ST. QUENTIN CABARET MILITARY CEMETERY

[Alan SHARP]

Local Historian, contact PLEASE.

ST. QUENTIN CABARET MILITARY CEMETERY

Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen Belgium

Greetings All.

I’ve started a new thread, with more appropriate heading, for this phase of my research into the WWI poem, written by William RIDDELL, [NZ Rifle Brigade] in his latter years. It was supplied by his Daughter for use in our local ANZAC Day commemorations.

It has been a journey involving a steep learning curve. See earlier post -

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=15925

CWGC replied fairly promptly, but only advised me to contact the NZ Defence Force [ personnel.archivesATnzdf.mil.nz ] which I have done. The CWGC reply contained a copy of the information I was all ready able to glean, from their web pages, that gave me the email enquiry link to them, and did not delve into a specifics dialogue, with regard to my question, re 1917 interments, in the back of the Cabaret property.

While I await further snippets, from Williams diaries, I am posting this request if any one has contact with an English speaking, local historian with detailed knowledge of the ST. QUENTIN CABARET MILITARY CEMETERY, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen Belgium,

I would like an introduction. Please.

Alan SHARP.

PS See also:- viewtopic.php?f=11&t=15921

Edit: Altered address, which I forgot to do when originally posting.

[Currie]

Hello Alan,

The St. Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery is about 200 metres south of the village of Wulvergem. There seems to be many other War Cemeteries in the area.

Here’s a plan view of the cemetery http://www.cwgc.org/plans/14-27%5CM004.GIF

An overhead view. If you zoom out you’ll see the village. http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&i ... 02106&z=19

Here’s a Wiki about the Municipality of Heuvelland, of which Wulvergem is a part. The Mayor’s name is on the right. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuvelland

This is their web site with the address of the tourist office. A great many tourists to the area would be English speakers visiting War Cemeteries and perhaps the tourist office would know the names of any local experts. http://www.heuvelland.be/tourism/799-www.html

A couple of Forums on which WW1 Western Front War Cemeteries are discussed: The Great War Forum http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... owforum=19 and the Ypres Battlefields Forum http://ypres1917.3.forumer.com/index.ph ... fa&act=idx

Also The Scottish War Memorials Project, in particular this thread and possibly others http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/warmems ... ht=cabaret

Hope that helps,
Alan

[Alan SHARP]

Greetings again Alan. [currie]

As usual, you come up with an interesting selection of research options, which includes sites I had yet to find. Toerisme Heuvelland being one.

I have written to Toerisme Heuvelland, as their site has an info page about the 36 cemeteries, in their district, with WWI internments. One can also walk over several restored battlements, honouring your forebears, and seeing for yourself the “heuvelland” hilly country, which played such a strategic, part in the campaign with the big MESSINES battle taking place in the first weeks of June 1917, only to be lost, and then recaptured again in 1918.

St Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery – Wulvergem, must be just over the boarder, in the neighbouring district because it is not listed as a Wulvergem Cemetery. My search of Ploegesteert came up with the Comines-Warenton site, but I did not find a WWI page, like their neighbours that I could write about.

The 1914-1918 Invisionzone site, was also new to me, but wants me to log in to do searches, [just tooo many pass words to remember] so will have to use Google, possibly tonight. Still measuring up, and cleaning up after the arson, and now getting rather late for Church.

Thanks Alan for your assistance.

Alan SHARP.

[Alan SHARP]

Greetings Alan "currie"

Your suggestion that I contact Heuvelland.be came up trumps, by return mail. Though the Cemetery sits just on the Comines/Warenton side of the local authorities teritory, there are local researchers at Heuvelland, who are interested in the St Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery, and Philippe came straight back to me. Hopefully we can share info which will give context, and depth to the poem.

Alan SHARP.

PS. The Google search of invisionze, only came up with a handful of questions about St Quinten, and nothing that caught my eye.