CWGC Burials in France this week

[mandy hall]

This may have been posted elsewhere, but can't see on a quick search.

The CWGC have a busy week.

Forthcoming Burials

19 August 2013

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence has scheduled a number of burials and a rededication ceremony for the week commencing 19 August. Members of the public are welcome to attend and the details of the various ceremonies follows. Please note that all times are local..

20 AUGUST

12.00 - burial 1 unknown soldier of the Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) at Vendresse British Cemetery.

14.00 - Rededication service for Sergeant Maidment 2/4 Battalion Hampshire Regt at Marfaux British Cemetery.

21 AUGUST

10.00 - burial 1 unknown soldier at Fifteen Ravine British Cemetery, Villers-Plouich

13.00 - burial 1 unknown soldier at Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz.

22 AUGUST

10.00 - burial 1 unknown soldier of the Argyll and Sutherland Regiment and 1 unknown soldier Woburn Abbey Cemetery, Cuinchy.

Mandy

[Seadog]

The CWGC will be even busier shortly as the MOD intends to release at least 60 sets of remains to the CWGC for burial, these having been stored by the CWGC since at least 2009 and maybe even earlier. This figure does not include the BL15 for which ID investigation is ongoing or indeed any further "finds" that have taken place since the news of the outstanding 60 was gleaned from the CWGC. Please note that the announcement is dated 19th August with the first burial taking place on the 20th August yet the CWGC must have known about these arrangements for weeks.

Norman

[bruce]

Is there any way of finding out about any planned burials for the first week in September?

Bruce

[keithmroberts]

Perhaps a direct enquiry to the commission? They only posted the latest announcement on their website on the 19th apparently, which does not allow much time. I note that the actual burials are arranged by MOD, so we should not necessarily hold the commission responsible for the short notice.

Keith

[mandy hall]

May be an email to CWGC, from the contact us tab on their web site homepage.

I only spotted these announcements when going on to the website today to look for something else. Don't know how long the announcement has been there.

I might also be interested in September burials, as I will be travelling through France to Italy.

mandy

[Seadog]

Mandy the announcement is dated 19/08/2013 as indeed you have quoted. The problem is that the time is so short that anyone wishing to attend any of these burials etc will not be able to. I say again the arrangements for such events take time to put in place so why was the announcement made so late, is it just through incompetence on the part of the CWGC or is there more to it than meets the eye at this time?.

Norman

[mandy hall]

Didn't notice the date when first posted, but checked back after cross posting with Keith.

The date of Maidment's rededication has been known for a while, I believe.

http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-people/brothers-arms/3208-leonard-maidment-a-casualty-of-marfaux.html

Mandy

[River97]

is it just through incompetence on the part of the CWGC or is there more to it than meets the eye at this time?.

Norman

Um, I don't know what to say to a comment like that. Norman, I don't suffer fools either, but if you think you can do a better job, give it a crack. I understand why you are frustrated with the 'system', but I don't think this justifies you tarnishing this wonderful organisation.

The time frame may be short, but for those of us who live on the other side of the world, I would give my eye teeth to attend one of these.

Cheers, Andy.

[Seadog]

Mandy (Post 7) the CWGC is the accepted official source of upcoming events in their war cemeteries including burials and rededications etc and there is nothing whatsoever I believe previously posted on their web site detailing the actual date of the rededication you refer to.

Andy bearing in mind my reply to Mandy just what do you attribute the lateness of the announcement by the CWGC? I would be very interested to know.

Norman

[horatio2]

No conspiracy, I think. After all, as Norman never ceases to point out, the heartless incompetents employed in the MOD and CWGC, and who are charged with responsibility for these matters, could not organize a conspiracy if they tried.

[Peter Bennett]

Does anyone know the circumstances of Serjeant Maidment ?

Rededication service for Sergeant Maidment 2/4 Battalion Hampshire Regt at Marfaux British Cemetery.

