France(1914-1918) Memorial

[Wesley Wright]

Men who have been recently added to CWGC data base for first time are being commemorated here--Why? Surely they should have been added to Memorials in France?

Wesley Wright

[chrisharley9]

Please see here

Chris

[Wesley Wright]

Please see here

Chris

Thanks Chris. Still think that if Thiepval can have extra panels, then so can others in the majority of cases.

Wesley Wright

[Wesley Wright]

STEVENSON, ERNESTInitials:ENationality:United KingdomRank:RiflemanRegiment/Service:Royal Irish RiflesUnit Text:13th Bn.Age:20Date of Death:01/07/1916Service No:6014Casualty Type:Commonwealth War DeadMemorial:FRANCE (1914-1918) MEMORIAL

This man should be on Thiepval Memorial--13th Royal Irish Rifles were part of 36th Ulster Division who took part in attack on Thiepval on 1st July 1916.

Wesley Wright

[chrisharley9]

Wesley

please PM Terry Denham with this

Chris

[Wesley Wright]

Wesley

please PM Terry Denham with this

Chris

chris--this is copy of reply I received from Cwgc.

Dear Mr Wright,[/font] Thank you for your e-mail of 17 May, 2010, concerning the details we hold on Rifleman Ernest Stevenson, who died during the First World War. Information on individual casualties was passed to the Commission by the Service Authorities after both world wars. In this particular instance, we were never informed that Rifleman Ernest Stevenson died during the First World War. This oversight was brought to our attention by a researcher, in November 2009. When the Commission's war memorials were designed and built, it would have been difficult to imagine names still being added to them, so many years after the War. This being the case, many of the Commission's memorials have insufficient room to add further names to them. The decision was, therefore, made to add their names to our database and internet site, as being commemorated on the virtual 'France (1914 - 1918) Memorial'. This will remain the case, until a permanent memorial can be built, to commemorate such casualties, in France. I hope this e-mail has helped to explain why we have Rifleman Ernest Stevenson listed in such a way

Kind regards,

Jackie Withers (Mrs)Enquiries SectionHead OfficeCommonwealth War Graves Commission2 Marlow Road

I have appealed again that this soldier should be commerated with his comrades in the 36th (Ulster) Division on Thiepval Memorial, and

died on 1st July 1916.

Wesley Wright

[chrisharley9]

Wesley

thanks for the update

Chris

[Wesley Wright]

Wesley

thanks for the update

Chris

I was under the impression that Thiepval Memorial was still available for names to be added.?

This is the reply I received from CWGC to-day.

Dear Mr Wright,[/font] I am writing in connection with our e-mail correspondence, resting with your e-mail of yesterday's date, regarding the above-mentioned war casualty. You mention that you have been 'led to believe' that there is room for his name to be added to the Thiepval Memorial. As this is not the case, we would be very interested to hear who informed you of this, as we would not want the public to be misled, in any way. We have highly-experienced Works staff, who have examined the Memorials in great detail, and their expert judgement has led to the decision being made regarding having an interim virtual war memorial. As mentioned in my earlier e-mail, this will remain the case, until a more permanent solution can be made, to commemorate such casualties. I can truly appreciate your concerns in wanting his name to appear on the Thiepval Memorial, along with his comrades from the 13th Royal Irish Rifles. However, we have a duty of care to commemorate those members of the Commonwealth forces who lost their lives in either of the two world wars, and this is the only way possible, at this time. Kind regards, Jackie Withers (Mrs)Enquiries SectionHead OfficeCommonwealth War Graves Commission2 Marlow RoadMaidenheadBerkshire EnglandSL6 7DX

[chrisharley9]

Wesley

best for Terry Denham to comment

Chris

[Wesley Wright]

Wesley

best for Terry Denham to comment

Chris

Thanks Chris for your interest. I hope Terry "picks up" on this thread.

Wesley Wright

[Terry Denham]

I don't quite get the drift here.

CWGC has taken the decision that the majority of memorials in France are basically 'full up' and that new addenda panels cannot be added without adversly affecting the architectural integrity of the existing memorials. Therefore new names will be added to a new memorial (once all the permissions have been obtained). This seems an eminently sensible decision to me.

The one exception is Thiepval where a plan has been devised to added further space within the design of the structure which is deemed fitting and within the architectural plan.

This is as explained to me by CWGC and I cannot see a problem with this. Or have I missed the beginning of this conversation?

[Terry Denham]

Having re-read the above, I can now see why Wesley is confused.

I suspect that the responder to his enquiry has not been 'filled in' with the full plan - or the plan has changed in the last couple of weeks.

I have asked for clarification.

