Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery

[Patrick H]

One of my chaps Pte Edwin Kerry Walker M/283888 953rd M.T. Coy Army Service Corps is buried here. In view of the current state in Iraq would anyone know if the Cemetery is maintained to the usual high standards, or whether there have been any problems there ?

Any information welcome

Patrick

[Tom Morgan]

Patrick, I don't know the very latest situation, but the Commonwealth War Graves Commission statement from September, 2004, (with a little addition from March, 2005) said:

The security situation in Iraq continues to give cause for concern, making it impossible for the Commission to commence work on its five year renovation and restoration programme. Work has continued at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, which has been cleared of undergrowth after the autumn rains, and in the south at Amara and Basra, on general tidying maintenance and boundary definition with the assistance of coalition forces. There is twenty-four hour watchman's surveillance at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery and the Commission's local representative is able to visit a number of sites on a regular basis. A review in March 2005 decided that the situation could not be properly assessed until the security situation in Iraq has improved.

Hope this helps.

Tom

[MartinWills]

Aolthough there may be cause for concern there is no suggestion that the dead have been disturbed. The CWGC have been faced by this sort of situation in a number of places and at various times. Almost witthout exception things have been put to rights with time and I think it goes without saying that this is the intention as soon as circumstances allow. Plans exist and stonework can be replaced or renewed.

Time will doubtless see things put to rights.

[Patrick H]

Thanks Gents for that. I dont envy the "Watchmans" job in that volatile situation !

Patrick

[larneman]

I dont envy the "Watchmans" job in that volatile situation !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Neither would I. I also have interest in a couple of graves and Memorial in Iraq.

Wonder if the CWGC would consider photographing Graves etc. that are nolonger safe for family members or anybody else to visit. I would not mind paying for such a service like I do for records on CDrom or printed paper copies. Of course this is outside their normal duties but I wonder if the family access problems might change their views.

Another stone dropped in a very deep pond and wonder how far will the ripples go.

greetings

Liam

[Guest dwalker]

One of my chaps Pte Edwin Kerry Walker M/283888  953rd M.T. Coy Army Service Corps is buried here.  In view of the current state in Iraq would anyone know if the Cemetery is maintained to the usual high standards, or whether there have been any problems there ?

Any information welcome

Patrick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Patrick

I saw your post mentioning Edwin Kerry Walker. He was was grandfather's brother, and my father and one of my sons are named after him. I'd be interested to hear what is your relationship to him.

David

[Patrick H]

Hi David,

That's interesting news and welcome to the forum. If you are researching you will find plenty of people on here who will help you. As to my interest, I am researching all the names on the Christ Church, Warley Memorial Tablet. Edwin Kerry Walker is one of the 70 or so names and I would be most interested in sharing any information you have on him. At present I have very little on him of a personal/family nature so I would love to hear from you.

I started my research on this memorial as I run the Boy's Brigade Company at Christ Church and I am aware that a large number on the memorial were ex BB members. I am also researching the names at All Saints & Holy Cross RC (opposite Christ Church) and the Lorne Road Cemetery.

Does your family still live in the Warley/Brentwood area?

I hope eventually to produce a book/website dedicated to the Warley men

Regards

Patrick

[Terry Denham]

CWGC do not offer a photographic service any longer but personnel will often supply pics for relatives on an unofficial basis.

However, I doubt that CWGC would want to put any staff member in danger just for a photograph! They are, no doubt, simply grateful that they have some coverage there albeit limited.

[Guest dwalker]

Hi David,

That's interesting news and welcome to the forum. If you are researching you will find plenty of people on here who will help you. As to my interest, I am researching all the names on the Christ Church, Warley Memorial Tablet. Edwin Kerry Walker is one of the 70 or so names and I would be most interested in sharing any information you have on him. At present I have very little on him of a personal/family nature so I would love to hear from you.

