Tom Morgan Posted 23 April , 2003 Share Posted 23 April , 2003 This news item makes encouraging reading. Al Amara Cemetery "rediscovered" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 23 April , 2003 Share Posted 23 April , 2003 That is a heart warming story Wouldn't it be a nice gesture if the British government gave Hassan Hatif Moson the MBE or even OBE for his services to our war dead? Of course, it won't happen as they've all been earmarked for popstars, film stars and party officials Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 23 April , 2003 Share Posted 23 April , 2003 It would be nice if the CWGC could give him 12 years of back pay as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 23 April , 2003 Share Posted 23 April , 2003 Even better if the government could give that sum and a bit more besides as a gesture of goodwill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 News from CWGC It seems that the guardian at Amara was never an employee of CWGC but is the son-in-law of their official gardener. However, they hope to suitably thank him as soon as they have the opportunity. Meanwhile, CWGC have issued this press release about Iraq. I don't know if it is on their web site yet but here it is just in case.... PRESS RELEASE "COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES IN IRAQ With Coalition forces and the media now moving freely in Iraq, there have been a number of items in the press about the 'discovery' of Commonwealth war cemeteries from previous conflicts. Given the poor condition of some of these sites, the understandable assumption has been that they have lain forgotten for many years but this is not the case. Before the current conflict the Commission had been involved in a long process of quiet diplomacy with the Iraqi government designed to reach agreement over long term care for the cemeteries, and Commission staff visited them all as recently as November last year. The scale of the Commission's task in Iraq is extensive - more than 54,000 Commonwealth war dead are buried or commemorated at 13 locations, most of them casualties of the Mesopotamian campaign during the First World War - and every effort had been made to resume work there in the years since maintenance first became difficult during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Persistent but sensitive efforts by Commission staff led eventually to an agreement with the Iraqi authorities for an extensive maintenance programme to begin in December 2001 and by the end of February this year the first phase of work had been completed in the largest of the Commission's cemeteries in Iraq, Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery. More than 500 new headstones had also arrived in Baghdad in the first phase of a major headstone replacement programme before the current crisis brought all Commission work in Iraq to a halt once more. Despite many setbacks the Commission takes the long term view of the situation. Parallels can be drawn between the current difficulties in Iraq and those faced in the Lebanon some years ago where Beirut War Cemetery, reduced to a wilderness by the long civil war, is now fully restored. Because of the number and spread of the cemeteries in Iraq the task will be much greater although the Commission has full details of the graves and their locations at each site. There have already been discussions about how soon work can resume and the Commission is very hopeful of the support of Coalition forces stationed in the country who have already shown considerable interest in the cemeteries. The time scale is difficult to predict at the moment but the Commission wishes to reassure the public that, as soon as circumstances permit, it will do everything in its power to restore the graves to a fitting standard." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 Terry, any chance do you think, of the CWGC photographing the stones as they are replaced. Access to these cemeteries has been non-existent for a considerable period, and this will no doubt continue for some time. I'll declare an interest here straight away - I've ten men I'm researching buried or commemorated in Iraq and I'd very much like photographs, spread across Amara, Basra Memorial, Basra Cemetery and Mosul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 24 April , 2003 Share Posted 24 April , 2003 You can only ask. They do photograph stones for people (for a fee sometimes) and I do not see a problem here. However, you may have to wait some time - several years before it is all back in good order. They intend to start in Baghdad & work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Mooney Posted 13 May , 2003 Share Posted 13 May , 2003 Pals, I just heard from my brother, who has a battalion stationed in Al Amara (he sent the photos of Al Kut for us to share) and he might be able to get photos much sooner than CWGC. He said the city of Amara is pretty devastated, but the people are VERY friendly to the Coalition forces, contrary to what some say. If you send me the names, I can see what I can do. