Discover the History of Brookwood American Cemetery

The 4.5 acre Brookwood American Cemetery and Memorial in England lies to the west of the large civilian cemetery built by the London Necropolis Co. and contains the graves of 468 of our military dead.

Close by are military cemeteries and monuments of the British Commonwealth and other allied nations. Automobiles may drive through the commonwealth or civilian cemeteries to the American cemetery. Within the American cemetery the headstones are arranged in four plots, grouped around the flagpole. The regular rows of white marble headstones on the smooth lawn are framed by masses of shrubs and evergreen trees which form a perfect setting for the chapel, a classic white stone building on the north-end of the cemetery. The interior of the chapel is of tan-hued stone. Small, stained glass windows light the altar and flags and the carved cross. On the walls within the chapel are inscribed the names of 564 of the missing.

Brookwood American Cemetery is located directly south of the town of Brookwood, Surrey, England, seven miles northwest of Guildford, and nine miles northeast of Aldershot.

Throughout World War I, German submarines posed a serious threat to Allied ocean traffic. After the United States entered the war, the British and American navies implemented a convoy system to counter the German menace.

Many troops and supplies bound for the Western Front first landed in the British Isles before proceeding to France.

More than two million American service members arrived in France during the war, with nearly one million first landing in England. While most continued on to France, some remained in Britain, serving in base hospitals, naval air stations, ports, and on sea and air missions. The cooperation between British and American forces demonstrated the strong alliance and mutual reinforcement that played a crucial role in the war effort.

General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), emphasized this close collaboration in his final report, stating:

“The hospitable reception of those of our forces who passed through England has impressed upon us how closely common language and blood have brought together the British and ourselves.”

Brookwood History Map

• June 9, 1917: General John J. Pershing and his staff arrived in Britain to consult with British officials before continuing to Paris on June 13.
• February 5, 1918: A German submarine torpedoed the American troop ship SS Tuscania near the Isle of Islay, Scotland. More than 200 men perished.
• May 31, 1918: The troop ship USS President Lincoln was sunk by a German submarine in the Atlantic west of Brest, France.
• July 20, 1918: The U.S. Navy established a seaplane patrol base at Killingholme, England.
• August 1, 1918: Base Hospital No. 29 of the AEF began operations in London.
• September 16-17, 1918: The Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Seneca, while escorting a convoy, attempted to assist the torpedoed steamship Wellington. Eleven crew members from the Seneca and five from the Wellington perished.
• September 26, 1918: The USCGC Tampa was sunk by a German torpedo in the Bristol Channel. All 131 crew members were lost, including 111 Coast Guardsmen.
• October 6, 1918: The troop ship HMS Otranto collided with another vessel during a storm near the Isle of Islay.

Vintage Poster

Vintage posters convey the beauty, tranquility, and solemnity of the place as a sign of respect for those who fought so that we can live free today.