HOUTEM CHURCHYARD
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 51.01202 Longitude: 2.60689
Location Information
Houtem Churchyard is located 10 km south of Veurne.
From Veurne town centre the N39 Duinkerkestraat leads for 500 metres towards Adinkerke where it joins the N8 towards Ieper. 2 km along the N8 lies the right hand turning onto the Bulkskampstraat towards the village of Bulskamp (3 km).
5 km beyond Bulskamp on the Moeresteenweg lies the village of Houtem. The churchyard is located in the village itself on the junction between Dorpsstraat and Kerkhoek.
Historical Information
The British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.
Houtem Churchyard contains 16 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, three of them unidentified.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 13.
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem
Houtem Churchyard is located 10 km south of Veurne.
From Veurne town centre the N39 Duinkerkestraat leads for 500 metres towards Adinkerke where it joins the N8 towards Ieper. 2 km along the N8 lies the right hand turning onto the Bulkskampstraat towards the village of Bulskamp (3 km).
5 km beyond Bulskamp on the Moeresteenweg lies the village of Houtem. The churchyard is located in the village itself on the junction between Dorpsstraat and Kerkhoek.
Historical Information
The British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.
Houtem Churchyard contains 16 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, three of them unidentified.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 13.
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem
2653277 Private
John Theobald
5th Bn. King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
1st June 1940, aged 31.
Son of Jane Theobald, of Lancaster; husband of Florence Theobald, of Lancaster.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Loving Memory Of A Dear Husband. His Loving Wife And Four Children"
John Theobald
5th Bn. King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
1st June 1940, aged 31.
Son of Jane Theobald, of Lancaster; husband of Florence Theobald, of Lancaster.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Loving Memory Of A Dear Husband. His Loving Wife And Four Children"
117383 Second Lieutenant
David Noel Youens
4th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment
31st May 1940, aged 21.
Son of the Revd. Canon Fearnley Algernon Cyril Youens, M.A. and Dorothy Mary Youens, of Brodsworth Vicarage, Doncaster, Yorkshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "Splendid You Passed... Into The Light That Never More Shall Fade"
David Noel Youens
4th Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment
31st May 1940, aged 21.
Son of the Revd. Canon Fearnley Algernon Cyril Youens, M.A. and Dorothy Mary Youens, of Brodsworth Vicarage, Doncaster, Yorkshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "Splendid You Passed... Into The Light That Never More Shall Fade"