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 13 May , 2003 Share Posted 13 May , 2003 Thanks Patrick, I've replied off forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 28 July , 2005 Share Posted 28 July , 2005 Wanted to bring this up in case anyone had gotten recent pictures. Also wondering if anyone (CWGC) has been able to get to the site. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lone piper Posted 10 June , 2006 Share Posted 10 June , 2006 The Lone Piper As part of my world wide war graves pilgrimages I took my pipes to Iraq in November 2003. The Foreign Office were no help - in fact I suspect they contacted Turkey and Kuwait in attepts to block my visa. Cut a long story short I managed. I attended the Remembrance Sunday Service at the Basra Memorial but 'my day' was the 11th November. At 11am. November the 11th. 2003 at the tiny border crossing at Abdali the 'parade' stood to attention. No 'brass, no clergy and certainly no politicians. Just a 70 year old Scouse piper, six British soldiers ,two Italians and a few Yanks standing around a wooden pallet on the sand. On that pallet were poppy markers in respect of the 54,000 casualties in Iraq in two world wars. The markers were in the shape of Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish tributes which reflected that at one time they stood together, fought together and died together - history. I have here all records of the 54,000 Iraq casualties and am willing to send FREE certificates to any who wish to have them......... My next pilgrimage is to clear the names of five Canadians accused of having been shot for mutiny in Wales but that's another story ....... Bill Jenkins Liverpool Terry, any chance do you think, of the CWGC photographing the stones as they are replaced. Access to these cemeteries has been non-existent for a considerable period, and this will no doubt continue for some time. I'll declare an interest here straight away - I've ten men I'm researching buried or commemorated in Iraq and I'd very much like photographs, spread across Amara, Basra Memorial, Basra Cemetery and Mosul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 10 June , 2006 Share Posted 10 June , 2006 Well done to you Bill. Two of my Chailey men are at Al Amara - Bernard Picton of the Connaught Rangers and Alan Herbert Mainwaring West of the 36th Sikhs. Do you have a photo of the cemetery that I could use on their pages of my website (properly credited of course)? Regards Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 10 June , 2006 Share Posted 10 June , 2006 Well done Bill. A magnificent personal effort in the cause of Remembrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 10 June , 2006 Share Posted 10 June , 2006 My next pilgrimage is to clear the names of five Canadians accused of having been shot for mutiny in Wales but that's another story ....... Kinmel? If so, not all of the 5 were mutineers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lone piper Posted 25 June , 2006 Share Posted 25 June , 2006 Kinmel? If so, not all of the 5 were mutineers. KINMEL PARK .... None were mutineers. They were simply five of the thousands of servicemen, policemen and civililians who downed tools and protested about the failure of 'the brass' in keeping their promises aboput a country fit for heros. I have all the relevent documents but above all a letter from The Canadian Department Of National Defence CONFIRMING that none of the five men who died that terrible day were shot for mutiny. In fact they all had a full military funeral as did the other 116 men and women casualties buried alongside them. Anyway having got the tour operators to change their stories I now have one more duty to perform. 11th Npvember 2006 - a Memoprial Service at Kinmen Park Camp ......... All are welcome Bill Jenkins Liverpool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lone piper Posted 25 June , 2006 Share Posted 25 June , 2006 Well done to you Bill. Two of my Chailey men are at Al Amara - Bernard Picton of the Connaught Rangers and Alan Herbert Mainwaring West of the 36th Sikhs. Do you have a photo of the cemetery that I could use on their pages of my website (properly credited of course)? Regards Paul Sorry. The only photos I have are of myself with a small gathering at the Ibdali border and one of myself sitting among the lads having an 'illegal' Fosters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 25 June , 2006 Share Posted 25 June , 2006 No worries Bill. Incidentally, I'm sorry I missed you when you were in Bangalore earlier this year. I've been in touch with Ronnie (you'll know who he is), on another matter and I saw from his website that you'd been to some of the cemeteries here. