Very ordinary headstone at Esquelbecq Cemetery

[tumbi1]

Hello all,

does anyone know anything about this headstone I found in Esquelbecq Cemetery? It is alone in the corner and looks to be very old, and yet it was never replaced with one of the 'standard' type headstones. PB/18142 Bej Nath Royal Artillery, 5th May 1918.

Cheers,

Mark.

[CGM]

From CWGC

BEJ NATH

Rank: Driver

Service No: PB/18142

Date of Death: 05/05/1918

Regiment/Service: Indian Royal Artillery

(Belgaum)

Grave Reference Indian Plot. A1.

Cemetery: ESQUELBECQ MILITARY CEMETERY

Additional Information:

[paul@bolton]

Mark

I believe it was normal to have an Indian plot in CWGC cemeteries and perhaps Bej Nath is the only Indian buried in this cemetery. His grave if ref A1 so I guess this may be the case?

If you take a look at the cemetery plan (on the CWGC website), you will see there was also a German plot, originally next to the Indian plot. if these graves have been removed, this could explain why the grave is a bit isolated.

Paul

[redbarchetta]

But why no RA crest, religious symbol etc - understand maybe wording may not have been agreed with the family, and what, if any, religious symbol to put on, but surely the RA crest was uncontentious enough to be applied... looks very forlorn with just the bare facts on (more so as it is on its own, but that, as Paul says, may have been unavoidable)...

Well done for highlighting, Mark!

James

[NigelS]

But why no RA crest, religious symbol etc - understand maybe wording may not have been agreed with the family, and what, if any, religious symbol to put on, but surely the RA crest was uncontentious enough to be applied...

Surely, it would have to be the Indian Royal Artillery crest (apparently an error on the existing headstone which gives just 'Royal Artillery') not that of the RA? It's possible that this chaps religion wasn't/isn't known and so, rather than placing an inappropriate religious symbol and potentially causing offence, none was placed.

Muslim headstones usually have a religious text rather than a symbol, and IIRC the funeral rites of Hindus & Sikhs require that their remains are cremated, not buried (although that's not to say that none were buried during the turmoil of war)

NigelS

[tumbi1]

Mark

I believe it was normal to have an Indian plot in CWGC cemeteries and perhaps Bej Nath is the only Indian buried in this cemetery. His grave if ref A1 so I guess this may be the case?

If you take a look at the cemetery plan (on the CWGC website), you will see there was also a German plot, originally next to the Indian plot. if these graves have been removed, this could explain why the grave is a bit isolated.

Paul

G'day Paul,

no the Germans were there - it was isolated from the other 'allied' burials which I found unusual, and the fact it is so poor compared to the standard ones.

Cheers,

Mark.

[tumbi1]

But why no RA crest, religious symbol etc - understand maybe wording may not have been agreed with the family, and what, if any, religious symbol to put on, but surely the RA crest was uncontentious enough to be applied... looks very forlorn with just the bare facts on (more so as it is on its own, but that, as Paul says, may have been unavoidable)...

Well done for highlighting, Mark!

James

Thanks James,

forlorn is the word - placed next to enemy burials away from his comrades in arms. There is a story behind every grave and this one I think would be one of the more unusual.

Cheers,

Mark.

[Peter and Ellen]

It is not unusual to see Indian and Chinese graves away from the others. I suspect it is because of their difference in religion in that they could not be buried in "Christian consecrated ground". I have read this somewhere but cannot remember where. I always found it strange as being buried within the Cemetery walls would indicate that it was all consecrated ground.

The lack of a badge could suggest some confusion as to what they should use therefore, play it safe with nothing. The lack of a Christian Cross is self-explanatory.

They also occassionally buried high ranking officers, in the same way, away from the others or, made an increase in space between the officer and the others buried adjacent to them.

Regards, Peter

[SiegeGunner]

CWGC cemeteries are not consecrated ground, Peter.

[Peter and Ellen]

Siege Gunner, thank you.

I will have to try and find the booklet because I am certain that is what it said.......but, I may be wrong.

Tks, Peter

[NigelS]

According to Wikipedia (Click & scroll to 'burials') it's usual for Muslim burials to face Mecca; I don't know about the orientation of Bej Nath's at Esquelbecq, but those at Brookwood Military Cemetery (re-interred there after removal from the Muslim burial ground on Horsell Common, Woking Click ) are in a separate plot (2a, Click for CWGC plan) and, I believe, orientated to face Mecca - certainly at a noticeably different angle to those of other headstones.

NigelS

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

The lack of a badge could suggest some confusion as to what they should use therefore, play it safe with nothing. ...

Here are two Indian RGA headstones which are almost side-by-side in the same row. You couldn't second-guess the IWGC !

Tom

[trenchwalker]

On 26/10/2013 at 23:10, NigelS said:

According to Wikipedia (Click & scroll to 'burials') it's usual for Muslim burials to face Mecca; I don't know about the orientation of Bej Nath's at Esquelbecq, but those at Brookwood Military Cemetery (re-interred there after removal from the Muslim burial ground on Horsell Common, Woking Click ) are in a separate plot (2a, Click for CWGC plan) and, I believe, orientated to face Mecca - certainly at a noticeably different angle to those of other headstones.

NigelS

 

Mice been to that's grave and he is facing north towards the coast

[AOK4]

Remember that they may have been cremated, so it was not possible to relocate those graves... (which is why plenty of Indian WWI graves can be found all over Germany and could not be concentrated in the concentration cemeteries)

 

Jan