This cemetery was established beside a building known as Essex House and is an example of a regimental cemetery, many of which were made in 1914 and 1915. It was begun in November 1914 by the 2nd Essex and 2nd Monmouthshire Regiments (Rows A to M of Plot I), continued by the 9th Royal Fusiliers and the 11th Middlesex Regiment (Plot I, Row 0), the 7th Suffolk and 9th Essex Regiments (Plot II), the 6th Buffs (Plot III), and the 1/7th and 1/8th Worcestershire Regiment (Plot IV, Rows A to C). Apart from two later burials, the cemetery was completed by the 11th Queen's Royal West Surrey and 10th Royal West Kent Regiments in June and July 1916. It was in German hands from 10 April to 29 September 1918. There are now 218 First World War burials in the cemetery. The cemetery was designed by G H Goldsmith.