Lone Tree Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
Lone Tree Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) burial ground for the dead of the First World War located in the Ypres Salient on the Western Front in Belgium. It is located at Spanbroekmolen, on one of the highest points of the Messines Ridge. Foundation Like the Spanbroekmolen cemetery nearby, Lone Tree Cemetery was established in 1917 at the start of the Battle of Messines. Most of the burials are of men from the Royal Irish Rifles 36th (Ulster) Division who died on the first day of the battle. Most graves are of soldiers who went "over the top" early in the morning of 7 June 1917. Some of the men buried here were actually killed by the explosion of the mine placed by the British Royal Engineers under Lone Tree hill at Spanbroekmolen, which was blown around 15 seconds later than planned. The Spanbroekmolen mine formed part of a series of mines under the German lines. It was charged with of ammonal and set below ground, at the end of a gallery long. When detonated on 7 June 1917, its blast formed the "Lone Tree Crater" with a diameter of and a depth of . The crater