'Believed to Be' buried at Pink Farm

[michaeldr]

The Gallipoli battlefields were not officially or properly cleared at the end of hostilities on the peninsula. The allies finally withdrew on the 9th January 1916, but they could not return until a while after the armistice on 31st October 1918. That long time lapse meant that the recovery of the fallen and their identification was fraught with difficulties. Gallipoli therefore has an unusually high number of unknowns, as well as burials which cannot be identified with certainty.

Those whose burial is unkown are remembered on the principle memorials, such as at Cape Helles or Lone Pine. Where there is some degree of certainty regarding a burial, then the cemetery will contain a marker bearing the words 'Known to be buried in this cemetery' or the case of a lesser degree of certainty, 'Believed to be buried in this cemetery'. On Gallipoli both of these phrases are commonly seen on markers known as 'Special Memorials'

While recently visiting Pink Farm cemetery with GWF Pals Krithia and Eceabat, we came across something a little more unusual: 'In Dear Memory'

 

 

Chris Baker on his Long, Long Trail web site has an example seen here http://www.1914-1918.net/readcemetery.html which carries the wording 'Believed to be' and he notes that there is no age quoted or family inscription on that marker.  
Here at Pink Farm however, while the CWGC document Graves Registration Report Final merely states 'Believed to be', the marker nevertheless does carry the soldier's full details including age and his family have also added an inscription.

 

 

 

It is perhaps also relevant to mention the unusual position of the marker in this case, relative to the other 'Special Memorials' at Pink Farm

 

 

 

 

'In Dear Memory' - This seems to be very unusual on Gallipoli, but is it also unusual elsewhere in CWGC cemeteries on other battlefields?

 

 

 

Edited 26 May , 2017 by michaeldr

[John_Hartley]

Michael

 

I can't recall ever seeing an "in dear memory" stone before. Can we be sure that it is an official CWGC stone, rather than a family one in the same style as CWGC?

 

On the other hand, I am sure I have seen a headstone somewhere inscribed "believed to be" (or similar wording), followed by the usual personal details.

 

John

[michaeldr]

John,

 

Thank you for your thoughts on this.

'Believed to be' , as Chris and you have pointed out, must be the CWGC standard wording in a case such as this.

Taking into consideration the unusual inscription here

(also note the words 'fell' inserted before the date of death, and 'years' after the age)

and the position in relation to the other Special Memorials,

then I am inclined to think that your are probably correct in your suggestion that this is a family memorial, in the style of a CWGC headstone

 

regards

Michael

Edited 26 May , 2017 by michaeldr

[tootrock]

The CWGC paperwork for this stone suggest that it was an official stone, with a special design.

 

See http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/601539/MAULE, ROBERT

 

Martin

[michaeldr]

Thanks for your interest and comments here Martin.

 

If this is 'an official stone, with a special design' then how would that have come about?

 

As seen on the LLT's example (ref given in op)

 

 the CWGC has a standard form of words for such a memorial

and this memorial differs from that standard in at least three separate respects

 

[tootrock]

This was originally going to be "Believed to be". Something had clearly changed after the original documentation was produced - note the red alterations. Maybe the wording was just a request from his parents. His father was Sir Robert Moule, J.P.,and might have had some influence?

 

Martin

[spof]

Michael

 

1046 Pte Robert Grieve Moncrieff Scott 32Bn AIF was killed at Fromelles on 19th July 1916 and buried in Rue Pettillon Cemetery near Fleurbaix. There is correspondence from the then IWGC to his mother relating to a renumbering of graves and his new grave number. It also offers teh family the option to remove the "Believed to be" if no further doubts arise about the identity of the man.

 

Images from his service record held by National Archives of Australia

 

I have also seen correspondence from IWGC to families declining their requests for the Masonic square and compass symbols instead of a cross and also notes explaining that the Star of David is a symbol for representing people of the Jewish faith and i they really want that for their relative? (I can only assume families thought the Star looked nice or they wanted something other than a cross etc). It would appear that IWGC did try to accommodate people's wishes as much as they could within the limits they'd set - assuming they could get hold of the families after a few years .

 

BTW, Pte Scott's remaiins were identified by DNA testing as being buried at Pheasant Wood and he now rests in the new cemetery and the original headstone was replaced with one for an Unknown Soldier but the CWGC register for him still lists the Rue Petillon burial.

 

 

 

[michaeldr]

Martin & SPOF,

 

Many thanks for the extra documentation and explanations which you have provided above to help clarify this for me: it is much appreciated.

 

 

Remembering Robert Maule who died 102 years ago today

R.I.P