Ramskapelle is a village a few kilometres from Nieuwpoort. From Ieper take the N 369 as far as Diksmuide. Turn left onto the N35 towards Nieuwpoort.
Both Diksmuide and Nieuwpoort are worth visiting.
At Perwijze turn onto the N355 as far as Ramskapelle. Turn into the village and drive through to the far side. The Military cemetery is on your right hand side at the exit to the village.
If you continue along this road for a few more kilometres you will come to a cluster of CWGC Cemeteries. The CWGC Memorial to the Missing is in Nieuwpoort.
GPS | N | E | OSM |
---|---|---|---|
Decimal | 51.114023 | 2.763577 | Map |
The Battle of the Yser took place in October 1914. During the last days of the month as the sea was allowed to flow into the neighbouring polders the Belgians and French fought a desperate battle in the village.
Once the fields along this section of the front had been flooded the area became relatively quiet for the remainder of the war.
After the war Belgian burials in the area were consolidated into this cemetery which now contains the graves of 626 soldiers most of whom were killed during the battle of the Yser (IJzer) in October and November 1914. However, there are only 625 headstones.
In 1952, a local farmer whilst ploughing found the body of the Belgian soldier Louis Notaert in Stuivekenskerke. He has been reburied in the cemetery, in the grass to the right of the entrance. However, there is still no tombstone on his grave.
The official Belgian tombstone was designed in 1920 by the Brussels architect Simon;
commissioned by the Ministry of Defence.
402 of the burials are unidentified — Inconnu/Onbekend. Headstones are in the mother tongue of the soldier rather than that of the regiment.
The graves are arranged in rows of concentric semi-circles. In the cabin by the entrance is a register and a plan of the cemetery.
This cemetery is located just behind the former railway bed Nieuwpoort-Diksmuide (now a popular cycle track — Frontzate) which was used as a barrier protecting the Belgian troops from the inundation.
An unknown soldier
Soldaat Desiderius Thesin 109/57714
9e Linieregiment
Born on 5th October 1892
At Erembodegem
Died on 25th October 1914 aged 22
At Sint-Joris
Grave: 93
Soldat Démosthène Poplimont 109/58237
9e Régiment de Ligne
Born on 22nd August 1892
At Enghien
Died on 26th October 1914 aged 21
At Sint-Joris
Grave: 94