AIF Burial Ground Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
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| AIF Burial Ground | |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth War Graves Commission | |
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| Used for those deceased 1914–1918 | |
| Established | Postwar |
| Location | 50°03′36″N 2°49′50″E / 50.0601°N 2.8306°E near Flers, France |
| Total burials | 3,475 |
Unknowns | 2,263 |
| Burials by nation | |
| Burials by war | |
First World War: 3,475 | |
AIF Burial Ground is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of the First World War located near Flers on the Somme in France.
The village of Flers, on the Somme, has been the scene of several battles during the First World War. It was originally captured by the Germans during their advance into France in 1914. It was seized by the British 41st Division and the New Zealand Division on 15 September 1916 during the Battle of Flers–Courcelette. It was lost in March 1918 during the German spring offensive but returned to Allied hands later that year in the Hundred Days Offensive.[1]
Foundation
The AIF Burial Ground was established during the First World War, towards the end of 1916, when Australian medical personnel began burying casualties from medical stations nearby.[1] After the war, the cemetery was significantly expanded as several smaller cemeteries in the area were consolidated. These included the Factory Corner and North Road cemeteries.[2]
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