The Scottish War Graves Project

jrah60 · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2413 Location: East Kibride

ESSEX FARM CEMETERY

Country: Belgium
Locality: West-Vlaanderen
Identified Casualties: 1097

Boezinge is a village in the province of West Flanders, north of Ieper on the Diksmuidseweg road (N369). From the station turn left into M. Fochlaan and go to the roundabout, then turn right and continue to the next roundabout. Turn left and drive to the next roundabout and then turn right into Oude Veurnestraat. At the roundabout turn left onto the Diksmuidseweg, and follow the road under the motorway bridge; the Cemetery will be found on the right hand side of the road.
The land south of Essex Farm was used as a dressing station cemetery from April 1915 to August 1917. The burials were made without definite plan and some of the divisions which occupied this sector may be traced in almost every part of the cemetery, but the 49th (West Riding) Division buried their dead of 1915 in Plot I, and the 38th (Welsh) Division used Plot III in the autumn of 1916.
There are 1,200 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 103 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 19 casualties known or believed to be buried among them.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
It was in Essex Farm Cemetery that Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian Army Medical Corps wrote the poem ' In Flanders Fields' in May 1915.
The 49th Division Memorial is immediately behind the cemetery, on the canal bank.

jrah60 · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2413 Location: East Kibride

jrah60 · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2413 Location: East Kibride

MACDONALD, CHARLES
Rank: Private
Service No: 235278
Date of Death: 15/07/1917
Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders, 1st/4th Bn.
Grave Reference: II. H. 12.
Cemetery: ESSEX FARM CEMETERY
Additional Information: Place of birth Tobermory Argyllshire.

jrah60 · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2413 Location: East Kibride

McLEOD, WILLIAM
Rank: Private
Service No: S/13299
Date of Death: 12/07/1917
Age: 30
Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders, 1st/4th Bn.
Grave Reference: I. C. 1.
Cemetery: ESSEX FARM CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of William and Barbara McLeod, of Castletown, Thurso, Caithness; husband of Alison Wright McLeod, of 5, Horne Terrace, Viewforth, Edinburgh.

jrah60 · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2413 Location: East Kibride

McPHERSON, HECTOR JAMES HEATH
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 12093
Date of Death: 28/05/1916
Age: 29
Regiment/Service: Scots Guards 2nd Bn.
Grave Reference: I. A. 43.
Cemetery: ESSEX FARM CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of William McPherson; husband of Mrs. E. J. McPherson, of 42, Melbourne Rd., Leyton, Essex.

jrah60 · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2413 Location: East Kibride

REID, WILLIAM
Rank: Private
Service No: 241462
Date of Death: 13/07/1917
Age: 26
Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders 1st/4th Bn.
Grave Reference: I. B. 1.
Cemetery: ESSEX FARM CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Mr. William and Mrs. M. Reid, of Woodside Disblair, Newmachar, Aberdeenshire.

jrah60 · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 2413 Location: East Kibride

STRUDWICK, VALENTINE JOE
Rank: Rifleman
Service No: 5750
Date of Death: 14/01/1916
Age: 15
Regiment/Service: Rifle Brigade 8th Bn.
Grave Reference: I. U. 8.
Cemetery: ESSEX FARM CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Louisa Strudwick, of 70, Orchard Rd., Dorking. One of the youngest battle casualties of the war.

John