Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery

Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. , For much of the First World War the area around Ploegsteert, known as "Plugstreet" by the troops who served here, was a relatively quiet sector of the Western Front. It was used to rest or train units before they were sent to more active areas elsewhere or to take part in major offensives. , Originally captured in October 1914 by British Cavalry, Ploegsteert Wood was partially retaken by the Germans, who were not driven out until mid-1917. Despite Allied fortifications the Germans recaptured the entire position during their Spring Offensive of 1918 - the Allies only retaking the wood during their subsequent advance to victory in September of 1918., "Hyde Park Corner" was the name given by troops to a road junction to the north of Ploegsteert Wood. Hill 63, an area of high ground about a mile behind the British front line, was to the north-west and nearby were the "Catacombs", deep shelters capable of holding large numbers of troops, which were used from November 1916 onwards., The cemetery was begun in April 1915 by the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment and was used at intervals until November 1917. It contains just over 80 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and four German war graves., Across the road from Hyde Park Corner Cemetery are Berks Cemetery Extension and The Ploegsteert Memorial., Berks Cemetery Extension was begun in June 1916 and used continuously until September 1917.lt contains over 870 First World War burials. , At the end of the war the cemetery consisted of the graves in 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)., Rosenberg Chateau Military Cemetery and Extension had been used by fighting units from November 1914 to August 1916. The extension was begun in May 1916 and used until March 1918. Together, the cemetery and extension were sometimes referred to as 'Red Lodge.’, Although isolated graves and small cemeteries were moved into larger sites immediately after the war, these graves (some 475) were moved much later because their care in perpetuity could no longer be guaranteed., Within Berks Cemetery Extension stands the Ploegsteert Memorial, commemorating more than 11,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in this sector during the First World War and who have no known grave. The names on the memorial are organised by regiment, then rank, and then alphabetically by surname. There are some 100 regiments listed on the memorial, the largest numbers of dead being from the Rifle Brigade, the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Durham Light Infantry. ~ The memorial commemorates missing soldiers who died in a sector of the battléfield from the line Caëstre-Dranouter-Warneton to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleut and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood. The majority of 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 Can 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. The Memorial was aveiled on 7 June 1931 by the Crown Prince of Belgium, later King Leopote HIT. On the first Friday of each month the Last Postis sounded here är 7pm. Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery, Berks Cemetery Extension and the Ploegsteert Memorial were designed by Harold Chalton Bradshaw with sculpture by Sir Gilbert Ledward. For more information about these locations, some of those buried and commemorated here, and the war in the Ypres Salient, scan the QR code below. To scan the code your phone must have a QR code reader installed. These can be obtained over the internet Some information may take a few moments to downioad. Please be aware that although scanning the code costs nothing, you may incur data roaming charges from your mobile phone operator depending on your contract., The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Hydic Park Corner (Royai Barks) Cemetery, Berks Cemetery Extension and the Ploegsteert Merriorial were built and are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The Commission i responsibie for the commemoration of almosi 1.700.000 members af the Commonwe ith forces who gave ther lives in the two world wars Ing, graves and memorials of these men and wemen, who came from all paris of the Commonwealth and who globe in sore 150 countries. were of many faiths and of none/are found around the For more information about the Commission, our work and how to search our records online visit www.cwge.org Enquiries are aiso welcome at our offices below: CIGC Head Ofice + 44 (0) 1628 634221 [email protected] CWGC Northem Europe Offic Vel: + 32 (0) 57 22 36 36 E-mail: [email protected]