Why the majority of soldiers in Canadian Cemetery No. 2 are actually British

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Despite its name, Canadian Cemetery No. 2 is not exclusively a Canadian site. Located near Neuville-Saint-Vaast, France, this Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground holds nearly 3,000 soldiers from World War I. While it originated from the Battle of Vimy Ridge, its history reveals a complex reality of battlefield clearance and commemoration.

Established as a battlefield cemetery for the Canadian 4th Division, the site was initially designated as CD 5. Its purpose was to inter Canadian troops who perished during the intense fighting at Vimy Ridge. However, the site underwent significant expansion in 1919 following extensive battlefield clearance operations in the surrounding region. These efforts consolidated remains from various locations, fundamentally altering the composition of the cemetery's population.

Today, the cemetery serves as a final resting place for 2,966 Commonwealth soldiers. A notable nuance is that despite the site being named for Canadian forces, the vast majority of those buried within its 10,869 square metre perimeter are British. The site remains a place of historical gravity, containing a high number of unidentified remains. It also serves as a site of specific commemoration; twenty-nine Canadian soldiers whose original graves in Givenchy-en-Gohelle were lost are now honored through special memorial headstones.

The cemetery's timeline extends well beyond the immediate aftermath of the Great War. It was reopened for burials in 1931, continuing to receive the fallen long after the armistice, with the final Canadian burial occurring in 1947. The site also reflects the harsh disciplinary realities of the era, as evidenced by the grave of Private Charles Milligan of the 10th Battalion Cameronians, who was executed for desertion on June 3, 1917. Enclosed by low stone walls, the cemetery stands as a somber testament to the scale of loss and the intricate, often overlooked, history of Commonwealth military interments in France.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• A silent witness to the brutal four-day struggle for Vimy Ridge in 1917
• Why are two-thirds of the soldiers buried at Delville Wood Cemetery officially unknown?
• Why thousands of soldiers remain nameless in a quiet French cemetery
• The world's largest Commonwealth war cemetery hides a German fortress within its walls
• Why a tiny Belgian cemetery holds a permanent piece of British territory
• Canaima National Park: A prehistoric landscape of table-top mountains and ancient, vertical cliffs
• The 1,590-mile Silver Route that connected Mexico City to the American Southwest
• How a salt tax collector built one of the greatest engineering feats in history
• The silent stone record of over seven thousand soldiers lost at the Battle of Cambrai
• From industrial arteries to leisure havens: the surprising evolution of Britain's canal network
• How a 2012 shooter pioneered branching narratives and futuristic warfare in the Call of Duty franchise.
• Why this tiny corner of South Africa holds an entire floral kingdom

More in World Heritage Sites · More in Countries & Cities · Latest · A–Z · All topics