The Yorkshire Regiment War Graves

Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery (Belgium)- 1
Photo : Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) / Tom Wheeldon

The "Oosttaverne Line" was a German work running northward from the river Lys to the Comines Canal, passing just east of Oosttaverne. It was captured on 7 June 1917, the first day of the Battle of Messines, the village and the wood being taken by the 19th (Western) and 11th Divisions. Two cemeteries, No.1 and No.2, were then made by the IX Corps Burial Officer on the present site and used until September 1917. They are contained in Plot I, II, and III of the present cemetery, which was completed after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields (including many from Hill 60) and from smaller cemeteries.

During the Second World War, the British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. The cemetery contains 1,119 First World War burials, 783 of which are unidentified. Scattered among these graves are 117 from the Second World War, five of them unidentified.

Amongst the graves are those of 2 soldiers who served with the Yorkshire Regiment.

We are extremely grateful to Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) and Tom Wheeldon who have generously provided the photographs on this page.

Click on the thumbnail image of a headstone for a larger version of the photo which opens in a new window.

Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery (Belgium) - 2
Photo : Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) / Tom Wheeldon

Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery (Belgium)- 3
Photo : Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) / Tom Wheeldon

		Private Willie Williamson. 29065. 2nd Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. Lucy Frasy, of East Lane, Ringstead, King's Lynn. Died 9 SEptember 1917. Aged 30. "REST IN PEACE" The interest in this headstone is in the letter from a school child that was attached to it. See below.

		The letter from a school child (in a visiting party?) found attached to Private Williamson's headstone.

The grave of a French African soldier, died 28 May 1940.

		Private George Betts. 220447. 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 1641 Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 27 April 1918. Born Scarborough, Enlisted Scarborough.