[bruce]

Many men are currently commemorated on memorials some distance from where they must have died.

I seem to remember that there are "spare" panels upon which addenda could be added at both Thiepval and at Tyne Cot. As a result, it should be possible to add names of those known to have died in France to one, and those known to have died in Belgium to the other.

Or am I missing something?

Bruce

[Terry Denham]

Bruce

There is only one spare addenda panel at Thiepval and there are already enough names waiting to fill this. Therefore more panels are needed to bear the remainder and to provide for the future. Hence the description of the plan to provide more space at Thiepval and to build the new memorial for those from elsewhere in France. At least that was the plan described to me by a senior CWGC manager a few weeks ago - the direct opposite of what is being said in the email Wesley received.

Belgium is not affected as there is sufficient room on the three large memorials there for foreseeable future.

Your comment about names being commemorated at a distance is quite correct. There are several memorials to the missing which fulfill their function at a distance from the place of death - sometimes by many thousands of miles.

[Wesley Wright]

Having re-read the above, I can now see why Wesley is confused.

I suspect that the responder to his enquiry has not been 'filled in' with the full plan - or the plan has changed in the last couple of weeks.

I have asked for clarification.

Thanks for reply--I hope that clarification will sort out if Thiepval can be added to or not.

Wesley Wright

[Terry Denham]

I have received the clarification I requested and the answer is that everyone was right at some point!

The plan was initially to add all new names in France where space was unavailable on existing addenda panels to the new memorial (site yet to be determined). No new panels would be added to existing memorials so as to maintain their architectural integrity etc. This affected all memorials in France except Thiepval where eight new panels are due to be added.

However, it has been found since that there are already sufficient names in hand to fill the new panels at Thiepval (no new names have been added for several years now) and so, from now onwards, it will also be regarded as 'full up'. This info did not feature in the earlier explanation suppled by CWGC to myself some weeks ago as it was probably not known at that time.

I hope this clarifies the situation for everyone. Apologies for the inadvertantly less-than-complete explanation at first.

[Wesley Wright]

I have received the clarification I requested and the answer is that everyone was right at some point!

The plan was initially to add all new names in France where space was unavailable on existing addenda panels to the new memorial (site yet to be determined). No new panels would be added to existing memorials so as to maintain their architectural integrity etc. This affected all memorials in France except Thiepval where eight new panels are due to be added.

However, it has been found since that there are already sufficient names in hand to fill the new panels at Thiepval (no new names have been added for several years now) and so, from now onwards, it will also be regarded as 'full up'. This info did not feature in the earlier explanation suppled by CWGC to myself some weeks ago as it was probably not known at that time.

I hope this clarifies the situation for everyone. Apologies for the inadvertantly less-than-complete explanation at first.

Thanks for the clarification--I have had 3 soldiers added to Thiepval Memorial in the past two years--but only on the database--their names have not yet been added to the new panel.

Wesley Wright

[bruce]

Many thanks, Terry.

Invaluable assistance, as ever......

Bruce

[tootrock]

I have just noticed this thread, and I wondered how many new names will be added to the Thiepval Memorial when the 8 new panels are added.

Martin

[Mark Stevenson]

Hi, I've only just found out about this website through a friend doing some family history for me. Happily she sent me the link to here as I've only just started researching the death of my great uncle, Ernest Stevenson. I know some info about him but has no idea his name was missing from Thiepval. Thank you for getting him properly remembered.

 

Mark Stevenson

[ss002d6252]

4 minutes ago, Mark Stevenson said:

Hi, I've only just found out about this website through a friend doing some family history for me. Happily she sent me the link to here as I've only just started researching the death of my great uncle, Ernest Stevenson. I know some info about him but has no idea his name was missing from Thiepval. Thank you for getting him properly remembered.

 

Mark Stevenson

Welcome aboard.

If you want to try and find out more about his service, I would suggest you open a new topic and we'll see what we can come up with.

Craig

[Mark Stevenson]

Absolutely, I've no idea how to do that

[chaz]

Mark

go to the home page then the next  line down is 

Serving in the Great War

1. Soldiers and their units

   click on the Soldiers and their units , this will open up a list of all those topics related to the subject line. on the right hand side you will see a blue box

   CREATE NEW TOPIC

   fill in the Title...with his name and regiment

   then in the next big box , add any info you have.

   name,regiment, serial number, dates of any info you have like died or killed in action, where he was from and or any names associated, family.

    

   it was not uncommon for the old boys not to want to talk about their times in the trenches , so unless they wrote diaries or letters home, not much may be known.

[Mark Stevenson]

Brilliant, thanks. I'm on the case.