Now this is not the definitive tour of Hooge Crater Cemetery. It’s not actually a tour of the cemetery at all, because although I have visited twice, on both occasions, for different reasons, I was unable to take many photographs. The most recent visit, towards the end of 2011 (above), was simply a lack of time. My first visit, back in 2005 (below), was actually the first time I had set foot in a CWGC cemetery in Flanders, and the experience was more important than the photos.
The figures are thus: 5923 men are buried or commemorated here. 3579 of these are unidentified.
The cemetery wasn’t begun until October 1917, by which time Hooge was no longer on the front line as the Germans were pushed slowly back towards the Passchendaele ridge.
Initially there were only 76 burials here…
…but after the war thousands more were added from the numerous individual graves and a number of smaller cemeteries that littered the battlefields of Zillebeke, Gheluvelt, and further to the east, Zandvoorde.
Looking north up the length of the cemetery towards the Cross of Sacrifice and the Menin Road and Chateau Wood beyond.
The remaining photos are all from 2011:
Cemetery entrance, with the Menin Road just visible to the far left.
Baldrick and I will return to Hooge Crater Cemetery one day, and when we do, you’ll be the first to hear about it.
We hope to visit in April this year 2016 my Great Uncle is buried here Private Jones 29342 grave ref XV. G .15
I hope you have an excellent trip, Julia. Directly opposite the cemetery you might like to take a look at this when you visit ; https://thebignote.com/2013/02/14/hooge-crater/
Actually, most of the posts on this site under the ‘Menin Road’ category are close to Hooge Crater Cemetery so you might like to take a look at any/all of them before your trip.
My grandad George Beardsley was killed 14 December 1915 at Hooge private 20692 10 batt sherwood foresters around 10 of his batt died on the same day , question? He was down as not found could he possible be in Hooge cemetery I understand their was about 3000 thousand plus unmarked graves cheers Trev
There certainly are Trevor. You’ll find the proof here:
https://thebignote.com/2019/01/31/the-menin-road-hooge-crater-cemetery/