In the early days of the First World War there was fierce fighting in Grimde, the hamlet where the then Sint-Pieterskerk stood. The Germans advanced quickly and many Belgian soldiers died. In the months that followed, the residents of Grimde sought a worthy place to bury about 140 soldiers, and found them in the old St. Peter's Church. The dead were buried in the earthen floor.

The church, with a core from the 13th century, had already fallen into a ruin at that time. In the middle of the 19th century she was abandoned for the construction of the new parish church St. Peter and Paul. It was taken into use in 1882. The Necropolis has been part of the surrounding cemetery since 1914. Between 1922 and 1928 the church and the cemetery were thoroughly restored so that it could become a fully-fledged military cemetery.

The graves in white natural stone are very sober, placed next to each other, which gives the impression of a common grave. All stones show the same iconography of Belgian helmet and oak leaves as a sign of courage and wisdom. The whole symbolizes equality before death.