PERTH CEMETERY
(China Wall)
Zillebeke
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GENERAL DIRECTIONS: Leave Ieper via the Torhoutstraat and turn right onto Basculestraat. At the main crossroads continue straight on, this road now becomes the N8 Meenseweg, at the next roundabout turn right onto the Maaldestedestraat (signed Zillebeke) and the cemetery is a further 1km on the left.
Although it is not certain as to how this cemetery gained the name Perth, it is possible that this had something to do with the 2nd Scottish Rifles who adopted the cemetery in 1917. The name China Wall comes from a large Communication Trench, known as ‘The Great Wall Of China’, which crossed the road in this area.
Started in 1914 by French troops, the cemetery was also known throughout the war as China wall, or Halfway House Cemetery. It was used as a front line cemetery until October 1917, at which time it had just 130 graves and occupied about half of the present Plot 1. The cemetery then remained closed until after the armistice, when it was greatly enlarged by the closure of smaller cemeteries, which were then concentrated here. The French Plot was also enlarged, but this was then later removed.
CEMETERIES CONCENTRATED INTO PERTH (China Wall) CEMETERY:
Becelaere German Cemetery No.1
Belgian Chateau Cemetery, Vlamertinghe
Broodseinde German Cemeteries, Zonnebeke
Durham Cemetery, Zillebeke
Garter Point Cemetery, Zillebeke
Gordon House Cemetery No.2, Zonnebeke
Hans Kirchner German Cemetery, Poelcapelle
Houthulst German Cemetery
Keerselaere West German Cemetery, Langemarck
Keerselaerhoek German Cemetery, Passchendaele
Langemarck German Cemetery No.7
Totenwaldchen, Langemarck German Cemetery
L’Ebbe Farm Cemetery, Poperinghe
Manneken Farm German Cemetery No.3, Zarren
Nachtigall German Cemetery, Gheluvelt (also known as Rossignol or Vieux-Chien)
Poelcapelle German Cemetery No.2 and 3
Ration Dump Burial Ground, Zillebeke
Reutel German Cemetery, Becelaere
St. Joseph German Cemetery, Hooghlede
St.Julien Communal Cemetery, Langemarck
St. Julien East German Cemetery, Langemarck
Transport Farm Annexe, Zillebeke
Trench Railway Cemetery, Zillebeke
Treurniet German Cemetery, Poelcapelle
Wallemolen German Cemetery, Passchendaele
Weidendreft German Cemetery, Langemarck
Westroosebeeke German Cemetery No.2
Shot at Dawn:
Private G. E Roe, 2nd Bn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, executed for desertion, 10/06/1915, Plot 6. K. 20
Private T. Harris, 1st Bn. Royal West Kent Regiment, executed for desertion, 21/06/1915 Plot 5. K. 14.
Private T. Docherty, 2nd Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers, executed for desertion,16/07/1915, Plot 6, E. 1.
Corporal F. Ives, 3rd Bn. Worcestershire Regiment, executed for desertion, 26/07/1915, Plot 1. G. 41.
Private E. Fellows, 3rd Bn. Worcestershire Regiment, executed for desertion, 26/07/1915 Plot 5. K. 13.
Private L. R. Phillips, 6th Bn. Somerset Light Infantry, executed for desertion, 19/08/1915, Plot 6. K. 1.
Private E. Fraser, 2nd Bn. Royal Scots, executed for desertion 02/08/1915, commemorated on Special Memorial C/8.
CASUALTY DETAILS: UK 2481; Canada 133; Australia 147; New Zealand 23; South Africa 7; Total Burials: 2791
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Memorial to Private James Booth, 241973, King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment, Killed in action 26/09/1917 and buried within this cemetery. The memorial stands on top of his parents grave in Burnley Town Cemetery. James Booth is buried in plot IV. D. 15. James Booth Memorial The inscription on the headstone reads: "Fold him in thy loving arms and let him henceforth be a message from a human heart o god to thee." |
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