IFCP Update

[Terry Denham]

Even though the volunteers of IFCP get regular updates and snippets of news affecting the In From The Cold Project on a regular basis, there are several members of GWF not so directly involved who are interested in the work of the team. So here is what is currently happening.

Since solving the funding issue, IFCP has moved to another level and is now well and truely 'under way'. John and the expanded team of volunteers are making real headway with the checking of the GRO lists. At this point, I have to compliment GRO in the way that they have risen to this challenge and have reorganised to assist us in clearing our 850 or so backlog of possible names.

So far about 180 cases have gone forward with many more in the pipeline. I expect to clear the backlog by the end of May and then everyone can settle down to a more normal routine. CWGC and MoD are also working at full stretch to cope with the backlog.

On Thursday, MoD accepted the first batch of 29 cases submitted by IFCP funded by their grant. They will be announced on GWF in the normal way when they complete the process and are added to CWGC's Debt of Honour. That batch takes care of the majority of the in-service deaths in the UK found so far. Apart from a few stragglers and any future finds, all cases from now on will be casualties who died overseas. A large number of UK deaths had already been submitted and accepted previously and the 29 represented names in the second half of the alphabet.

April has been very hectic for the Project and May will be no different but seeing the names now being accepted in substantial numbers makes all the work worthwhile.

The IFCP website is still under construction but is reaching its later stages now and will be 'live' shortly. This will give the latest news etc as well as other related information. It will cover both wars though the vast majority of the Project's work relates to WW1. The cost of the website, as with all other non-death certificate costs, is being met out of our own pockets as our grant can only be used for the purchase of certificates.

Most importantly, I want to publically thank John Hartley and the fifty or so volunteers for their continued support and dedication. It is their work that is ensuring these men and women will not be forgotten.