The Western Front Today - Maple Copse Cemetery
Maple Copse cemetery, situated in the Ypres Salient, is located nearby Hill 62 and just west of Sanctuary Wood. The name was bestowed by the British Army prior to the arrival of Canadian forces in the area in 1916.
The area was used as an advanced dressing station with burials taking place throughout 1916, although these graves were effectively destroyed by heavy enemy fire. The Imperial (later Commonwealth) War Graves Commission re-established the cemetery following the war.
The cemetery contains 142 Canadian graves plus 114 from the U.K. There are also 52 unknown burials.
References:
Before Endeavours Fade, Rose E.B. Coombs, After the Battle 1994
Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guide - Ypres Salient, Leo Cooper 2000
A 'Woolly Bear' comprised a German shrapnel shell, which burst with a cloud-like explosion.
- Did you know?
