New Irish Farm Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
Encyclopedia
New Irish Farm Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission
burial ground for the dead of the First World War
located near Ypres
(now Ieper) in Belgium
on the Western Front
.
The cemetery grounds were assigned to the United Kingdom
in perpetuity by King Albert I of Belgium
in recognition of the sacrifices made by the British Empire
in the defence and liberation of Belgium
during the war.
The cemetery, named after the nickname of a nearby farmhouse, was established in August 1917. It was used until the November, then again in April and May 1918. At the time of the armistice
, it was a small cemetery with 73 graves. It was enlarged by concentrating graves from the battlefields to the north-east of Ieper and from small cemeteries.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield
.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
burial ground for the dead of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
located near Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
(now Ieper) in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
.
The cemetery grounds were assigned to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in perpetuity by King Albert I of Belgium
Albert I of Belgium
Albert I reigned as King of the Belgians from 1909 until 1934.-Early life:Born Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad in Brussels, he was the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen...
in recognition of the sacrifices made by the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
in the defence and liberation of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during the war.
Foundation
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
, it was a small cemetery with 73 graves. It was enlarged by concentrating graves from the battlefields to the north-east of Ieper and from small cemeteries.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield
Reginald Blomfield
Sir Reginald Theodore Blomfield was a prolific British architect, garden designer and author of the Victorian and Edwardian period.- Early life and career :...
.
Concentrated cemeteries
The following cemeteries were concentrated into New Irish Farm:- Admiral's, BoezingeBoezingeBoezinge is a village north of the city of Ypres in West Flanders, Belgium, on the N369 road in the direction of Diksmuide.Artillery Wood Cemetery, near the village, is a First World War cemetery. It is the location of the grave of Hedd Wyn, the 1917 National Eisteddfod-winning Welsh poet, and of...
(19 soldiers) - Canopus Trench, Langemark (12)
- Comedy Farm, Langemark (29)
- Cross Roads, Sint Jan (19)
- Ferdinand Farm, Langemark (15)
- Francois Farm, Langemark (23)
- Fusilier Farm, Boezinge (14)
- Glimpse Cottage, Boezinge (18)
- Irish Farm, Sint Jan (54)
- La Miterie German, Lomme (8)
- Manor Road, ZillebekeZillebekeZillebeke is a village in the Flemish province of West-Vlaanderen in Belgium. The former municipality is now part of Ypres.-History:On March 3, 1914 the then municipality was granted the arms are those of the last Lords of Zillebeke, the Canton family, Viscounts of Winnezeele, which had in 1740...
(19) - Mirfield, Boezinge (16)
- Paratonniers Farm, Boezinge (13)
- Pilckem Road, Boezinge (27)
- Sint Jan Churchyard (44)
- Spree Farm, Langemark (14)
- Vanheule Farm, Langemark (22)
- Yorkshire, Sint Jan (22)