Colne Valley Cemetery (Boezinge) suffered from excessive flooding the last years since the area & grounds around were fundamentally changed due to the construction of a new industrial zone. Because of this, this beautiful little cemetery was now on lower grounds and had to take all the water. The walls, stone shed and gravestones were severely in danger and some of the walls and the shed already had collapsed. The CWGC decided to undertake major renovation works, the first time they ever did such. After measuring all and everything carefully, all the structures were dismantled (walls, cross of sacrifice, shed, headstones). The ground then was heightened by 1.2 meters, all stone structures rebuilt, the headstones put back and the gardening redone. The project was financed by the Province of West Flanders while the city of Ieper (Ypres) financed a well and water pump.
On 22nd June the cemetery, in all its sober beauty, was reopened. The Ceremony was attended by representatives of several nations, relatives of 2 soldiers buried there and a number of people.  



people arriving at the cemetery, amongst them the workmen of the CWGC

Miguel Bouttry who made a brochure (about this cemetery) for schoolchildren, talking to the France CWGC representative. 

Mr.G. Petry of the Province of West Flanders arrives.

The buglers of the Last Post Association.

They are ready to give their tribute later during the ceremony.

guests and relatives of two soldiers buried at this cemetery.

Mr. P. Breyne (Head of the Centenary Remembrance of WW1), Lt. Col. C. Vermeulen (CCMP) and J. Verschoore (Deputy Mayor of Ieper) also arrive at the cemetery, being welcomed by the CWGC.

Brigadier-General MacDonald Lethsolo representing South Africa.


The workmen of the CWGC who also contributed to the renovation of this cemetery and who, year in year out, make the many CWGC cemeteries look splendid.

Schoolchildren of St. John's School from Kent also join the ceremony.

address by Mr. C. Liversage, Head External Engagement of the CWGC (WEA)


The representatives of the city of Ieper (Ypres), India, Australia en South Africa.

address by the British Ambassador to Belgium in which she thanks the CWGC for their excellent work and,
part of her address was in even Dutch !



address by J. Verschoore, Deputy Mayor of Ieper (Ypres) in which he also mentions the -gladly done- contribution of the city to this project.

Relatives of Riffleman Cornelius Sullivan who is buried here at Colne Valley Cemetery.

The buglers of the LPA.



address by R. Nichol, Area Director of CWGC (WEA).

a class of pupils of St. John's School from Kent ready for the floral tribute.

Mrs. Jenny Timmins & M. R. Evans (below)  reciting the Exhortation and the Ode of Remembrance uit. Both are great grandchildren of Rifleman Cornelius Sullivan.

The Last Post sounds as tribute to the fallen

Salute by the military representatives and respect by all people present during the Last Post.

After a minute of silence, the Rouse is being played.

children of the local basic school of Boezing enter to take part in the floral tribute.



below, the laying of wreaths:

>by Ms. Alison Rose, the British Amabassador



>by Commander Emma Gauldry for Australia





>by Brig.-Gen. MacDonald Letsholo for South Africa





>by Mr. Inbasekar for India

>by Mr. G. Petry on behalf of the province of West Flanders



>by J. Verschoore on behalf of the city of Ieper (Ypres)



>by Mrs. Madeleine Evans and Mr. Stuart Evans, granddaughter and great grandson of Rifleman Cornelius Sullivan.





M. Trevor Evans, tells the moving story of Rifleman Cornelius Sullivan, his wife's grandfather.

Standing still and the heath made some casualties ...

on behalf of Mrs. Maureen Riach, granddaughter of Lance Corporal James Riach, Mr. Michel Decru tells the story of the fallen James Riach. Mrs. Maureen Riach before visited the grave of her grandfather tens of times, but couln't be present now. 

The floral tribute at each grave by Schoolchildren from Boezinge and the pupils of St. John's School from Kent.



















the end of the ceremony

Mr. M. Decru at the grave of Lance Corporal James Riach, 4th Battalion Duke of Wellington Regiment, born in Schotland in 1871. He move to Yorkshire around 1873. In March 1915 he was mobilsed and joined the 49th West Riding Division.When a German shell hit their dugout on 14 August 1915 he was killed, together with 3 of his pals and a 4th one who died later. Their captain, coming to help them, was killed by a German bullet, shot in the head.



the pupils of St. John's School 


the grave of  Rifleman Cornelius Sullivan, 7th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps, born in London on 14 February 1886. Before the war he had a job in the printing industry in London. In August 1914, at the age of 28, he enlisted. Hij died on 9 February 1916. The circumstances of his death are unknown. It took 69 years for his daughter to visit her father's grave in 1975, she then was 79.

wreaths at the Cross of Sacrifice

one more photo with the British Ambasador

For most of the First World War, the east side of the village of Boesinghe (now Boezinge) directly faced the German front line.
Colne Valley, Skipton Road and Huddersfield Road were names given to trenches by the 49th Division. Colne Valley Cemetery, a little south of Caesar's Nose, was begun by Territorial battalions of the West Riding Regiment of that division in July and August 1915. It remained in use until February 1916.The cemetery contains 47 First World War burials. 30 of the graves are of officers and men of the West Riding Regiment.(CWGC website info)

(below a photo of the flooded cemetery).
LEST WE FORGET
page made by Frank Mahieu