OOSTDUINKERKE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 51.12128, Longitude: 2.6951
Picture © Werner Van Caneghem
Location Information
Oostduinkerke Communal Cemetery is located midway between Nieuwpoort (6 Kms) and Koksijde (3 Kms) on the N396 which connects Nieuwpoort to Koksijde via Oostduinkerke.
From Nieuwpoort, Oostduinkerke village is approached via the N396 Nieuwpoortsteenweg. The Farazijustraat is the first right hand turning on reaching the village and leads for 600 metres to the cemetery itself, after joining onto the Andre Geryllaan.
Visiting Information
Oostduinkerke Communal Cemetery is open every day from 08.00 hrs to sun down.
Please note that the Commission Plot within this cemetery is one of four Commission sites currently being used to demonstrate horticultural climate change adaptations.
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.
Most of those Commonwealth servicemen buried at Oostduinkerke Communal Cemetery died in the heavy fighting along the Nieuport-Veurne-Dunkirk Canal, while covering the retreat of the British Expeditionary Force to Dunkirk in May 1940.
Oostduinkerke Communal Cemetery contains a plot of 180 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 31 of them unidentified.
Total Burials: 180.
Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 145, Canada 3, Australia 1. Total 149.
Unidentified Casualties: 31.
Pictures © Werner Van Caneghem
R/83220 Flight Sergeant
Cleveland John Eggleton
25 O. T. U. Royal Canadian Air Force
11th September 1942, aged 23.
Special Memorial. Row G. Grave 175.
Son of Stanley D. and Eleta Perle Eggleton, of Creemore, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Loving Memory Of A Dear Son"
Cleveland John Eggleton
25 O. T. U. Royal Canadian Air Force
11th September 1942, aged 23.
Special Memorial. Row G. Grave 175.
Son of Stanley D. and Eleta Perle Eggleton, of Creemore, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Loving Memory Of A Dear Son"
J/9433 Pilot Officer
Bruce Lloyd Evans
81 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
29th July 1942.
Row G. 170.
Bruce Lloyd Evans
81 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
29th July 1942.
Row G. 170.
Some of the Individual Burials
Group portrait of pilots of No. 452 (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Kirton-in-Lindsey, the first fighter squadron of which the flying personnel (with the exception of two flight commanders) are entirely Australian. It became operational in May 1941.
Identified on the far right is 402115 Sergeant Richard George Gazzard (killed during operations over Belgium on 19 August 1941, aged 21 years). Row G. 167. Son of Norman Clarence and Veida Gazzard, of Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia. His headstone bears the inscription "Your Wish Fulfilled "Dick" Sadly Missed But Proudly Remembered"
42131 Pilot Officer
Dale Fred Jones
242 Squadron, Royal Air Force
28th May 1940, aged 26.
Row B. 50.
Son of Luther E. and Vera Hope Jones, of Dinsmore, Saskatchewan, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "But Death, Grown Gentle, Caught Him As He Fell"
Dale Fred Jones
242 Squadron, Royal Air Force
28th May 1940, aged 26.
Row B. 50.
Son of Luther E. and Vera Hope Jones, of Dinsmore, Saskatchewan, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "But Death, Grown Gentle, Caught Him As He Fell"
B/38154 Private
Roy Cleveland Leeson
Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, R. C. I. C.
19th August 1942, ahed 24.
Row G. 172.
Son of Samuel Vincent and Lucinda Alfreda Leeson, of Paisley, Ontario, Canada.
Roy Cleveland Leeson
Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, R. C. I. C.
19th August 1942, ahed 24.
Row G. 172.
Son of Samuel Vincent and Lucinda Alfreda Leeson, of Paisley, Ontario, Canada.
