There's no reason why it should be unusual, but is it?

[NigelS]

I Came across this grave in a local churchyard for 50307 Private DT Millard, of the Devonshire Regiment (CwGC gives 16th Bn) died 15th October 1918. as you might be able to read, his sister has been interred in the same grave with the incription "Also his sister Annie 12th October 1971, age 79 Together again" added at the base of the gravestone. Apart from being rather touched that the siblings were reunited after 53 years, and, although it's no different to family members being buried in the same or adjacent plots in their local graveyard (the family appear on the 1901 census as residents of that parish), I wondered whether it is unusual for other family members to be buried in a soldier's grave with their details added to the gravestone in this way, and how many similar examples there might be.

Private Millards MIC gives no indication of DOW or mention of his death, so I suspect he may have died of natural causes, (Spanish flu possibly), or some other reason not directly linked to his war service.

NigelS

[spoons]

I have seen the odd one or two with a further burial. This 16 year old has his father and mother added (I think), this is from Annan Cemetery.

I am sure I have seen one with his wife added as well.

\Spoons

[truthergw]

Looking at the dates, he would have been buried in his father's grave. Very sad.

[Terry Denham]

It is not unusual at all and there are many examples in the UK.

No relative can be buried in a CWGC owned grave but in the UK a large proportion of the graves are privately owned and CWGC could not prevent such burials. They agree to having the later name added at the bottom of the CWGC headstone but the relatives pay the cost.

[Andrew Upton]

It is not unusual at all and there are many examples in the UK.

No relative can be buried in a CWGC owned grave but in the UK a large proportion of the graves are privately owned and CWGC could not prevent such burials. They agree to having the later name added at the bottom of the CWGC headstone but the relatives pay the cost.

Just out of curiousity, what would happen in the case of a stone with later markings added being damaged and requiring replacement? Would it be supplied with just the official text, or with the additional text already in place, and if the latter would the CWGC seek to be reimbursed for this extra text?

[NigelS]

Thanks for the responses. The opposite, I'm told, applies to my grandfather (he has no known grave) with a memorial text being included on my grandmother's Grave.

As a matter of interest, do the CWGC allow the ashes of cremated close family members to be scattered on a war grave?

[Terry Denham]

Andrew

I do not believe a second charge would be made in that circumstance. As a matter of fact, CWGC does not usually do the secondary engraving and so do not actually charge in the first place. The examples I know were organised by the relatives after getting clearance from CWGC and so the charge is from a stonemason. Sometimes the secondary inscription can be in a slightly different typeface through error. Obviously, if CWGC has to produce a replacement stone, it is done at their workshops in Beaurains and will be totally standard.

Nigel

Ashes are scattered in the UK as many graves are private property and CWGC has no say in the matter. On their own graves, CWGC does permit the scattering or burying of ashes on occasions but, in reality, it often happens without their knowledge.

[NigelS]

Thanks Terry. I rather thought that that might be the case and can imagine a blind eye being turned even if it is noticed.

[Andrew Upton]

Andrew

I do not believe a second charge would be made in that circumstance. As a matter of fact, CWGC does not usually do the secondary engraving and so do not actually charge in the first place. The examples I know were organised by the relatives after getting clearance from CWGC and so the charge is from a stonemason. Sometimes the secondary inscription can be in a slightly different typeface through error. Obviously, if CWGC has to produce a replacement stone, it is done at their workshops in Beaurains and will be totally standard.

Thanks Terry, I thought that might be the case - it just seems a shame that should such a stone require replacement, unless there is some family still in existence to pay for the same additional inscription to be added again to the replacement, it is possible for one persons name to continue to be marked but not another...

[NigelS]

I've been looking at the readily available online records for Private Millard and have found that although his details are on the CWGC & Soldier died in the Great War (findmypast.com) his death is not recorded in the GRO Index to deaths 1914-21 Army: other ranks. The death of a DT Millard aged 27 is recorded in the GRO index of deaths Oct-Dec 1918 which seems like a reasonably good fit (the 1901 census gives he was 9 years old then) but the death is recorded at Fylde (Lancashire) some considerable distance from Surrey. If this DT Millard - a big if, maybe - is the same one that is buried in Send churchyard is it likely that the authorities would have returned his body to Send from Fylde? from the address and occupations given in the census I think its unlikely that the family could have afforded to so themselves and I would have expected a burial local to Fylde. As I mentioned previously his MIC gives no mention of his death. Any thoughts as to why he appears in Soldiers died in the Great War and on CWGC but not in the deaths 1914-21 Army: other ranks? If a soldiers death is recorded in the "civilian" quarterly record does that automatically rule it out from appearing in the 1914-21 Army index (and vice a versa) - I can't see any reason why it should as these are, after all, just indexes?

[Greyhound]

I do not believe a second charge would be made in that circumstance. As a matter of fact, CWGC does not usually do the secondary engraving and so do not actually charge in the first place. The examples I know were organised by the relatives after getting clearance from CWGC and so the charge is from a stonemason. Sometimes the secondary inscription can be in a slightly different typeface through error. Obviously, if CWGC has to produce a replacement stone, it is done at their workshops in Beaurains and will be totally standard.

Thanks Terry, I thought that might be the case - it just seems a shame that should such a stone require replacement, unless there is some family still in existence to pay for the same additional inscription to be added again to the replacement, it is possible for one persons name to continue to be marked but not another...

Andrew - I thought Terry meant that the whole inscription would be done in the standard typeface. But I may have misunderstood, of course.

[Terry Denham]

I did mean that the whole inscription would be re-done.

[Andrew Upton]

I did mean that the whole inscription would be re-done.

Oh right, I took totally standard to mean no extra information, rather than it all now being matching! Thanks Terry!

[Scalyback]

Added this here rather than the other thread as near to what I want to discuss.

Found a CWGC headstone and someone has added very badly another person, IE crude chisel marks plus permanent marker. I first I thought it was mindless vandalism(it is) with no purpose, but to DIY appears wrong. Report this or leave dogs lie?

[sueburden]

My grandfather died in 1921 and was buried in an unmarked grave. His 3 year old daughter died 2 years later and was buried in the same grave. He was commemorated a few years ago with the help of the IFTC project. The CWGC allowed mention of his daughter on the stone.

Sue

[Andy Wade]

My grandfather died in 1921 and was buried in an unmarked grave. His 3 year old daughter died 2 years later and was buried in the same grave. He was commemorated a few years ago with the help of the IFTC project. The CWGC allowed mention of his daughter on the stone.

Sue

That's almost exactly what happened with our case for Private Herbert Moore, apart from his daughter having died before him:

Private Herbert Moore

[The Scorer]

Added this here rather than the other thread as near to what I want to discuss.

Found a CWGC headstone and someone has added very badly another person, IE crude chisel marks plus permanent marker. I first I thought it was mindless vandalism(it is) with no purpose, but to DIY appears wrong. Report this or leave dogs lie?

I would definitely report it.

[Scalyback]

I would definitely report it.

Will get onto it, have the photographs ready.