Terry Denham Posted 18 May , 2004 Share Posted 18 May , 2004 This seemed an appropriate place to post some pictures taken by a friend of mine when we visited the huge German cemetery at Maissemy near St Quentin a week ago. There were only three of us in the cemetery on a very wet day. There are 30000 burials there and we could not help but be moved by the experience. Yes, the cemetery is more sombre than the Commonwealth ones but the tragedy is the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 18 May , 2004 Share Posted 18 May , 2004 And another Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 18 May , 2004 Share Posted 18 May , 2004 And I couldn't resist another showing the grave layout. Each cross has two names on both front and back - each cross therefore representing four graves. Some have three names both sides denoting six graves. If one of the men was Jewish, he got his own curved stone to the side of the cross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 19 May , 2004 Share Posted 19 May , 2004 Egbert, Well done and nice to see this cemetery as it should be after what seems a long time. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 19 May , 2004 Share Posted 19 May , 2004 Healdav/Paul I checked with CWGC this morning about the removal of registers during winter in France. They state quite categorically that no instruction has been issued or arrangement made to remove registers from cemetery boxes in winter. It would be against their general policy of maintaining registers at all times. They believe the confusion may have been caused by a couple of local arrangements they have at locations where registers are frequently stolen. In these places they have made temporary agreements with a local mairie or other building to house the register until the spate of thefts abates. Otherwise, registers should be in place all year round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 19 May , 2004 Share Posted 19 May , 2004 As wer were talking about French and German cemeteries, I naturally meant their cemeteries. Go to most/ all French cemeteries 'in winter' (at least in the north; and very definitely in the Alsace-Lorraine) and all you will find is a notice saying that you should go to ...... Mairie. I think the same has been applied to German cemeteries - I think it is the local commune, very often, that organises grass cutting, etc. - perhaps against payment, I wouldn't know. So they would look after the registers. I don't like it, but there's nothing I can do, I'm afraid. What the CWGC do is their affair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Holstein Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 I'm not sure I've noticed anything in French cemeteries saying that one can go to the local Mairie and check the registers but the German cemeteries that I visit certainly have the registers removed in the winter to protect them from damp. As they are maintained by the German War Graves commission, I'd expect them to look after the registers As regards French cemeteries, some of them are in a very sorry condition, chipped headstones, worn or missing plaques. It's very sad to see them unkempt like that. Christina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 The worst I have seen is Portuguese at La Bombe near Nueve Chapelle, the information on the headstones is nearly gone tho grounds are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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