indian-cemeteries.org

[cmf]

In trying to locate a photograph (so far unsuccessfully) of the grave of 200666 Pte William Henry Douthwaite, 2/4th Border Regt (buried Peshawar, now CWGC commemorated on the Delhi Memorial) I've come across this great website, http://www.indian-cemeteries.org/introduction.asp ,which, as it says,

" . . . is attempting to preserve the images of graves and monuments before they disappear. It is hoped that they will be useful to historians and genealogists, as well as serve to remember those whom they commemorate. It covers the area which used to be British India and includes present-day India, Pakistan and Bagladesh. Entries are not limited to British citizens, monuments cover many nationalities . . ."

The site is searchable my name, regiment, campaign, and encompasses all periods of the Raj, and includes many men for whom the CWGC has responsibility, but for various reasons (security, access etc etc) leaves their burial site/ gravestone untended, in favour of commemoration elsewhere. Perhaps the most evocative for me, of these, are those men of the Third Afghan War who's bones still stand sentinel over the Khyber Pass, at Ali Masjid. As Rabia Zafar (who took the photos) says:

"There is no memorial and the cemetery is not marked in any way. The graves are located at a distance from the main road. There are about 10 graves in all. Most of them seem to have eroded with some having graffitti on them . . ."

The men buried here are listed by the CWGC here: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx

These are Rabia Zafar's photos . . .

L/9475 Dmr James Penfold, 1st Bn Royal Sussex Regt (no mention in CWGC of being attd 4th Mtn Bty, RGA). Died of Cholera 15/06/1919, aged 29.

B/301960 Gnr Charles Henry Clough, 4th Mtn Bty, RGA. KIA 20/06/1919, aged 39.

M2/120218 Pte Thomas Broadhurst, 693rd MT Coy, RASC. Drowned 16/09/1919.