Buttes New British Cemetery (New Zealand) Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Buttes New British Cemetery (New Zealand) Memorial is a World War I
memorial
, located in Buttes New British Cemetery, near the town of Zonnebeke
, Belgium
. The memorial lists 378 officers and men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
with no known grave who were killed between September 1917 and May 1918 while serving in the Polygon Wood Sector or in the Battle of Polygon Wood
.
The Polygon Wood Sector was part of the Ypres Salient
, and many of the deaths in the period in question would have been due to the conditions in the trenches during the winter of 1917 to 1918.
This memorial, designed by the English architect Charles Holden
, is one of seven such memorials on the Western Front
to the missing dead from New Zealand. The others are located at Messines Ridge British Cemetery
, Caterpillar Valley (Longueval), Grevillers, Tyne Cot, Cite Bonjean, and Marfaux.
Other memorials and cemeteries in the area, related to the battle, are the Australian 5th Division memorial (which is in the form of an obelisk), and the Polygon Wood Cemetery.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
, located in Buttes New British Cemetery, near the town of Zonnebeke
Zonnebeke
Zonnebeke is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Beselare, Geluveld, Passendale, Zandvoorde and Zonnebeke proper. On January 1, 2006 Zonnebeke had a total population of 11,758...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The memorial lists 378 officers and men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
with no known grave who were killed between September 1917 and May 1918 while serving in the Polygon Wood Sector or in the Battle of Polygon Wood
Battle of Polygon Wood
The Battle of Polygon Wood took place during the second phase of the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. The battle was fought near Ypres, Belgium, in an area named the Polygon Wood after the layout of the area...
.
The Polygon Wood Sector was part of the Ypres Salient
Ypres Salient
The Ypres Salient is the area around Ypres in Belgium which was the scene of some of the biggest battles in World War I.In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. Therefore, the salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops...
, and many of the deaths in the period in question would have been due to the conditions in the trenches during the winter of 1917 to 1918.
This memorial, designed by the English architect Charles Holden
Charles Holden
Charles Henry Holden, Litt. D., FRIBA, MRTPI, RDI was a Bolton-born English architect best known for designing many London Underground stations during the 1920s and 1930s, for Bristol Central Library, the Underground Electric Railways Company of London's headquarters at 55 Broadway and for the...
, is one of seven such memorials on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
to the missing dead from New Zealand. The others are located at Messines Ridge British Cemetery
Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial
The Messines Ridge Memorial is a World War I memorial, located in Messines Ridge British Cemetery, near the town of Mesen, Belgium. The memorial lists 827 officers and men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force with no known grave who died in or near Messines in 1917 and 1918...
, Caterpillar Valley (Longueval), Grevillers, Tyne Cot, Cite Bonjean, and Marfaux.
Other memorials and cemeteries in the area, related to the battle, are the Australian 5th Division memorial (which is in the form of an obelisk), and the Polygon Wood Cemetery.
External links
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission details of the Memorial
- New Zealand Memorial Polygon Wood (Belgian heritage register)
- Catalogue entry for the Memorial register (National Library of Australia)
- Photograph of the memorial (CWGC)
Further reading
- From the Uttermost Ends: A Guide to Sites of New Zealand Interest on the Western Front in Belgium and France (Ian McGibbon, OUP Australia and New Zealand, Dec 2001)