Commonwealth, Military cemetery in Fouilloy, France
Commonwealth is a military cemetery in Fouilloy, a small town in northern France, where over two thousand soldiers, mostly Australian, from the First World War are buried. The headstones stand in even rows on maintained lawns, and a memorial records the names of those who were never found.
The cemetery was established after the First World War, following the heavy fighting in the area, particularly the battles of 1918 in which Australian troops played a central role. Construction of the memorial began in 1936, and King George VI officially opened it in 1938, just before the Second World War broke out.
The cemetery holds a deep meaning for Australians, since their troops stopped a major German advance nearby in 1918. Many visitors from Australia make the trip specifically to this place to stand among the graves of soldiers who fought so far from home.
The cemetery is open year-round, so visitors can come at any time of the year. Those with a car will find it easy to reach, as Fouilloy sits along well-connected roads in the region.
The memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, who originally planned a tower that would serve as a lookout point, but the design was scaled back after internal disagreements. It was the last large war memorial completed in Europe before the Second World War began.
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