Basra Memorial

[Dave_59]

Are men listed on the Basra war Memorial if they have a known grave?

thanks

dave

[Terry Denham]

Dave

The answer is No.

Each casualty can have only one official commemoration - preferably a name on a headstone over the grave. If no grave is known or the person has been cremated, the name goes on an official memorial. Those whose bodies were found but have been 'lost' subsequently are usually remembered on Special Memorial headstones.

You will find on a few odd occasions instances where both a headstone and a memorial name exist due to an error (or even two memorial names). When these are discovered, the memorial name is deleted in due course. This can take many years as names are now only removed when panels need replacement to save cost.

However, the records are amended immediately and so the man still only has one official commemoration - the stonework catches up later - sometimes much later!

There is one exception to this rule and that is a WW2 example where a man's body is buried in two different locations - part in each. When this was discovered the n-o-k asked for matters to remain as they were so he now has two official headstones and two entries in the Debt of Hobnour database.

[Dave_59]

Thanks Terry

Dave

[Ed Matthews]

Apologies for hijacking this thread.....but is there anyway that I might be able to obtain a photograph of the headstone of a relative who is buried in Amara War Cemetery? Clearly, the current situation in Iraq would make such a request difficult to say the least!

As a matter of interest, his details are:

Private 27251 Herbert Thomas BARTLETT, 7th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.

Killed in Action, 10 February 1917. Buried Amara War Cemetery [XXIX B. 1/40]

I'd also be interested to hear from anyone with an interest in the 7th Gloucesters or the activities of the 13th Division in Mespot.

Many thanks

Ed