Those executed...

[Andrew Hesketh]

Just curious....

I've borrowed 'Blindfold and Alone' from the library. I haven't begun reading it yet, but browsing through the appendix of all the men executed I notice that a handful (e.g. Pte Harry Farr, 1st West Yorkshire, 18/10/16) are recorded on memorials (Thiepval in his case) rather than buried in a cemetery.

Anybody know why?

[John_Hartley]

Andrew

I've always presumed that they must have been buried and the graves subsequently destroyed, or exact positions lost.

John

[john w.]

I would agree, those buried could quite easily be destroyed by later battles and also WW2

John

[Guest]

I would agree, those buried could quite easily be destroyed by later battles and also WW2

John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WW2 is not impossible, particularly some of the 1940 fighting around Arras, but very little WW2 fighting in the areas of teh old WW1 battelfields had the intensity to do widespread damage.

[Andrew Hesketh]

My assumptions too. But then I got thinking....weren't most executions carried out well behind the lines? How do you then proceed to 'lose' the body or grave site?

[squirrel]

Could it be that these were buried in ground that was taken during the German offensives in early 1918 and consequently fought over again?

[Terry Denham]

Some of these grave sites were lost as described above. Others were not accurately recorded at the time and then the location forgotten (or those that knew the spot died or were never asked!) - just as with many other men's graves.

[john w.]

Archibald Browne's grave was lost

John

[Paul Reed]

To my knowledge not a single WW1 grave was 'lost' in WW2. Many were damaged, and in some cases maybe even destroyed (although the only place I know that happened for sure was Villers-Brettonneux), but remember by the time of WW2 all existing WW1 graves were logged in IWGC records, so even if a headstone was destroyed, it could be replaced easily as the IWGC would have known who was buried there.

During the Great War itself many graves were not properly logged, and were destroyed under circumstances described above; particularly during the 1918 German offensives. Also remember that locations once behind our lines became parts of the battlefield in 1918 - this probably accounts for the graves of men who were executed being lost in later battles.

[Mark Hone]

Squirrel is on the right lines. For example, several men were executed in the Ypres Salient rear areas which were subsequently fought over in the April 1918 'Georgette' offensive and the graves lost.

[Andrew Hesketh]

Thank you everyone. Your suggestions make perfect sense.

[john w.]

apologies for the WW2 ref... was trying to say that they may have been lost in subsequent fighting

John