Headstones

[Mark Hone]

A question which arose after my recent tour was how often, on average, have CWGC headstones been replaced? I suspect that the life-span varies considerably from cemetery to cemetery due to location etc.

[Terry Denham]

Yes it does - depending on location, exposure to severe weather, vandalism, gardening accidents etc.

The vast majority of stones have never been replaced and they are mainly originals barring the above eventualities. It will be a long time yet before most of the originals are replaced as recarving is often a possible option.

They last - particularly those made of granite or slate!

[Guest Pete Wood]

The vast majority of stones have never been replaced and they are mainly originals barring the above eventualities. It will be a long time yet before most of the originals are replaced as recarving is often a possible option.

I agree that the inscriptions can be re-cut. Many headstones that I've looked at appear to have been reconditioned.

But what I have noticed on the refurbished WW1 stones is that the badges appear NOT to have been recut. I suspect that this is because the Great War stones were hand carved, while the majority of WW2 headstones appear to have been machine cut.

As the non-UK headstones are, I believe, all being refurbished by machine, there will come a time when the badges will be worn out (compared to the inscription). This is where I forsee a potential problem, if a 'good' standard is applied. The WW2 badge templates will not, surely, match the hand-carved WW1 badges.

I expect this means that the WW1 badges will have to be made bigger and deeper? I don't know if the CWGC equipment is capable of changing the badge size. If not, then the headstones in European countries will, I suspect, have to be replaced.

If my fairly recent trip to India is anything to go by, the headstones in hot climates are certainly weathering better than those in Europe. The Indian headstones were gleaming white and fairly crisp, in stark contrast to the many stained and worn headstones you see in the UK and France etc.

Let's hope they do last a long time. Because, and I know I've said this before (so forgive me for banging the same old drum), I question if there is enough money in the kitty to replace the worn and weathered headstones in the coming years.

I'd be interested to know what percentage of the annual budget is actually set aside for replacement stones. Because unless the percentage is high, and unless the vast majority of headstones can last another 90 years, my gut feeling says there isn't enough money in the kitty to do the job.

I hope I'm wrong......

[Guest Pete Wood]

I’ve received a couple of emails telling me that I am wrong (you two may be right!) and that I should state how I reached my conclusion.

OK. Here are the figures that my opinion is based on

Let’s assume that, as one forum member seems to think, most of the CWGC headstones will last another 90 years before needing replacement. I don’t believe that is possible but, for argument’s sake, let us say that will be the case.

What then? It means that 900,000 headstones will need replacing in 90 years time.

Now if the CWGC has a long term plan, and is planning for this eventuality, it should (IMHO) be making replacement headstones now.

Why??

Because this means that, in addition to the workshops currently making replacement headstones (which are damaged/worn), the following will have to be achieved:

900,000 headstones over 90 years is equal to an additional 10,000 headstones per year for the next five generations.

Can the CWGC workshops cope with an additional 200 headstones per week, if my hypothetical long-term plan is carried out? In materials alone, and excluding labour, I estimate that would equate to an additional £60,000 per week over and beyond what is currently being spent. So the CWGC would require an additional £3,000,000 per year, just in materials to make the headstones.

That’s 10 per cent of their total annual budget, today!

We have already seen, over the last two years, that the CWGC has had to go out with the begging bowl for additional funds to stabilise the condition of the memorials (not the headstones). The extra funding for the CWGC expires soon, and funding will be lowered at the end of next year.

So the CWGC will have less money, but their headstones are getting older and more worn. Hmmm….

Let’s just say that the CWGC do decide to think ahead and make these headstones over the next 90 years. What about the labour to remove/replace 200 headstones per week…..??

What happens if the CWGC does not make replacement stones? Well, every week that slides by, means that more headstones per week will have to be made, and every year the price of stone and labour increases.

I believe that in 90 years time, the WW1 and WW2 headstones will probably be in much the same state as the Waterloo memorials are today…..

So I sincerely hope that I am wrong.