Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery is a

Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations m ...

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

containing the remains of Allied troops who died during the Gallipoli campaign. It is located about south-west of Krithia on the Gallipoli Peninsula. It also contains the Twelve Tree Copse (New Zealand) Memorial, one of four memorials on the peninsula which commemorate

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

soldiers killed at Gallipoli but whose graves are not known. The 179 names on it record the names of soldiers killed outside of the ANZAC area. The cemetery was constructed after the Armistice from graves brought in from isolated sites and small cemeteries dotted around the battlefield. Notable amongst these were Geoghan's Bluff Cemetery which contained 925 graves from the

Battle of Gully Ravine The Battle of Gully Ravine (''Zığındere'') was a World War I battle fought at Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula. By June 1915 all thoughts the Allies had of a swift decisive victory over the Ottoman Empire had vanished. The preceding Thi ...

which was fought in June–July 1915, Fir Tree Wood Cemetery and Clunes Vennel Cemetery which contained 522 graves. Special memorials contain the names of 646 British soldiers, ten from New Zealanders and one from Australian buried in the cemetery but whose graves have not been identified.

Notable graves

One of the unidentified bodies is that of Second Lieutenant Alfred Smith who was killed when he flung himself onto a grenade to save his comrades, for which he was posthumously awarded a

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

.''Pilgrimage''
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References

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External links

* {{Find a Grave cemetery Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in Gallipoli