The cemetery contains 83 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and four German war graves The cemetery, cemetery extension and memorial were designed by H Chalton Bradshaw, with sculpture by Gilbert Ledward.

Number of identified casualties:11367

3/6002 Private

 Peter Kennedy

 2nd Bn. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.

Killed in action 21/10/1914.

Ploegsteert Memorial

Panel 9 and 10

Image courtesy of Joe O'Raw and William Kilgour

12821 Private

John Carr

2nd Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).

Killed in action 09/05/1915.

Panel 5

10441 Private

William Augustus Hursey

2nd Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

18/01/1915, aged 17.

Son of Ellen Sophia Hursey, of "Northville," Court Rd., Caterham, Surrey, and the late James Edward Hursey.

Panel 1 and 2

7429 Private

Patrick Finn

1st Bn. North Staffordshire Regiment

04/04/1915

Panel 8

Picture courtesy of Gerard Finn

Captain Thomas Rufus, MC

"A Coy" 11th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers

Killed in action 14/04/1918, aged 28.

Son of Frederick and Eliza Rufus, of The Willows, Goostrey, Cheshire.

Panel 4.

235380 Private

Joseph Edgar Devine

4th Bn. The King's (Liverpool Regiment)

19/04/1918, aged 40.

Son of the late Joseph and Jenny Devine; husband of Mary Elizabeth Devine, of 27, Ashwood Avenue, Gorton, Manchester.

Panel 3.

Picture courtesy of Shirley Peacock, granddaughter of this soldier

10461 Lance Corporal

James Gilmore

2nd Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

21/10/1914, aged 20.

Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Gilmore, of 66, Stanhope St., Belfast.

Panel 5.

Picture courtesy of Gareth MacAllister, James Gilmore was his grandmother's brother

8380 Corporal

Donald Mclean

2nd Bn. Argyll & Sutherland

Highlanders

21/10/1914, aged 34.

Son of John and Jane McLean, of Kelvinhaugh St., Glasgow; husband of Nellie McLean, of 31, Sleigh Drive, Lochend, Edinburgh.

Panel 9 and 10.

Corporal Donald McLean [8380] 2nd Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, of Rothesay, Isle of Bute officially notified as “missing”.  Shortly after entering the fighting line in France he was promoted from Lance-Corporal to Corporal for an act of bravery in going to the assistance of Lieut. Stirling in the retirement from Cateau, and thereby saving the officer’s life.  McLean performed the gallant act at considerable risk to himself.  It is hoped that McLean, who has been 12 years in the army and took part in the South African war, is still unharmed and may have become separated for a time from his regiment.'   Buteman & West Coast Chronicle
 
Killed 21.10.1914, day after his 34th birthday.  Left a [pregnant] wife and 3 children, my father being the unborn child.

Picture courtesy of granddaughter, Sheila McLean