Memorial of the Missing & Hyde Park Corner

Many places in wartime Ploegsteert were named by the British troops after familiar landmarks in London: the Strand, Charing Cross, Regent Street, Oxford and Piccadilly Circus. This spot was known as Hyde Park Corner. It was mainly British and Australian troops who served in this sector.

The wood opposite the memorial was the scene of heavy fighting at different times during the war. There are no fewer than nine Commonwealth cemeteries in and around Plugstreet Wood. Discovering the cemeteries in the wood itself makes for a pleasant walk. You will easily find them using the map. Alternatively, you can approach the wood from the other side, via the Khaki Chums Cross.

The Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing is one of four monuments (the others are at the Menin Gate, Tyne Cot and Messines Ridge) that commemorate the Commonwealth soldiers who have no known grave. This memorial records 11,447 names.

Each year on 25 April there is a ceremony here to mark ANZAC Day. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. A ceremony is also held in Toronto Avenue Cemetery in the woods, the only cemetery to contain exclusively Australian casualties.

Hyde Park Corner (Royal Berks) Cemetery and Extension - one on each side of the road - both owe their name to the Royal Berkshire Regiment, which made the first burials here during their service in the sector in 1915.

From here, it is easy to walk to the Catacombs or the interpretation centre (see the app.) or to explore the woods using the map.

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