Brookwood Military Cemetery
The Cemetery
The Military Cemetery at Brookwood in Surrey is owned by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom, covering approximately 37 acres. In 1917, an area of land in Brookwood Cemetery (The London Necropolis) was set aside for the burial of men and women of the forces of the Commonwealth and Americans, who had died, many of battle wounds, in the London district. This site was further extended to accommodate the Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War. There is a large Royal Air Forces section in the south-east corner of the cemetery (which also contains the graves of Czech and American airmen who served with the Royal Air Force) and the Air Forces shelter building nearby houses the register of the names of those buried in the section. For details about location, how to get there, opening hours, etc, etc, click here.
Brookwood is unique among Commonwealth war cemeteries in containing two Stones of Remembrance and two Crosses of Sacrifice.
RAF 550 Squadron
Two men of 550 Squadron, both of the RCAF, lie at Brookwood. On a visit on Good Friday 22 April 2011 to the cemetery the opportunity was taken to photograph the gravestones of the 550 Squadron men buried there.
Click on the thumbnail pictures to view in larger format (they will launch in another window).
Avenue leading to the Main Entrance, Gateposts
The left hand gatepost is inscribed for 1914-1918 and the right 1939-1945.
Canadian Records Building
To the left of the main gates, is the Canadian Records Building designed by Edward Maufe and a gift to the Commission from the Canadian government. It and was built by Royal Canadian Engineers. It stands beside the Canadian Section.
550 Squadron Men Remembered
The following photographs are of the gravestones of the two men of 550 Squardon which lie in the Canadian section of the cemetery, F/O Hollis Clark (pilot) and F/Sgt Walt Klementoski (air gunner).
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F/O H A T Clark RCAF (J/26760)
Brookwood Military Cemetery Grave 52.F.10
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Brookwood Military Cemetery Grave Row 52.F
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F/Sgt WJ Klementoski RCAF (R/275494)
Brookwood Military Cty Grave 50.I.1
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Brookwood Military Cemetery Grave Row 50.I
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Canadian Section
View over the Canadian section to the Stone of Remembrance beyond to the Cross of Sacrifice.
Memorial to the Missing
Czech and Polish Memorials
Royal Air Force Shelter and Exit
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
