Kemmel Chateau

[Max]

On Tuesday I was having a look around Kemmel Chateau cemetery. I checked out the register and was appalled at what I found. Some to***r had marked next to several names the word deserter. I find this appalling, what these men are is dead. Why someone finds the need to mark registers in this way is completely beyond me and quite spoiled my visit to the cemetery. Has anyone else come across this type of behaviour?

Andy

[Hedley Malloch]

I came across a comment in one register recently that Army had stopped the b*******s in the Flanders Fields in 1914 only for the British Government to let them inthrough the back door today.

I took this as a reference to the present Government's immigration policies.

Kemmel Chateau - are there any SAD cases there?

[paul guthrie]

I once took an elderly Australian to this cemetery to see the grave of a relative.

No, have never seen this.

Looks like my reason for your absence from the forum was wrong- this time!

[Paul Reed]

I have seen this a lot over the years; mainly done by people who seem to support the SAD cause it seems. Whether that is true in this case I have no idea. One individual in the 1980s actually went round painting in the names on the headstones of those executed - until he was finally caught by CWGC. What they did to him, I don't know.

[Ken Lees]

Cemeteries are, by their very nature, emotive places. I have seen many comments that have made me very angry, but mostly because I disagree strongly with the writer's view, or the way the sentiments have been expressed. Often these comments are written by people who have no real understanding of what they are writing.

Perhaps it is lucky that we read and write our thoughts privately in the registers - a CWGC cemetery is not the place for heated debate.

Whatever the issue, there isn't a man in any CWGC cemetery who doesn't have my respect and I honour them all when I visit.

Ken

[Joris Ryckeboer]

I agree, Ken!

I even saw once a swatiska drawn in a register with an ugly text! What a pity!

But mostly I pity them who wrote such things, because I'm sure they didn't know what they wrote!

Joris

[spike10764]

I feel kind of sorry for these people(not sorry in a aww poor things way-more of a -you sad individual). They can form their opinions in the recesses of their own minds- but to feel the need to insult those who can't argue back makes them pretty poor human beings.

I'm thankful that I and the members of this forum are better informed than the writers of such and form our opinions quietly and with dignity, and I use that knowledge, to pity them.....

[PhilB]

Hedley, there are 2 SAD men in Kemmel Chateau cemetery, according to Putkowski & Sykes.

A/6730 Pte S.Stewart 2RSF, 29/8/17 desertion.

52929 Pte J.C.Smith 17 Kings 5/9/17 desertion & disobedience. From Bolton.

Stewart`s case was raised in parliament by Philip Snowden MP. He had landed in France 10/11/14, received a blighty a month later and was invalided home with shellshock, being subsequently returned to front line service. At his trial he told how he feared enemy gunfire and he stated that for four years he had been resident in a lunatic asylum. Apparently he was not medically examined and had no history of previous offences. He was aged 21. The inscription on his grave reads "Fondly remembered by a sorrowing mother".

Phil B

[Chris_Baker]

The only seriously offensive entries that I have ever seen in visitors books have been where the commentators - never signatories, of course - took it upon themselves to fill in several pages, and delete or deface other people's comments. The commentators were in every case trying to make a point about executed men. The commentators had also taken it upon themselves to similarly deface the cemetery registers.

I can remember seeing this in Poperinge and Kemmel Chateau, and one other place I cannot for the life of me remember, on several occasions over a number of years.

(I ignore of course the all too regular "silly" comments that are left - be happy - hello from Scarborough - cool - have a nice day - type comments which I also find disrespectful, but given that many are obviously written by children I can forgive).

[petrick]

It seems to me that funny enough these appaling entries are made by people with no life expirience wath so ever. Have never had to wittness any pain ore sorrow of their beloved (if they have any?) What's more they haven't any empathy for others, how historical correct they may be. Poor poor soules to have to leave their mark like this.

But then again i hope they never have to expierience even a second of what these ,to early in their live cut down men had to go through.

Maybe someday they to will utter the words "we will remember them"

[Guest Brummy]

On Tuesday I was having a look around Kemmel Chateau cemetery. I checked out the register and was appalled at what I found. Some to***r had marked next to several names the word deserter. I find this appalling, what these men are is dead. Why someone finds the need to mark registers in this way is completely beyond me and quite spoiled my visit to the cemetery. Has anyone else come across this type of behaviour?

Andy

Hi Andy,

I visited Kemmel Chateau today (14th May) and saw the defacements in the cemetery register. I also saw that cemetery maintainence had taken place, iether today or yesterday, which means that the register should have been inspected, the defacement reported and a new one should be printed and be in place probabley within the next couple of weeks. I do not know if this is any compensation but vigilent staff make this kind of petty vandalisme pointless, as it will only be there for a very short time.

Brum

[Max]

Hello Brum

Thanks for that. It certainly does make me feel better. The more I have thought about this the angrier I have been getting. You describe the actions of this moron perfectly, "vandalism".

Andy