CWGC Cemetery: ESTAIRES COMMUNAL CEMETERY AND EXTENSION

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Local Information

Estaires is a town and commune in the Department of the Nord, about 11 kilometres west of Armentieres. The Cemetery is on the eastern outskirts of the town and on the east side of the road to Bailleul. Leave the church and head north-east on the Avenue Kennedy. Take the second road on the left after 400 metres onto Rue de l'Egalite, which leads to the cemetery on the right hand side of the road.

Historical Information

Estaire town was occupied by French cavalry on the 15th October, 1914, and passed at once into British hands. On the 10th April, 1918 it was captured by the enemy, after an obstinate defence by the 50th (Northumbrian) Division; and it was finally retaken by British troops at the beginning of September, 1918. The town was a Field Ambulance centre as early as November, 1914, and later the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station was posted in it. It was later "adopted" by the County Borough of Plymouth. Estaires Communal Cemetery was used for British burials from the early days of November, 1914 to June, 1917, and two burials of September, 1918 are in Plot II, Row P. There are now over 600, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 50 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 18 soldiers of the UK, one from Canada and one from India, known to be buried among them. A German Plot of 63 graves, made on the North side during the enemy occupation in 1918, has been removed. The Communal Cemetery and adjoining Extension cover an area of 3,336 square metres.