CWGC War Graves Week Tour 2026 - Shorncliffe Military Cemetery - Tour 2

Join the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for a free tour of Shorncliffe Military Cemetery. This tour will focus on those commemorated here who were wounded of the Western Front and will be led by one of our experienced volunteer tour guides.

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 main entrance car park. Cemetery What3words location is ///neatly.beaten.spenders.

Tour 2 will focus on WW1 and explores the development of the CWGC, largely using the chronological battlefield stories of some of those buried in the cemetery or their relatives. With stories, photographs, letters and accounts not used in Tour 1, this tour will move from early registrations of graves and creation of battalion plots, to the inauguration of the new memorials and cemeteries in the 21st century.

As well as many graves pre-dating 1914, 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. There are 81 burials from the Second World War, including 1 unidentified British soldier from 1940, an American pilot and 1 Polish soldier.

The tour will last approx. 90 mins and cover about 700 metres on grass with uneven ground. Some paths are quite steep.

Access to the main part of the cemetery is by a recently restored sloped path. There are benches available in places on the tour.

Limited parking is available on site, there is currently no public transport nearby.

There are no facilities or toilets on site. Please bring water if required.

Only assistance dogs are allowed on site.

Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear suitable footwear.

Please note there can be last minute cancellations. This can be due to various reasons including illness, site issues and weather. We will email you as soon as we can but this could include the morning of the tour, so please check your emails prior to leaving for the tour.

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).

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