Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing, Ploegsteert, Belgium

The Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) memorial in Belgium for missing soldiers of World War I. It commemorates men from the Allied Powers who fought on the northern Western Front outside the Ypres Salient and whose graves are unknown.

After Ploegsteert Wood had been the site of fierce fighting at the start of the war, it became a relatively quiet sector where no major action took place. Allied units were sent here to recuperate and retrain after fighting elsewhere and before returning to active operations. Berks Cemetery Extension was founded by Commonwealth troops in June 1916 as an extension to Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery which lies across the road. 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 Ploegsteert Memorial was designed by H. Chalton Bradshaw. The Ploegsteert Memorial is 21 m in diameter and 11.73 m tall and was unveiled on 7 June 1931 by the then-Duke of Brabant, later King Leopold III of Belgium.

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Cemeteries, mausoleums and burial places in Belgium

User Reviews

keep calm (15 months ago)
Typically well maintained and moving CWGC cemetery. Cafe and museum nearby. I would recommend pre reading to get the most from the place.

Bernardo Pagnoncelli (2 years ago)
A very unique place, with a beautiful monument for the thousands of (unknown) dead soldiers in WWI. The cemetery is also beautiful and worth seeing. The place is next to a relatively busy road, with cafés nearby. A must-see, combined with the nearby museum.

Tim Griffiths (3 years ago)
A large memorial located about 20 minutes south of Ypres, with several bars and restaurants within waking distance. There's a visitor right next door with plenty of parking. Plus there is additional parking on the main road, the road which separates the small German memorial from the main Commonwealth memorial. There are so many names here, like the Menin Gate, it is shocking that so many soldiers, of all ages and so many nationalities are listed, missing or simply with no known grave. It's large and very well maintained.

Peter Leng (5 years ago)
Visited the memorial where my great grandad who is remembered. He was killed in April 1918, and like all those remembered here, he has no known grave. Thank you to those who keep the memorial so pristine. I'm so glad I could pay my respects in such a beautiful place. Rest easy great grandad.

R K (5 years ago)
It's very calm and charming place to visit. Some people point it out it's too small but importance is to pay the respect of those soldiers who lost their lives during the battle. Besides I strongly believe this place one of the beautiful resting place. It definitely made me feel in peace for some reason while walking around.

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