Dazscuba Posted 10 December , 2018 Share Posted 10 December , 2018 Looking at the CWGC headstones in the local graveyards and noticed this one below. Now I have a seen thousends and thousands in my time but never like this. The only reason I can think is that they buried the gent and then asked for a CWGC headstone. Would not have thought CWGC would have allowed it? Many ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 10 December , 2018 Share Posted 10 December , 2018 https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/408119/giles,-alfred-thomas/#&gid=null&pid=3 It bwas surely intended to be upright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phsvm Posted 10 December , 2018 Share Posted 10 December , 2018 (edited) I know in the cemetery where my grand parents are burried that the parish council who have responsibiity for the site, inspected grave stones and any that were considered to be unstable were laid down - families could then arrange for them to be re-instated/repaired etc but at their expense. My cousins and I had a whip-round to pay for the replacement of a headstone for one of our long-gone ancestors. I wonder if that is what has happened here although it doesn't explain why the individual appears to have two headstones. The grave doesn't appear to be looked after on a regular basis so maybe the stone became uneven or fell. I suggest you contact the CWGC and report the situation so that they can look into it. I reported a damaged stone to them in a cemetery near Newbury where they only had a few graves so not a site they probably had much to do with and they arranged for maintenace work to be carried out. Edited 10 December , 2018 by phsvm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazscuba Posted 10 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2018 No it’s not be erected at all looks brand new but as per CWGC site memo of 2005 which states it should be erected at the foot of the main grave. Obviously not done for some reason CWGC website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 10 December , 2018 Share Posted 10 December , 2018 are you questioning material or positioning? there are a few local graves where private headstones are on them, this was relatives decision and upkeep would be down to family. in more recent years its possible that as family have died or moved on, these graves have been neglected and CWGC have taken back over. I have seen a local CWGC van travelling around but only once, compared to France where there are a fleet, I suspect paperwork has not caught up and job not raised to position, on the other hand space might be an issue, Ive see a local one where the new headstone is positioned upright in the plot. as PHSVM posted, looking at the picture, bearing in mind settlement, (also a local problem to me) , ground condition may have decreed unsafe to place upright, look at others in picture where a lot of work would need to take place to make safe. You might ask H&S, who would worry about condition and safety in a cemetery, ? , in our local cemetery ( the old part) there are 3 or 4 down and outs living amongst the graves and bushes. a bit off putting late at night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 10 December , 2018 Share Posted 10 December , 2018 Check with the CWGC to see if they know that their 13 May 2005 instruction has not been carried out and whether or not they have an explanation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazscuba Posted 10 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2018 Thanks for the above my next move was to contact CWGC and see if the decision was made for above or just that they have no idea it was like this. CWGC website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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