OOSTTAVERNE WOOD
CEMETERY

Heuvelland

West-Vlaanderen

Belgium

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: Leave Ieper through the Lille Gate and take the N365 Rijselseweg, after 3km the road forks, take the left fork towards Lille on the N336. The cemetery is located 2km after the fork, on the right.

The "Oosttaverne line" was a German trench network, which ran northward from the Lys, to the Comines canal, passing east of Oosttaverne. It was captured on the first day of the Battle of Messines in June 1917. Two cemeteries, No.1 and No.2 were started by the IX Corps Burial Officer on the present site, and these continued in use until September, 1917. These two original cemeteries now make up Plots 1-3 of the present cemetery.

After the armistice, this cemetery was greatly increased by the concentration of graves from the surrounding battlefields, including many from the fighting around Hill 60.

CEMETERIES CONCENTRATED INTO OOSTTAVERNE WOOD CEMETERY:

Hoogemotte Farm German Cemetery, Wervicq

Houthem-les-Ypres German Cemetery

Inderster German Cemetery, Becelaere

Koekuit German Cemetery, Langemarck

Tenbrielen-Amerika German Cemetery

Three Houses German Cemetery, Hollebeke (also known as Hollebeke Cemetery No.60)

Zwaanhoek German Cemetery, Becelaere

Another view of this cemetery

CASUALTY DETAILS: UK 923; Canada 133; Australia 43; New Zealand 19; India 1; Germany 2; Total Burials: 1121