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One of the most-visited spots on the tourist trail due to connections with poet John MacCrae and the presence here of the graves of one of youngest British soldiers and of Tom Barrett VC. Alongside the busy Ieper - Diksmuide road, Essex Farm Cemetery was once a main site for medical units serving the northern part of the salient. Lying in the dubious shelter of the canal bank (from the path of which this photo was taken, looking north-east), it was for many months virtually in the front lines. The cemetery is now the last resting place for 1,199 British soldiers.
Adjacent to the cemetery is this well-preserved set of British shelters, built into the canal bank. Used by the medical units, they were renovated in the 1990's and made safer for the curious tourist.
On the canal bank above the cemetery is this obelisk memorial to the 49th (West Riding) Division, commemorating the deeds of this 1st-Line Territorial Force formation in the salient area.

Several more cemeteries lie along the canal bank between Boesinge and Ypres. Duhallow ADS Cemetery was used by an Advanced Dressing Station during the early stages of the Third Battle of Ypres - the attack on Pilkem Ridge - and the fact that there are 1,545 graves here is testament to both the ferocity of the fighting and the incredible volume of human traffic passing to and from the battle front.
Now let's go along the Ypres Canal to Pilkem
 
Sacred Ground: Following in their footsteps