Cemetery Details

Cemetery:	LAVENTIE MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
Country:	France
Locality:	Nord
Visiting Information:	Wheelchair access to site this possible, but maybe by alternative entrance. For further information regarding wheelchair access, please contact our enquiries dept. on 01628 634221.
Location Information:	Laventie and La Gorgue are adjoining towns. Laventie Military Cemetery is on the north-east outskirts of Laventie. From Laventie, head north out of the town on the D166. Approximately 1 kilometre along this road turn right at the first junction and follow the small road for 400 metres. The Cemetery is on the right hand side.
Historical Information:	The towns of Laventie and La Gorgue fell into German hands in the Battles of the Lys in April 1918, and they were retaken by British troops early in the following September. Laventie Military Cemetery was begun (in Plot II) in the latter half of June 1916, by the 61st (South Midland) Division (whose graves are associated particularly with the Attack at Fromelles, 19th July 1916), and carried on by other Divisions holding this front; in June 1917 - April 1918, the Portuguese Corps buried in it. It was used again in September 1918 and after the Armistice British, Indian and Chinese graves were brought in from other cemeteries and from the neighbouring battlefields, as well as a number of Portuguese. However, all the 176 Portuguese graves were later removed to Richebourg-l'Avoue Portuguese National Cemetery. Burial grounds that were removed to Laventie Military Cemetery include:- ENGLOS CHURCHYARD, which contained a United Kingdom grave of October, 1918. HAUBOURDIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY, which contained 11 United Kingdom graves of 1914. LAVENTIE (RUE DU PATRONNAGE) GERMAN CEMETERY, which contained the graves of a number of Portuguese soldiers buried by the enemy in 1918. LESTREM COMMUNAL CEMETERY, which contained the graves of four British officers of the Indian Army and two United Kingdom soldiers. ROUBAIX COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Place Chaptal), which contained 13 United Kingdom graves and one Australian, nine of which were originally in ROUBAIX (RUE JOFFROY) GERMAN CEMETERY, between Roubaix and Lannoy. TRESSIN CHURCHYARD, which contained one Australian Flying Corps grave of October, 1918, and one United Kingdom grave of November, 1918. There are now nearly 550, 1914-18 war casualties commemorate in this site. Of these, a small number are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four British officers of the Indian Army, killed at Neuve Chapelle, whose graves were believed to be in Lestrem Communal Cemetery but were not found on concentration. The cemetery covers an area of 3,120 square metres.
No. of Identified Casualties:	495