[spof]

Peter

Follow the WFA link in this thread http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=197907&hl=maidment

Glen

[Seadog]

The WFA link in Post 7 gives full details although I see that the CWGC headstone is to be inscribed as "Believed to be" Sergeant Maidment. I have not heard of such a rededication where the headstone will include this caveat happening before but perhaps other members have known such a ceremony.

Norman

[Seadog]

Perhaps a direct enquiry to the commission? They only posted the latest announcement on their website on the 19th apparently, which does not allow much time. I note that the actual burials are arranged by MOD, so we should not necessarily hold the commission responsible for the short notice.

Keith

Keith I understand your attitude to the CWGC in this matter but let us look at the facts, the MOD will release in the administration sense the remains for of course these are already in the possession of the CWGC no doubt at Arras, The graves will have to be dug and the headstones produced and placed in-situ, in all cases a Padre will be invited to attend and in the case of the soldier identified by regiment no doubt representatives of that regiment will be invited to attend plus the RBL who display their Standard at these occasions. I am ignoring for the sake of argument the rededication for which there must have been many more arrangements to be made. Given all of this plus the fact that it is the responsibility of the CWGC to publish these events then what are the CWGC thinking when they inform the public just one day before the first event is to take place, it just doesn’t make sense,

Norman

[Dragon]

The WFA link in Post 7 gives full details although I see that the CWGC headstone is to be inscribed as "Believed to be" Sergeant Maidment. I have not heard of such a rededication where the headstone will include this caveat happening before ...

The WFA article linked from post 7 actually says, '... (The new headstone does not in fact carry the caveat "believed to be")'.

Gwyn

[Seadog]

How strange, the JCCC stating that the headstone will be marked as “believed to be” and then “confirmation from the SPVA” that it will not be so marked, what is going on here I suppose the actual wording will be confirmed at the rededication. The SPVA quote is missing from the WFA Flickr set on Sjt Maidment.

Norman

[Dragon]

Doesn't 'Confirmation from the SPVA' simply describe the image and credit it, ie say that it is SPVA's confirmation letter via the JCCC?

Then, separately, in brackets,'(The new headstone does not in fact carry the caveat "believed to be")' means that despite what they said in 2009, in fact the phrase won't be there.

[Seadog]

That part of the article is a trifle confusing, but I would be more concerned that the SPVA has overturned the decision of the JCCC who after all are the department responsible for these matters who had clearly stated that the caveat would be included on the new headstone.

Anyway that is how I read it!

Norman

[Dragon]

Well, I suppose they've all had four years to think about it. I don't myself think it's confusing but I suppose it might have been clearer to put the sentence in brackets on a new line.

[BillyH]

No conspiracy, I think. After all, as Norman never ceases to point out, the heartless incompetents employed in the MOD and CWGC, and who are charged with responsibility for these matters, could not organize a conspiracy if they tried.

I'll second that Horatio!

There is no point in asking CWGC about any September burials either. Although they always answer eventually all you will get initially is an automated reply saying how busy they are and that it will be about 6 weeks before anyone can look at it - by which time it will be October.

BillyH.

[glosterman]

That part of the article is a trifle confusing, but I would be more concerned that the SPVA has overturned the decision of the JCCC who after all are the department responsible for these matters who had clearly stated that the caveat would be included on the new headstone.

Anyway that is how I read it!

Norman

I believe the JCCC is part of the SPVA

My reading of the footnote is that sometime between the response being sent and now someone, somewhere changed there mind or there was further correspondence / evidence,

Kevin

[JimSmithson]

I was at Vendresse about 2 weeks ago and a site was prepared for a burial. I looked on the CWGC site when I returned and nothing was mentioned - why? I just do not understand the public face of the Commission sometimes. The VdK in Germany keep everybody informed on their website about everything that is going on and given the work of reburials in the East that is a massive undertaking.

Jim

[David_Blanchard]

The CWGC Facebook page has posted a number of photographs from these ceremonies.

[Seadog]

Thanks David can you post a link please, I am not a member of FB

Norman

[mandy hall]

Click on the Facebook symbol on the CWGC homepage Norman, I am not a member either but I can see the photos and comments.

Mandy