YPRES RESERVOIR CEMETERY

UK - 2,248
CEF - 151
AIF - 142
NZEF - 128
SA - 12
BWIR - 6
NEWFOUNDLAND - 4
RGLI - 2
INDIAN - 1
UNKNOWN UNIT - 7
GERMAN - 1

HISTORY

Three cemeteries were made near the Western gate of Ypres: two between the prison and the reservoir, both now removed into the third, and the third on the North side of the prison. The third was called at first the "Cemetery North of the Prison," and later "Ypres Reservoir North Cemetery"; and it is now Ypres Reservoir Cemetery. It stretches North to the new boulevard which cuts across the Plaine D'Amour and it covers an area of 14,261 square yards. This cemetery was begun in October 1915, and used by fighting units and Field Ambulances until after the Armistice. It then contained 1,099 graves; and to these 1,500 were added from smaller cemeteries or from the battlefields of the Salient.  The graves of officers and men unidentified by name are 1,035 in number, and special memorials are erected to two soldiers from the United Kingdom known to be buried among them. There are other special memorials to two soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried at the Infantry Barracks, and eight buried in Ypres Reservoir Middle Cemetery, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

In Plot V, Row AA, are the graves of a group of officers and men of the 6th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, who were billeted in the vaults of the Cathedral, and killed on the 12th August, 1915, by the "Ypres Express" firing from Houthulst Forest. The survivors were rescued by the 11th King's Liverpools, but these bodies were not recovered until after the Armistice.

The more important burial grounds concentrated here were the following:

YPRES RESERVOIR SOUTH CEMETERY: between the prison and the reservoir, called also "Broadley's Cemetery" and "Prison Cemetery No. I." It was used from October 1914 to October 1915, and it contained the graves of 18 soldiers from the United Kingdom.
YPRES RESERVOIR MIDDLE CEMETERY: immediately North of the last named, called also "Prison Cemetery No. 2" and "Middle Prison Cemetery." It was used in August and September 1915, and rarely afterwards. It contained the graves of 107 soldiers from the United Kingdom (41 of whom belonged to the 6th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry) and one Belgian soldier.
The CEMETERY at the INFANTRY BARRACKS (called also "the Esplanade"): it was used from April 1915 to July 1916; and it contained the graves of 14 soldiers from the United Kingdom, ten of whom belonged to the 6th Siege Battery RGA.

LOCATION

GRAVES OF INTEREST

- Died 21st September 1917, age 46.
- Son of Thomas Maxwell, M.D., and Violet Sophia Maxwell; husband of Charlotte Alice Hamilton Maxwell.
- The London Gazette records the following:-
"Lieutenant Maxwell was one of three Officers not belonging to "Q" Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, specially mentioned by Lord Roberts as having shown the greatest gallantry, and disregard of danger, in carrying out the self-imposed duty of saving the guns of that Battery during the affair at Korn Spruit on 31st March 1900. This Officer went out on five different occasions and assisted to bring in two guns and three limbers, one of which he, Captian Humphreys, and some Gunners, dragged in by hand. He also went out with Captain Humphreys and Lieutenant Stirling to try to get the last gun in, and remained there till the attempt was abandoned. During a previous Campaign (the Chitral Expedition of 1895) Lieutenant Maxwell displayed gallantry in the removal of the body of Lieutenant-Colonel F D Battye, Corps of Guides, under fire, for which, though recommended, he received no reward."

Brigadier General Frank Maxwell VC CSI DSO