Forceville was one of three pilot cemeteries created by the Imperial War Graves Commission after the First World War to establish a consistent and dignified pattern for the permanent burial grounds. The aim was to test layout, planting, headstone design and the overall architectural character that would later be applied across the Western Front. Of the three experimental sites, Forceville was generally regarded as the most successful, and it became the model for the Commission’s subsequent cemeteries.
The cemetery was enclosed by a low wall and laid out as a formal garden, with uniform headstones set in rows and roses planted between them. This combination of architectural order and horticultural treatment was deliberate. The Commission wished to avoid the bleakness of a purely military layout while still maintaining a sense of discipline and equality. The result was a landscape that balanced precision with a sense of calm and permanence.
Two key architectural elements were introduced at Forceville. The Cross of Sacrifice, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, provided a single Christian symbol for those who wished it, without imposing it on every grave. The Stone of Remembrance, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, served as a universal monument for all the dead, regardless of faith. Its inscription, “Their name liveth for evermore”, was chosen by Rudyard Kipling as suitably dignified and scriptural, yet broad enough not to exclude the non‑religious or those of other religions who were also buried in the cemetery.
The ground plan of Forceville shows the clarity of the Commission’s approach: plots arranged in regular rows, a central axis leading from the entrance to the Stone of Remembrance, and the Cross of Sacrifice placed in a position of prominence. This layout was refined here before being applied to hundreds of cemeteries across France and Belgium.
The modern appearance of Forceville demonstrates how successfully the Commission’s principles were realised. The uniform headstones, the planting, and the carefully maintained grass all reflect the intention that each grave should be treated with equal respect. The cemetery stands today not only as a burial place but as the prototype for the Commission’s wider work, setting the standard for the thousands of cemeteries that followed.
