The Long, Long Trail

"Pops" was never out of British hands, and was something of a haven behind the lines, although it was subjected to shelling that grew in intensity throughout the war. Here men could find shops, estaminets, restaurants, billets and a hundred different military establishments, as well as the leave trains for England. There were always medical units here: 677 British soldiers who died of wounds at nearby Casualty Clearing Stations lie in Poperinge New Military Cemetery.

A short rail ride south-west from Pops was a cluster of medical units at Remy Farm; the men who died here from June 1915 to the Armistice were buried in long trenches. More graves were added after the war, making Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery with 9,867 graves the second largest British military cemetery.

Nine Elms British Cemetery

Also lying a short distance from the town on the western side is this immaculate cemetery of 1,555 British soldiers graves.

Abeele Aerodrome Cemetery

Very close to the border with France and near the former site of a Royal Flying Corps field, this small cemetery of 104 graves lies among hop fields characteristic of the Poperinge region.