Hebuterne Cemetery

[egbert]

Today i saw this grave with 2 veterans, died 1975. What is strange: is CWGC caretaking of vets died of natural causes 57 years after the Great War?

[Terry Denham]

Egbert

These are not necessarily veterans.

They are members of the staff of the IWGC/CWGC.

Members of staff sometimes request to have their graves cared for by the Commission and this is permitted. You can see these graves in several locations. Often they have the CWGC badge at the top.

[egbert]

Thanx Terry, does that mean they may have been never participant in any war and are buried on a war grave cemetery? Does not make sense if there is no close connection like band of brotherhood from war time

[Marco]

I'm sure they are in Hebuterne communal cemetery. Even you can be buried there under a CWGC lookalike stone. Naturally in due time

Regards,

Marco

[Terry Denham]

Egbert

Until the last thirty years or so, all CWGC gardeners were ex-servicemen and, if you look at the ages on these stones, they would be men from that group. It is only in recent times that ex-servicemen of working age have become a rarity and that the gardening and maintenance has been taken over by local staff.

The staff can ask for their graves to be cared for by the Commission but they are not all in Commission cemeteries but in churchyards etc - including that of their founder, Sir Fabian Ware in Amberley Church Cemetery, Gloucestershire. You will find a large group of them in Ypres Town Cemetery and at other locations around the world. There are 89 such staff graves worldwide.

In any case, the dedication of these people in caring for the war dead could be deemed sufficient 'link' to the war casualties.

[spike10764]

In any case, the dedication of these people in caring for the war dead could be deemed sufficient 'link' to the war casualties.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think so, what better tribute to the dedication of the CWGC gardeners than to be allowed to lay to rest in the places they have cared for. I'm sure those who died in war would not mind those who cared for their graves in the long years afterwards, a chance to rest amongst them.

[jdajd]

Is it the case that vets who served but died years later cannot be buried in a CWGC cemetary? I know that in the US any verteran no matter when they died has the right to be buried in a veterans cemetary and it seems odd that the same would not be true "over there". Please correct me if I misunderstood.

Jon

[spike10764]

Is it the case that vets who served but died years later cannot be buried in a CWGC cemetary?  I know that in the US any verteran no matter when they died has the right to be buried in a veterans cemetary and it seems odd that the same would not be true "over there".  Please correct me if I misunderstood.

Jon

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point Jon.

Terry do you know the answer to this, it would be nice to think they could.....

[Terry Denham]

Veterans cannot be buried in a CWGC cemetery or plot. Only those who qualify for War Grave status can be so buried. This even applies to family members of war grave occupants. These are not 'veterans' cemeteries' but 'war dead' cemeteries.

The cremated ashes of a few relatives have been officially permitted to be buried in CWGC cemeteries and probably some other cases of ashes being scattered etc without permission have occurred.

[spike10764]

Thanks Terry, for replying.

I understand there has to be a cut off, but it is a shame, although maybe from a modern point of view only. ( I can't really see how many of the survivors relatives upon the eventual death of their loved ones, would want them buried abroad). Some Americans were brought home, so maybe thats where those who wanted to lie in veterans cemeteries are interred.

[jdajd]

Terry;

You seem to have differentiated between war dead cemetaries and veteran cemeteries. Does that mean that there are in fact veterans cemetaries?

Jon