Died enteric fever in India - but is there a grave?

[peter4447]

268381 Private Herry Robert May. 2/6th Bn Devonshire Regiment.

In a Newspaper report which I have it states that the parents of Private May were informed that he died of enteric fever at a Military hospital in India on the 20th September 1917. When checking the CWGC record it states that he died on the same date and that his name is recorded on Face 4 of the Kirkee 1914-18 Memorial. Can anyone explain please why there is no grave listed?

Many thanks

Peter

[SteveE]

checking the CWGC record it states that he died on the same date and that his name is recorded on Face 4 of the Kirkee 1914-18 Memorial. Can anyone explain please why there is no grave listed?

Peter

The CWGC historical detail for the Kirkee 1914-18 Memorial pretty much says it all.....

The KIRKEE MEMORIAL commemorates more than 1,800 servicemen who died in India during the First World War, who are buried in civil and cantonment cemeteries in India and Pakistan* where their graves can no longer be properly maintained. This total includes the names of 629 servicemen whose remains were brought from Bombay (Sewri) Cemetery for re-interment here in 1960. On the same memorial are commemorated almost 200 East and West African servicemen who died in non-operational zones in India in the Second World War, and whose graves either cannot be located or are so situated that maintenance is not possible. The memorial stands within KIRKEE WAR CEMETERY, which was created to receive Second World War graves from the western and central parts of India where their permanent maintenance could not be assured. The cemetery contains 1668 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. * Ahmadabad Cantonment Cemetery; Ahmednagar Government Cemetery; Ajmer New Cemetery; Ajmer Roman Catholic Cemetery; Alibag Cemetery; Ambala Cantonment Cemetery; Amritsar Cantonment Cemetery; Bakloh Cemetery; Belgaum Government Cemetery; Bhusawal Cemetery; Bina Cemetery; Bombay (Sewri) Cemetery; Dagshai Cemetery; Dalhousie Civil Cemetery; Dalhousie Military Cemetery; Darekasa Cemetery; Deesa Cantonment Cemetery; Deolali Government Cemetery; Deoli Cemetery; Dhamangaon Cemetery; Erinpura New Cemetery; Ferozepore Military Cemetery; Hoshiarpur (Christ Church) Churchyard; Igatpuri Cemetery; Indore New Cemetery; Jubbulpore Cantonment Cemetery; Jullundur Cantonment Cemetery; Jutogh New Cemetery; Kalka Cemetery; Kamptee Cemetery; Kamptee Roman Catholic Cemetery; Kasauli Cemetery; Khandwa Cemetery; Kirkee New Cemetery; Mhow New Cemetery; Mount Abu Cemetery; Nagpur (Talki) Cemetery; Nasirabad Government Cemetery; Neemuch Cemetery; Nowgong No 60 New Cemetery; Pachmari Cemetery; Palampur Churchyard; Poona (St Sepulchre's) Cemetery; Purandhar Cemetery; Ratlan (BB&CI Railway) European Cemetery; Sabathu Cemetery; Sanjauli Cemetery, Simla; Simla Old Cemetery; Solon Cemetery.

Regards

Steve

[kenf48]

Have you read

http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_detail...6500&mode=1

i.e. the grave can no longer be maintained

Ken

EDIT we crossed you need to search on the cemetery box on the CWGC search page or the red link on the casualty listing

[peter4447]

Steve/Ken

Many thanks for your kind assistance. I'm afraid I just couldn't understand why if he had died in Hospital there was no grave - obviously there was a very simple explanation but I found myself going round in ever decreasing circles!

Thanks for pointing me so swiftly in the right direction.

Kind regards

Peter

[izzy]

In Liverpool Library they have the original WW1 copies of the burial registers printed in the 1920's which mention every cemetery in India and every serviceman named in them. After the partion of India the C.W.G.C decided not to maintain every cemetery but instead place every name on a memorial so that the names would be commemorated. Why not contact the C.W.G.C and ask them where his original place of burial is. I read a couple of years ago in the BACSA magazine that all these lost graves were going to be checked on and if possible to be maintained.

[peter4447]

Many thanks Izzy - I will certainly be following up your excellent suggestion.

Kind regards

Peter

[izzy]

Peter most of the city Libaries may have copies of the registers in there archives. By using the method i mentioned i have found the burial places of 2 local servicemen who would otherwise just be mentioned on the memorials in India. One of the graves still has a headstone and the inscription is ledgeable The other grave is not maintained as it is in a small cemetery next to a hill fort.

[healdav]

There is a lady - I met her once about 20 years ago - who, as a full time job is recording all the names on gravestones in every cemetery in India (i.e. from the time of the early Raj onwards). Shmay have more info.

I forget her name - Sue something -, but she probably has a website now.

[Sue Light]

FIBIS have quite a few cemetery transcriptions on their website now - perhaps not what you're looking for, but worth a browse:

Families in British India Society

Sue

[themonsstar]

This is from the Medal roll for his BWM.

[peter4447]

Many thanks indeed for the new leads which I am following up.

Regards to all

Peter