Burial Instructions

[MaxD]

Came across the attached in 41 Div HQ AQ Branch diary while looking for something else (Copyright TNA WO 95/2620/1.)

 

Thought it might be of general interest although I imagine many will be aware already.

 

Maxl

[Scalyback]

Thank  you Max. General officers to be buried separate, not seen that before.

[seaJane]

From Nurse Edith Appleton's diary: [The mortuary corporal's] one job was to sort out Roman Catholics and Church of England so that each padre might bury his own. Then he found a fresh difficulty over one whom he thought was an officer but had nothing to mark him. ‘And ’ow am I to bury ’im – as a’ officer or man?’ Sister said: ‘Surely they all get buried the same?’ ‘No, they don’t,’ said the bewildered Cpl. ‘Men’s coffins is hammered – Officers’ is screwed’.”

[Ron Clifton]

25 minutes ago, Scalyback said:

Thank  you Max. General officers to be buried separate, not seen that before.

This did not always happen. Lt-Gen R G Broadwood was buried between a private and a subaltern (IIRC) - at his own specific request. And Brig-Gen Cox, Haig's head of intelligence after Charteris, is buried at Etaples in an ordinary row.

 

But Maj-Gen Sir Thompson Capper is buried in a separate plot at Lillers Communal Cemetery.

 

Ron

Edited 24 January , 2019 by Ron Clifton

[MaxD]

I'd say we are talking about battlefield burials only rather than "proper" cemetery burials?

 

Max

[Scalyback]

14 minutes ago, Ron Clifton said:

This did not always happen. Lt-Gen R G Broadwood was buried between a private and a subaltern (IIRC) - at his own specific request. And Brig-Gen Cox, Haig's head of intelligence after Charteris, is buried at Etaples in an ordinary row.

 

But Maj-Gen Sir Thompson Capper is buried in a separate plot at Lillers Communal Cemetery.

 

Ron

 

When the commission got into it's stride it did lay a lot of rules down. Some not being very popular with the  gentry. There is a section in empires of the dead over the objections rasied. The later burials and setting out did bring some order but still anomalies are there. 

The above orders are in the field instructions and not seen general officers  separated out before.

 

Edit as max also notes. Field burials not the later work by the CWGC

Edited 24 January , 2019 by Scalyback

[MaxD]

It is dated Sep 1917 and is part of a 41 Div admin instruction relating to clearing the battlefield and it can be inferred from the actual instruction that it referred top both existing cemeteries and battlefield burials, there is no reference to a higher instruction.

 

Max 

[Scalyback]

3 hours ago, MaxD said:

It is dated Sep 1917 and is part of a 41 Div admin instruction relating to clearing the battlefield and it can be inferred from the actual instruction that it referred top both existing cemeteries and battlefield burials, there is no reference to a higher instruction.

 

Max 

 

Even more interesting. Thanks Max.