Raperie British Cemetery
Villemontoire’s post‑war cemetery, commemorating Scots divisions’ 1918 advance, is a regular east‑facing field with a central axis from entrance Cross of Sacrifice to War Stone, enclosed by a low natural‑stone wall apsed behind the Stone and punctuated by Truelove‑type twin shelters and simple planting.
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Description
Villemontoire is linked with the advance of Scots divisions under French command in the period from 23 July to 2 August 1918. The entire cemetery was constructed after the war. The regular field with graves has a central axis with the Cross of Sacrifice in front of the entrance on the west side and the War Stone on the east side. The graves are oriented toward the east. The Cross of Sacrifice stands on a horizontal plateau with two shelters combined with storage space of the same type that Truelove applied in La Ville-aux-Boix British Cemetery and Vendresse British Cemetery.
A low natural stone wall runs around the cemetery and this curves outward to form an apse shape behind the War Stone. There are two interruptions in the wall to the left of the entrance. The entrance consists of a natural stone plateau with two posts and two low pillars, which have been built out to form seats. Lutyens did not visit this location and gave his approval to the design by Truelove. The shelters were added later. (Geurst, 2010, p.397)
Bibliography
Geurst, J. (2010) Cemeteries of the Great War by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Rotterdam: 010 Publishers.
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