viewing graves

[BIRDY]

Hey, ive not had access to the website since December, and ive just looked at who responded to me back in 04.

thank you to Bob Pike, who visited my Greatgrandad in Etaples On new years day for me. Im really pleased. Thanx

Etaples is breathtaking, and very special as all other cemetries around the world. I like to think that people are always visiting our guys at all timesof the year so they are not alone.

Arthur Thomas Bird is at the far side of Etaples and like many is not a grave that is probably visited as much as someof the ones nearer the front or in smaller crems.

when i visted Tyne Cot once i had 3 crosses to put down, how could i possibly make a choice out of 12,000. this upset me greatly as i felt like i wanted to visit each one. my 3 went onto unknowns.

When i go i also pick a name out of the book at the front of the crem and visit them,

does anyone have a certain way of picking what grave they look at.

Kaz

[John_Hartley]

Kaz

On my trips, I normally have a reason for visiting a cemetery - perhaps a family member or someone I'm researching.

On my next trip, I'm visiting two cemeteries. One is to make a first visit to a great uncle.

The other is to visit a Stockport man who was killed with the Cheshires. I'm visiting on the 90th aniversary of his death. Research hasnt found much about him, so it's perhaps even more poignant.

I'll lay a wreath at both.

John

[gem22]

how could i possibly make a choice out of 12,000. this upset me greatly as i felt like i wanted to visit each one. my 3 went onto unknowns.

Kaz

Don't beat yourself up on this. The fact that you visited and care is good enough. On my visits I usually try to leave a cross on the grave of someone from the RFC. I can't put a cross on every grave I see so the first one I find is the grave that gets the cross.

Garth

[dycer]

Kaz,

I'm with John on this one.Will always visit a Family Member.

I do,however,have a great affinity for "Unknown" Graves as another Family Member may be resting in one, so always make a point of stopping and paying my respects.

George

[BIRDY]

like you say, at least peope visit eh!!!! i visit different crems each time, and follow the battles, but i do have a favoite few i re attend.

i find it very addicitive and crave going back when i get home.

x

[squirrel]

I find that visiting any of the cemeteries is very moving and all the more so if it's one of your own relatives.

When I first visited my uncle I felt I had met him at last when I put my hand on his headstone. Took all the cousins from his side of the family with me too.

His Battalion Diary says" A quiet night, shelling in the usual places. Four o/r's killed."

Recently discovered another relative (uncle's cousin) whom none of the family had ever mentioned and will be going to see him in June; will also revisit my uncle and the cemetery where another uncle's ashes were scattered as well as another that is likely to be a family member that I knew nothing of until recently.

Squirrel

[philary]

Hi

Like lots of people I like to pause and remember at an "unknown" grave, I find the words 'Known unto God' particularly moving.

A grave of someone of Jewish faith often has little stones placed on the Headstone. There are several reasons for this, one being as a sign that others have visited and another - the stone is a symbol of 'for ever'. (ie It doesn't fade or die away.) I think that is a lovely tradition.

Hilary

[BIRDY]

i alwaysthink the stones placed on top of the jew graves was very moving. And like you say Hilary they last forever. This was shown in Schindlers List. Aprantley your not suppsed to put a cross down on these because they have the star of david on the headstone.

kaz