Madras 1914 - 1918 Memorial

[stiletto_33853]

One for Terry,

One question re this memorial. I am looking into a soldier, Lance Corporal A.P. Grover, #129 of the 18th Rifle Brigade.

The CWGC details give that he is buried in Port Blair Cemetery and yet is mentioned on the Madras Memorial. To quote the CWGC "It bears the name of more than a 1000 servicemen who died during the First World War who lie in many civil and cantonment cemeteries in various parts of India where it is not possible to maintain their graves in perpuity."

Question, did this man receive a CWGC headstone??, and why was it not possible to maintain these graves??.

Andy

[Terry Denham]

Andy

Due to the political situation on the Indian subcontinent immediately post WW2, the decision was taken that it would be impossible to maintain the Commonwealth War Graves in the remoter parts of India and Pakistan.

Most WW2 graves (which were recent) were moved to larger CWGC cemeteries in places where they could be maintained.

However, when it came to those for WW1, the task was more difficult as they were sited in scattered, long established local cemeteries countrywide. Also, a large number of them had other family members buried with them. These could not be moved. There was also local objection to exhuming long standing burials.

Therefore, the decision was taken that the majority of WW1 graves should be declared 'unmaintainable' and the names inscribed on new memorials as their official place of commemoration.

CWGC records these names as being commemorated on the appropriate memorial but also notes the original burial place as with all other unmaintainable graves.

I have no idea whether your man had a CWGC stone or not but it would certainly be possible. However, many also had private headstones as they had died and been buried before CWGC headstones were launched in 1919. I suspect that India was not top of the list for such stones in the inter-war years and I expect the majority were in privately marked graves.

[stiletto_33853]

Terry,

Many thanks for the reply, I had a feeling that the situation immediately after WW2 was the explanation for the decision not to maintain these graves. It just got my mind pondering this situation.

As always, many thanks for this Terry.

Andy

[Ken Wayman]

Andy

Just read your request concerning the Madras War Memorial. While I've no answers I do have a similar situation. A lad recorded on my local war memorial (Pelsall in South Staffordshire) has his name recorded on the Madras Memorial. Geoge Holbrook of 1st Garrison Btn, OBLI, was killed in action near Ramandrug but was inscribed on the Madras Memorial as his actual grave could not be maintained. George was originally with the Buffs, was gravely wounded in the lungs by shrapnel at Hooge near Ypres and was later transferred to OBLI and shipped to India where he was subsequently killed. One small irony - the row of houses in which he lived with his parents was locally known as 'Delhi Row'

Ken

[Ken Wayman]

Andy

Forgot to mention that I have nine photos (of varying quality!) that a lad local to the Madras area took for me while I was researching the names on the Pelsall War Memorial. If you would like a couple I could send them as an e-mail attachment.

Ken