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Belgium

Flanders

West Flanders

Ieper

Zonnebeke

Polygon Wood Cemetery

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Places to see

Belgium

Flanders

West Flanders

Ieper

Zonnebeke

Polygon Wood Cemetery

Recommended by 144 hikers out of 145

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Location: Zonnebeke, Ieper, West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

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Best Hikes to Polygon Wood Cemetery

4.6

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1. Peace Monument Sculpture – Polygon Wood Cemetery loop from Mexico

13.8km

03:33

70m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.5

(21)

119

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2. Polygon Wood Cemetery – German Pillbox Ruin loop from Mexico

8.66km

02:13

30m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.7

(45)

316

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3. Polygoonbos – Polygon Wood Cemetery loop from Zonnebeke

16.1km

04:09

70m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

Els

February 6, 2021

The small cemetery was created during the First World War. The war conditions gave the cemetery an irregular floor plan.

source: walking guide Flanders route GR 128

Translated by Google •

phil_s

August 30, 2022

Polygon Wood was a significant landmark in the Ypres Salient battlefields. At the centre of the wood was a dominating mound called the ‘Butte’, built by the Belgian military as a firing range before the war and fortified by the Germans with concrete block houses and barbed wire. It had been fought over throughout the war and the trees had been all but destroyed by shellfire.

The Battle of Polygon Wood took place on 26 September 1917. Resistance was heavy but Australian soldiers took the Butte and had successfully secured the wood by the end of the day. Fighting continued until 3 October, with German forces launching numerous unsuccessful counter-attacks.

(Source: CWGC)

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

September 15, 2022

Polygon Wood Cemetery is located next to the large Polygon Wood forest and is a Commonwealth front cemetery. The fallen have been given their eternal resting place here in the slightly lower bed in the shadow of the Cross of Sacrifice.

Historical interpretation: This large forest was completely destroyed during the First World War. The forest was captured by Commonwealth forces at the end of October 1914. On 3 May 1915 the forest fell into enemy hands and was recaptured at the end of September 1917 by Australian troops and finally taken by the 9th (Socttish) Division on 28 September 1918. On the Buttes (artificial hill in the Buttes cemetery New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood , across the Lange Dreve) is the Battle Memorial of the 5th Australian Division, which captured this place on September 26, 1917 - April 1918, and was put into use again in September 1918. Visible at the entrance to the cemetery is the aforementioned cemetery Buttes New British Cemetery, which is in the field.

A German front cemetery 'Polygoneveld' used to be located here.

After the capture of the area by the Australian troops, the British decided to subsequently build their own cemetery. After the war, the cemeteries were constructed, the British section designed by Charles Holden. The German part was cleared in 1955, only the grave of the German Hans Bogner remains.

All other graves were transferred to a German collective cemetery in Flemish fields.

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 90 m

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Wednesday 17 September

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Max wind speed: 12.0 km/h

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Take Me There

Location: Zonnebeke, Ieper, West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

Polygon Wood Cemetery

1. Peace Monument Sculpture – Polygon Wood Cemetery loop from Mexico

2. Polygon Wood Cemetery – German Pillbox Ruin loop from Mexico

3. Polygoonbos – Polygon Wood Cemetery loop from Zonnebeke

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