Would it acceptable to leave a small knitted poppy on the grave of a particular soldier in CWGC cemetery in France?

[archivist]

Could someone advise me please? Would it acceptable to leave a small knitted poppy on the grave of a particular soldier in a CWGC cemetery in France?  Or are only fresh flowers allowed?

[keithmroberts]

of course it is acceptable. Tributes are removed by CWGC staff only when they deteriorate, or sometimes by the weather.  Please though, don't glue it to the headstone, The CWGC strongly disapprove of that being dome as it can eventually damage the stone.   You might want to fix the poppy with say a tent peg, or by incorporating a small weight in the rear.

 

Keith

[dah]

Yes, it would definitely be acceptable. People leave a variety of tributes by CWGC graves and, with the limitations Keith has given, they are welcome precisely because they bring extra meaning to the grave, the cemetery etc.

 

A knitted poppy on its own shows others that some unspecified person cares about the particular soldier at whose grave it is seen. Why not let others share in remembrance of that man.....by also leaving a small, laminated card with details about the soldier, perhaps his photo, his background, how you are connected to him. This additional information helps bring him to life for everyone who visits. I always look for and read these details left by people such as yourself.....and I'm sure I'm not alone in saying how greatly they enhance the experience of visiting CWGC cemeteries.

 

Sometimes the laminated cards (initially weighed down by a stone) get blown away by the wind, in which case they often get placed in the box with the cemetery register and visitor book. With that in mind, his remembrance will still be preserved/shared if your laminated card includes his name and grave location (eg. plot, row, grave number)

 

David 

[inkerman]

Please remember to sign the visitors book.  It is the only record that CWGC has to demonstrate that the cemeteries are still visited, and so justify the expense of cemetery maintenance.  Somewhere there is a grey suited accountant who is going to suggest that if no one visits a cemetery there is no need to maintain it.

 

Richard

[Upt'North]

A very good point Richard, I did sign this year at Ploegstreet and Hawthorn Ridge 2 but never thought about the bean counters. I signed out of respect and possible interest to others but if it means these splendid War Graves are maintained to the level they presently are then it should be encouraged. 

Thanks. 

Upt'North.