Illies

Illies/Nord Département du Nord 2,886 German war dead 4 Austrians/Hungarians First World War 1914 created by the troops. French military authorities expanded it after the war to include casualties from 17 communes. Many victims died in the battles of the "Race to the Sea" in October/November 1914 and the spring battles in Artois at the beginning of 1915. In 1930, the paths in between were landscaped, plane trees and shrubs were planted and an entrance with pillars and a wrought-iron gate was built. in 1980, the grave markers were replaced with metal crosses and a steel high cross was erected. There are 275 dead buried in five communal graves bordered with kerbstones; only 56 names are known. Captain August Balthasar, who fell on October 25, 1914, and his son Wilhelm, who was killed in action near Aire-sur-la-Lys on July 3, 1941, rest side by side in grave 2/78.