Abeele Aerodrome Military Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery

Abeele Aerodrome Military Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) burial ground for the dead of the First World War located in the Ypres Salient on the Western Front.

Abeele Aerodrome Military
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Abeele Aerodrome Military Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery
Used for those deceased April - September 1918
Established1918
Location50°48′56″N 02°39′26″E
near 
Abele, West Flanders, Belgium
Designed byG H Goldsmith
Total burials104
Unknowns
0
Burials by nation
Burials by war
Statistics source: CWGC

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.

Foundation
Abeele Aerodrome cemetery.

The cemetery, at Abele in Belgium but metres from the border with France, was founded by French troops in April 1918, receiving Commonwealth and American burials between July and September 1918.[1]

After the Armistice, the French and American graves were concentrated at other cemeteries, leaving just Commonwealth burials. These were increased by concentrating 25 graves from the nearby Boeschepe churchyard[1] in France.

The cemetery is named for the wartime aerodrome established in nearby fields[2] although the cemetery itself contains no Royal Air Force graves.

The cemetery was designed by G. H. Goldsmith, who also designed Orient House in Manchester.[3]

Notable graves

Reference works point to two unusual inscriptions on gravestones in this cemetery. One asks the poignant question "Old Pal, why don’t you answer me", whilst another, less unusually, is in Welsh and reads "Arglwydd Dangos Ini Tad Digon Yw Ini".[4]

References
  1. WW1Cemeteries.com Archived 2006-03-26 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 19 June 2006
  2. CWGC website, accessed 19 June 2006
  3. Centre for the Urban Built Environment Archived April 19, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, accessed 19 June 2006
  4. YpresSalient.co.uk, accessed 19 June 2006
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