Personal inscriptions on IWGC headstones

[larneman]

In the book of the War Dead of Newry they have a copy of a letter from IWGC for 3 shillings and nine penny to Mr. J. Mallaghan for one of his 2 sons that died in Turkey.

He is buried at "V" Beach, Helles. It also cost the same for the other son.

That must have been a lot of money for a family, Seven shillings and six pence.

What was the price based on.? Per letter, the place, the type of stone to be worked on??

Has anybody documented/photographed "V" Beach. I would like to know what the inscriptions were.

Liam

[Terry Denham]

The cost of Personal Inscriptions was based on a cost per letter (three and a half pence per letter - old money - with a maximum of £1).

There was a maximum number of letters of 66 with a space counting as a letter.

In reality, non-payment was not usually chased and eventually the payment became voluntary but by then the damage was done. Many nok had decided not to have an inscription due to cost.

The Canadian government paid the cost of inscriptions for its casualties and the NZ government refused to allow any on the grounds of equality.

The idea of a charge was to give the relatives 'more ownership' of the grave.

[larneman]

Thanks Terry, for the fine explaination.

I have come across one book that offered example inscriptions. Did the IWGC have a list on offer or ?? I often come across the same ones on different graves sites.

Liam

[Terry Denham]

There was a list of suggested texts - mainly biblical quotations and this is the reason you see many of the same phrases turn up.