Brookwood American Cemetery and Memorial

Brookwood American Cemetery and Memorial is the only American Military Cemetery of World War I in the British Isles. It is about 28 miles (45 km) southwest of London.

This special place holds the graves of 468 American service members who died during the war, including 41 whose names are unknown.

The cemetery covers 4.5 acres (1.8 hectares) and is kept in beautiful condition by the American Battle Monuments Commission. It sits next to a much larger civilian cemetery called Brookwood Cemetery, which was built by the London Necropolis Company and opened in 1854. Close by is another big cemetery called Brookwood Military Cemetery, cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, where more than 5,000 people who died in the two world wars are buried.

History

In September 1922, the London Necropolis Company sold a piece of land next to the Brookwood Military Cemetery to the US government. The US government asked them to make the land look nice and build a chapel, which opened in 1929. Inside the chapel are the names of 563 missing service members, most of whom were part of the United States Navy and Coast Guard. Their graves are at the bottom of the sea. Most of the people buried in Brookwood died in Great Britain or its nearby waters. During World War I, soldiers who died in London hospitals were taken to Brookwood. After the war ended in 1918, the dead from different places in England, Scotland, and Ireland were brought there. These were members of the American Expeditionary Forces who died in England or nearby waters.

Jewish headstone inscribed 'Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God'

When the United States entered the Second World War, the American cemetery grew, and burials of US service members began in April 1942. With many American troops based in western England, a special train moved bodies from Devonport to Brookwood. By August 1944, over 3,600 bodies had been buried there. After that, burials stopped, and US service members were buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial instead.

In January to May 1948, the US service members buried at Brookwood during World War II were moved. Those whose families asked for it were sent to the United States for burial, and the rest were moved to the new cemetery near Cambridge.

General layout

The cemetery was designed by two architects, one from New York and one from Britain. The graves have special stones made from white marble. These stones are shaped like a cross or a star to honor different beliefs. Trees and plants surround the graves to make the place look nice.

Central flag pole around which the 4 grave plots are arranged

In 2015 and 2016, workers made many improvements to the cemetery for a special celebration. They fixed the stones, worked on the ground, and planted new trees and plants.

The chapel

Observance 2009 – the Chapel is at the centre of services

The chapel was finished in 1929. It was made by Egerton Swartwout and Harry Bulkeley Creswell. It is on the northwest side of the cemetery. Above the door, it says “PERPETUAL LIGHT UPON THEM SHINES.” The chapel is a white stone building made from Portland limestone from the Isle of Portland, Dorset. Inside, there are soft tan-colored stones, an altar, two oak pews, flags, and carved doors. There are 18 stained glass windows by Reginald Hallward. They show the names of American states and areas from 1918. The windows also have symbols for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

The walls of the chapel list the names of 563 Americans who were missing. Their remains were never found or could not be identified. This includes the people from the USCGC cutter Tampa, which was attacked in September 1918 in the Bristol Channel. All 115 crew members and 16 passengers were lost. Another ship, the USS Alcedo, was the first American ship lost in the war. It was hit by a torpedo in December 1917, and 21 men were lost. The names of 11 men from the USCGC Seneca are also listed. They were lost in September 1918 while trying to help another ship.

Notable names

Two brave people are honored at Brookwood American Cemetery for their courage during World War I. Gunner's Mate First Class Osmond Ingram was the first sailor to receive the Medal of Honor in that war. On 15 October 1917, Ingram saw a torpedo coming toward his ship, the USS Cassin. He tried to save the ship, but the torpedo hit. Though Ingram was lost, his name is remembered on a wall in the cemetery’s chapel.

Another hero honored there is Gustav A. Sundquist, who also received the Medal of Honor for bravery. He passed away while at sea later in World War I.