The cemetery was named after a nearby farm, called by the Army “Y” (or Wye) Farm. It was begun in March 1915 and used by units holding this sector until February 1918. At the Armistice it contained 335 burials, but it was then increased when graves were brought in from the battlefields south of Armentieres and from various other cemeteries. Y Farm Military Cemetery now contains 835 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 288 of the burials are unidentified and a special memorial commemorates one New Zealand casualty believed to be buried among them. Another special memorial commemorates an Indian soldier known to have been buried in Marquillies Communal Cemetery German Extension whose grave could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.