Copies of IWGC War Graves Registers

[ianw]

I have a 1924 published war graves register for a cemetery in St Omer with a covering letter from the IWGC. Poignantly, it is addressed to the father of one of the casualties in the register.

Does anyone know if these registers were sent out automatically if the IWGC had a suitable address or whether they had to be formally requested or indeed purchased by next of kin ?

[Terry Denham]

Ian

I have a copy of the relevant CWGC documents in front of me.

The nok were sent a form bearing a proof copy of their relative's entry in the register and were asked for any corrections within ten days.

The form also tells them that copies of the register may be PURCHASED for three shillings per copy (15p in new money).

I have the Annual Reports for CWGC for every year since 1917 and these give figures for numbers of copies so sold. I will look out the details later if you are interested but I seem to remember that the volume of sales was very high.

[ianw]

Terry,

Why am I not surprised that they had to purchase the registers. 3 shillings was a lot of money in the 1920's.

Whilst I am sure that they did not begrudge the money, what a sad publication to get through the mail. Your loved one's name amongst so many others and a tangible reminder of your duty to make that long journey to a cemetery far way.

I would be most interested in an idea of the numbers of registers sold annually. I wonder if they show a similar rise and fall as pilgrimage numbers did ?

Thanks

Ian

[leanes-trench]

As an aside when the Commonwealth War Graves Commission was still selling copies of the registers into the 1990's, they were, in some cases, sending registers from the original runs in the 1920's. The exceptions, of course, were those that were sold out, or those that were found to have so many errors that they had to be reprinted.

leanes-trench

[Terry Denham]

CWGC stopped selling registers in January 2002 and the majority were still the original 1920/1930s (WW1) or 1960s (WW2) publications.

The remaining stock consisted of about 80% original publications with the balance being the newer computer produced type.

I can guarantee this as I was the one who took over the remaining stock from CWGC (now largely gone)