CWGC Tours 2024 - Shorncliffe Military Cemetery

Join us for a tour of Shorncliffe Military Cemetery.

Our tours are free to the public, but if you would like to support us then please consider donating to our charity The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation (CWGF).

https://foundation.cwgc.org/donate/

MEETING POINT: Inside the gate.

A beautiful cemetery provides the setting for a tour that travels the world, crosses the generations and shows the diversity of service.

Shorncliffe was used as a staging post for troops destined for the Western Front during the First World War.

In April 1917 a camp for Chinese labourers opened in Folkestone and over 94,000 men passed through the town on their way to France to help the Allies on the Western Front. Around 2,000 Chinese labourers remained at Shorncliffe however, working at the Army Camp and the various military hospitals.

Shorncliffe Military Cemetery contains a total of 471 First World War burials, more than 300 of which are Canadian, and 6 are Chinese Labour Corps.

During the Second World War Shorncliffe was again used as a staging post. There are 81 burials from the Second World War, including 1 unidentified British soldier from 1940 and 1 Polish soldier.

Access to the main part of the cemetery is by a sloped path with a few steps.

Limited parking available; No facilities or toilets; Uneven ground; Hilly, steep slopes. No dogs allowed on site.

Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear suitable footwear.

The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation (CWGF) aims to actively engage all communities with the work of the CWGC by telling the inspiring stories through education and outreach projects.

The CWGF is an independent charity registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales (1171947) and Scotland (SC051982).

Host or Publisher Commonwealth War Graves