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bennett Posted 25 June , 2006 Share Posted 25 June , 2006 Pals, I just heard from my brother, who has a battalion stationed in Al Amara (he sent the photos of Al Kut for us to share) and he might be able to get photos much sooner than CWGC. He said the city of Amara is pretty devastated, but the people are VERY friendly to the Coalition forces, contrary to what some say. If you send me the names, I can see what I can do. Patrick If it is possible to get the one below I would be greatly indebted Name: CADY Initials: A Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Connaught Rangers Unit Text: 1st Bn. Date of Death: 10/07/1916 Service No: 6684 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: VII. D. 10. Cemetery: AMARA WAR CEMETERY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 26 June , 2006 Share Posted 26 June , 2006 Never one to miss an opportunity I am seeking headstone shots of the following :- BLACKLOCK, Alice May, TFNS, Basra War Cemetery, plot V.N.12 COMPTON, Florence D'Oyly, QAIMNS, Basra War Cemetery, plot I.G.12 FAITHFULL, Florence Mary, VAD, Basra War Cemetery, plot I.G.14 HOBBES, Narrelle, QAIMNS, Basra Memorial, panel 43 JONES, Beatrice Isabel, QAIMNS, Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, plot VIII.L.11 KEARNEY, I.M., QAIMNS, Basra War Cemetery, plot V.R.14 KEMP, Christina M. Fuller, QAIMNS, Basra War Cemetery, plot III.T.2 LAWRENCE, M.L., Labour Directorate, Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, plot VIII.K.3 ROBINSON, Elizabeth, TFNS, Basra War Cemetery, plot II.D.2 TINDALL, Fanny, QAIMNS, Basra War Cemetery, plot I.G.11 TREVETHAN, R., TFNS, Amara War Cemetery, plot XIV.A.30 WELFORD, Alice, QAIMNS, Basra War Cemetery, plot I.G.13 Four of these lie side by side and apparently died in a boating accident. I have yet to find out the details. But, please, no heroics in trying to get any of these. A photo is just a piece of card - a life is something precious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bloomfield Posted 26 June , 2006 Share Posted 26 June , 2006 There are no headstones at al Amarah. The soil here is so acidic/salty that the stones wore away. They were replaced many years ago with memorial screens around the walls, many have since been smashed or otherwise vandalised. The Cross of Rememberance was also damaged about six months ago. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 27 June , 2006 Share Posted 27 June , 2006 There are no headstones at al Amarah. The soil here is so acidic/salty that the stones wore away. They were replaced many years ago with memorial screens around the walls, many have since been smashed or otherwise vandalised. The Cross of Rememberance was also damaged about six months ago. Greg Thanks for the update, Greg. It is heartening that the CWGC is an everlasting organisation and that they will still be around when the turmoil eventually subsides, no matter how long it takes, to return the cemeteries and memorials back to a fit state. Take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montbrehain Posted 20 February , 2007 Share Posted 20 February , 2007 I know this is an old thread , but if anybody can help I would sure appreciate a picture (if theres anything to take a picture of ?) Of the headstone or name on a memorial of 203491 Pte Albert Bowers , Hampshire Regiment. Died 18-7-1917. Thank you "MO" P.S just read above there are no headstones ? so has anybody a general photo of whats left now ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bennett Posted 20 February , 2007 Share Posted 20 February , 2007 The headstones were removed in 1933, see CWGC details below. The CWGC may have photographed the panels in the past which they may now have on record. Cemetery: AMARA WAR CEMETERY Country: Iraq Locality: unspecified Location Information: Amara is a town on the left bank of the Tigris some 520 kilometres from the sea. The War Cemetery is a little east of the town between the left bank of the river and the Chahaila Canal. Historical Information: Amara was occupied by the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force on 3 June 1915 and it immediately became a hospital centre. The accommodation for medical units on both banks of the Tigris was greatly increased during 1916 and in April 1917, seven general hospitals and some smaller units were stationed there. Amara War Cemetery contains 4,621 burials of the First World War, more than 3,000 of which were brought into the cemetery after the Armistice. 925 of the graves are unidentified. In 1933, all of the headstones were removed from this cemetery when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. Instead a screen wall was erected with the names of those buried in the cemetery engraved upon it. Plot XXV is a Collective Grave, the individual burial places within this are not known. There are also seven non-war graves in the cemetery. No. of Identified Casualties: 3703 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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