Bandaghem, like Dozinghem and Mendinghem, were the popular names given by the troops to groups of casualty clearing stations posted to this area during the First World War. The cemetery site was chosen in July 1917 for the 62nd and 63rd Casualty Clearing Stations and burials from these and other hospitals (notably the 36th Casualty Clearing Station in 1918) continued until October 1918.
The names of the CCS’s reflected the dark humour of the Tommy and they found their way into the vocabulary of the troops. Located between Poperinghe and Krombeke was Dozinghem were numbers 4, 47, 61, 62 and 63 CCS which specialised in eye wounds,
self-inflicted wounds, this area of the CCS was guarded, and in unidentified gases. Between Proven and Roesbrugge was Mendinghem were 12, 46, and 64 CCS which dealt with head wounds and chlorine gas casualties. Slightly further north of Proven and located at the village of Haringhe was Bandagehem which specialised in NYDN (Not Yet Diagnosed Nervous) and psychiatric cases. These were mostly casualties with concussion, shellshock, battle fatigue, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The volume of work undertaken by CCS’s was enormous. In 1915, CCS’s only operated on 15% of cases during quiet times, and 5% when major fighting was taking place. This shows that the CCS’s were still sending the causalities directly to the base hospitals for surgery. By 1917, the role of the CCS for dealing with the seriously wounded had been established. In ‘War Surgery 1914 - 18’, Thomas Scotland gave the numbers operated on at CCS’s during Third Ypres as:
During the battle, 61,423 of the wounded were operated on in casualty clearing stations. Some would be relatively lightly wounded, undergoing surgery before going back to the front line. Others would be the most seriously wounded, undergoing limb or life-saving surgery. This figure of 61,423 represents 30% of the total admissions.
During Third Ypres No.62 CCS Bandaghem dealt with over 5,000 cases. Only 16% were eventually evacuated to Base Hospitals. This breaks down to 4% who were not N.Y.D.N. but had been sent to Haringhe in error, 12% psycho-neurotic and 4% psycho-neurotic with physical complications. 55% were immediately returned to their units and 29% went to work for four weeks on farms away from the frontline before being posted back to their units.
The death rate at CCS’s during Third Ypres is put at 3.7%. This percentage can be given because of the cemeteries located near to the sites of the CCS where the dead can be identified compared to those in sites known as concentration cemeteries near the front line were between 60% to 70% of the graves are ‘Known Unto God’
The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
Cemetery Location
The cemetery is located 18 km from Ieper town centre on a road leading from the N308 connecting Ieper to Poperinge and on to Roesbrugge. From Ieper town centre the Poperingseweg (N308), is reached via Elverdingsestraat then directly over two small roundabouts in the J. Capronstraat. The Poperingseweg is a continuation of the J. Capronstraat and begins after a prominent railway level crossing. On reaching the ring road of Poperinge, the R33 Europalaan, the left-hand clockwise route circles the town of Poperinge and rejoins the N308 towards Oost Cappel. 10 km after rejoining the N308 lies the village of Roesbrugge. The second left hand turning in the village of Roesbrugge leads onto the Haringestraat and for 2 km to the village of Haringe. The second right hand turning in the village of Haringe leads onto Nachtegaalstraat. The cemetery lies 400 metres along the Nachtegaalstraat on the left-hand side of the road.
FALKIRK AND DISTRICT MEN BURIED HERE
Falkirk
S/25461 Pte Andrew Spence
7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
Age 19
3.9.18
III.B.11
Son of John & Elizabeth Spence, 5 Firs Street
Bo’ness
39077 Pte Alexander Williamson
2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
Age 34
29.9.18
III.C.5
Husband of Elizabeth M Williamson & had five children. They lived at 135 Baldridgeburn, Dunfermline. Born in Bo'ness
Also buried here
Albert Medal winners
There are three winners of the Albert Medal buried here: 31-year-old Company Sergeant Major Albert H Furlonger, D.C.M., 25-year-old Sapper George E Johnson and Sapper Joseph C Farren, Royal Engineers of the 29th, 21st, and 12th Light Railway Operating Companies. Their medals were awarded for acts of heroism on 30 April 1918, when they were manning an ammunition train as it arrived at a refuelling depot. They had just uncoupled the engine, when the second truck burst into flames. Furlonger immediately ordered the driver, Bigland (also awarded the Albert Medal) to move the engine back and pull-away the two trucks nearest to it. Furlonger coupled the engine himself and a fifth winner of the medal in this incident, Woodman, uncoupled the burning truck. The two trucks were drawn clear of the ammunition dump, but the ammunition exploded, wrecking the engine and both trucks, killing Furlonger, Farren, and Johnson, and seriously wounding Bigland.
At the rear of the cemetery is the grave of French civilian Louis Senjean who lies next to Quartermaster Sergeant W.D. Ward, Australian Engineers, they both died on 17 April 1918.
Burials
The cemetery contains 772 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is a separate plot of 39 German war graves, but four plots (X, XI, XII and XIII) of French graves were removed to other burial grounds after the war. There are also five Second World War burials in the cemetery, three of which are unidentified.
UK – 732
Australian - 2
New Zealand – 11
Canadian – 1
New Foundland – 5
South African – 7British West Indies – 4
Bermuda – 1
Known unto God – 5
Chinese Labour Corps – 4
German – 39
French Civilian – 1
WWII - 5
Comments