TYNE COT CEMETERY and the TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Zonnebeke
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GENERAL DIRECTIONS: Take the Tourhoutstraat from the market square onto the small roundabout, go right here into Basculestraat, at the crossroads turn left onto Zonnebeekseweg, continue to the village of Zonnebeke, turn left at the roundabout in the direction of Passendale, after 0.5km turn left into Tynecotstraat which is well signed from the main road, follow this road around and the cemetery is on the right.
Access is easy, as is parking, although it can be a little busy at times. After your visit it is easier to continue straight on the road, instead of attempting to turn around, this road brings you out close to Passchendaele New British Cemetery.
"Tyne Cot" or "Tyne Cottage" was the name given by the Northumberland Fusiliers to a barn which stood near to the level crossing on the Passchendaele-Broodseinde road. This barn was the centre of six German blockhouses and was captured by the 2nd Australian Division on 4th October 1917, during the advance on Passchendaele. One of these blockhouses was unusually large and was used as an advanced dressing station after its capture. From 6th October until the end of March 1918, 343 graves had been made on two sides of it, by the 50th (Northumbrian) and 33rd Divisions, as well as two Canadian units. The cemetery fell into German hands in April 1918, before being recaptured along with the village of Passchendaele, by the Belgian army on 28th September.
The cemetery was greatly enlarged after the armistice, when burials were brought in from the battlefields surrounding Passchendaele and Langemarck, and from a few small burial grounds.
This cemetery is now the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world, in terms of burials. At the suggestion of King George V, who visited the cemetery in 1922, the Cross of Sacrifice was placed on top of the original large blockhouse which helped give the cemetery its name.
At the rear of the cemetery is the Tyne Cot Memorial, it commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the UK and New Zealand who fought in the Ypres Salient after 16th August 1917, and whose graves are not known.
This memorial stands close to the farthest point in Belgium reached by Commonwealth forces, until the final advance to victory.
VICTORIA CROSS: There are three men buried here who won the Victoria Cross:
Captain Clarence Smith Jeffries, VC, of the 34th Battalion Australian Infantry, killed in action on 12/10/1917, Plot XL. E 1.
Sergeant Lewis McGee, VC, 40th Battalion Australian Infantry, killed in action 12/10/1917, Plot XX. D 1.
Private James Peter Robertson, VC, 27th (Manitoba) Battalion Canadian Infantry, killed in action 06/11/1917, Plot LVIII. D. 26.
Also commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial are:
Lieutenant Colonel Philip Eric Bent, VC, DSO, 9th Bn Leicestershire Regiment, killed in action 01/10/1917.
Corporal William Clamp, VC, 6th Bn Yorkshire Regiment, killed in action 09/10/1917.
Lance Corporal Ernest Seaman, VC, MM, 2nd Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, killed in action, 29/9/1918.
CASUALTY DETAILS: UK 8962; Canada 1011; Australia 1369; New Zealand 520; South Africa 90; Germany 4; Total Burials: 11956
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Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial:
Private Charles Stubbs (24917) 8th Bn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) killed 28th August 1917, aged 33 Tyne Cot Memorial panel 82-85 and 162A.
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Photograph kindly supplied by John Emmott of Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania USA, his Great Nephew.
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41717 Lance Corporal Leonard Bertram Greenhead 12th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles 16/08/1917, aged 19. Son of Charles Edward and Alice Greenhead, of 24, Bishops Rd., Croydon. Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 138 to 140 and 162 to 162A and 163A.
Lieutenant Alfred Thomas Libby 12th Bn. East Surrey Regiment 20/09/1917, aged 38. Son of the late John and Elizabeth Libby, of Truro, Cornwall. Served in the South African Campaign with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Returned from Johannesburg in 1915 to enlist. Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 79 to 80 and 163A.
S/18061 Rifleman Arthur Edmond Orsler 1st Bn. Rifle Brigade 02/10/1917. Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 145 to 147
Picture courtesy of his Granddaughter Brenda Orsler
204443 Private Charles William Standing 12th Bn. East Surrey Regiment 16/08/1918, aged 19. Son of Jesse Standing, of South Villa, Balcombe Rd., Horley, Surrey, and the late Emily Amy Standing. Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 79 to 80 and 163A. Picture courtesy of Russell Gore
65253 Corporal Percy John Beckingham Bowsher, MM. 130th Field Company, Royal Engineers 17/04/1918, aged 23. Son of Edward and Elizabeth Bowsher, of 50, Droop St., Queen's Park, Harrow Rd., London. Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 8 and 162
Picture courtesy of Sarah Hook, great, great niece of this soldier |
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S/40338 Private William Swingler 7th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders 11/04/1918, aged 19. Son of Albert and Kate Swingler of Bury, Lancashire Panel 132 to 135 and 162A. Tyne Cot Memorial
Picture courtesy of Julia Conway, great niece of this soldier |
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Second Lieutenant Lionel Henry Mulkern 123rd Coy. Machine Gun Corps. (Infantry) 26/09/1917, aged 33. Territorial Efficiency Medal. Son of Henry Cowell Mulkern and Fanny J. Mulkern; husband of Mary Louise Mulkern, of 19, The Crossways, Onslow Village, Guildford. Panel 154 to 159 and 163A. Tyne Cot Memorial
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R/15562 Rifleman Archibald Naysmith 11th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. 20/09/1917. Panel 115 to 119 and 162A and 163A. Tyne Cot Memorial
Picture courtesy of Evelyn Swain
240620 Serjeant William Henry Levens 1st Bn. (Queen's Own) Royal West Kent Regiment 04/10/1917. Panels 106 to 108. Tyne Cot Memorial
Pictures courtesy of nephew, Ron Burnett
37006 Private Arthur Rogers 1st/6th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment 09/10/1917 Panels 72-75 Tyne Cot Memorial
Arthur lived at 6 Lightmoor, Dawley now part of Telford, Shropshire and before joining the Gloucestershire's had served as Private 2645 in the KSLI. He was killed in action during 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) and his body was never found. Arthur's name now appears on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panels 72 – 75 A year after Arthur's death a notice appeared in the Memorandum section of the Wellington and Shrewsbury Journal, It was from Arthur's family and read; Rogers - In ever-loving memory of our dear son and brother, Private Arthur Rogers, 6 Lightmoor. Killed in action Oct. 9th 1917. “Days of sadness still come o’er us, hidden tears do freely flow, memory keeps our dear one near to us, although he died twelve months ago” Silently mourned by his loving Parents and Sisters. Picture courtesy of Dave Shaw
6080 Serjeant George Allen Mullin 11th Bn. Manchester Regiment 04/10/1917, aged 36. Son of Mary Mullin (formerly Bond, maiden name Crompton) and Thomas Mullin of Town Lane, Dukinfield. Husband of Mary Redfern, Newton (deceased 1912) and later of Nellie Page of West Kensington, London, married 1st July, 1917. Father of Thomas (British Columbia, Canada), Elsie Scholes (Oldham), John (Oldham) and George Allen (deceased 1918). Panel 120
to 124 and 162 to 162A and 163A. Tyne Cot Memorial
Picture courtesy of Corinne McCallum, great granddaughter
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