Countless white crosses..."
quotes in this colour are from the song
"The Green Fields of France", by Eric Bogle,
copyright © Larrikin Music, Ltd.
But here in this graveyard it's still No Man's Land
The countless white crosses in mute witness stand
It was when I discovered that the ubiquitous Michelin guide has to explain how a war cemetery works that I decided that a word or two of explanation was necessary.
This is a picture of Tyne Cot cemetery, near Passendale in Belgium. Contrary to the words
of the song, British gravestones from World War One aren't crosses, but slabs.
The German cemeteries (the nearest to Tyne Cot is at Niepe) have crosses, in black, and oak trees. I've always assumed that this was a reference to the German gallantry medal rather than some inherent statement about good and evil. I certainly hope so.
Well, how do you do, Private William McBride,
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside?
There are just short of twelve thousand graves here, and on the back wall the names of all the allied soldiers who died after August 1917 in the area around Ieper (Ypres, known to the English speakers as "Wipers") but who have no known grave. That's another 36,000.
In Ieper itself, the Menin gate has the names of the allied troops who died in the area before August 1917 and have no known grave. About another 56,000.
Or are you just a stranger,
without even a name?
Each cemetery has an index of names, and a map so that you can find each gravestone or name.
People come to look for old comrades, parents, grandparents,
or sometimes simply for people with their surname.
And I can't help but wonder, now, William McBride,
Do all those who lie here know why they died?
As well as European and English-speaking troops, Maoris, Pathans, Gurkhas and Chinese are commemorated here. If the English speakers had trouble with the local place-names, what did these people make of them?