I started my research on this memorial as I run the Boy's Brigade Company at Christ Church and I am aware that a large number on the memorial were ex BB members. I am also researching the names at All Saints & Holy Cross RC (opposite Christ Church) and the Lorne Road Cemetery.

Does your family still live in the Warley/Brentwood area?

I hope eventually to produce a book/website dedicated to the Warley men

Regards

Patrick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Patrick

Apart from what you will know already from the CWGC web site, all I know about Edwin Kerry Walker is that he was born 18 September 1878, the son of Golden and Maria Walker (nee Brooke). He was their third child, and had 4 brothers and 3 sisters. His grandparents were Isaac and Charlotte Walker (nee Kerry) and William and Sarah Brooke (nee Terry). My father was born 3 years after Edwin was killed and was given Edwin as his middle name. My eldest son was born 3 years after my father died and also has Edwin as his middle name.

I have traced the Walkers back to the late 1700s when they lived at Thelnetham on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. I myself grew up in Manningtree in Essex.

I would be interested to hear if you can add any other details about Edwin's life.

Regards

David

[DaveBrigg]

CWGC do not offer a photographic service any longer but personnel will often supply pics for relatives on an unofficial basis.

However, I doubt that CWGC would want to put any staff member in danger just for a photograph! They are, no doubt, simply grateful that they have some coverage there albeit limited.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can see your point Terry. There are enough headstones there already. However, I recall you mentioning on a different thread that the CWGC may be able to supply details of inscriptions requested by next of kin, which are not available online. Is there am official procedure for this? I am interested in Lt W Bean RFC, also at Baghdad North Gate

[Terry Denham]

CWGC regards the PIs as personal information and so do not publish the details.

However, if a relative contacted them, I am fairly certain that they would supply the info. I do not believe that they supply this info to all and sundry.

I know this may seem odd as the PIs are there in public for all to see.

[Patrick H]

David,

the only other information I have on Edwin Kerry Walker (which I believe I got from the Essex Museum records) is that he was born in Harlin ?? (never heard of the place and might be a typo) lived in Brentwood and enlisted Warley. He is named on the Brentwood Town memorial as well as the Christ Church memorial.

He is also in my notes as having been a member of Warley Boy's Brigade although I have no0 other detail. Since the BB was started in Warley in 1889 its possible he could have been a boy in the Company but I have a vague recollection that I read somewhere that he was either an Officer in the Company or at least a member of staff.

I will try to find out more.

Can anyone do a Census return to find out where he lived please

Patrick

[Patrick H]

Just bouncing this back again in hope someone can do census check

Thanks

Patrick

[Guest Phil Jackman]

Just bouncing this back again in hope someone can do census check

Thanks

Patrick

Patrick

Have just seen your request and enrolled as a new member.

Happy to look up census for you but need more info on your Edwin. Even an approx date of birth would help.

Have an uncle buried in Baghdad North Gate Cemetery and suspect he was in Kut at the time of seige and surrender but he did not die until November that year. Does anyone know what happened to 1st Btn HLI?

Phil

[Neil Mackenzie]

Phil.

What was your relatives's name?

Thanks

Neil

[Guest Phil Jackman]

Phil.

What was your relatives's name?

Thanks

Neil

Neil

Stupid not to have mentioned it!

Henry DICKENS aka Henry Kay DICKENS, Lance Corporal 21559 1st Btn HLI died of disease on 3 November 1916. Posted wounded in July 1916 and missing in October 1916 (both in Chronicle of the HLI). CWGC has a plot recorded in the subject cemetery.

Thanks for your interest.

Phil

[Patrick H]

Patrick

Have just seen your request and enrolled as a new member.

Happy to look up census for you but need more info on your Edwin. Even an approx date of birth would help.

Have an uncle buried in Baghdad North Gate Cemetery and suspect he was in Kut at the time of seige and surrender but he did not die until November that year. Does anyone know what happened to 1st Btn HLI?

Phil

Hi Phil,

Walker was born 18th September 1878 (see David's post above)

Regards

Patrick

[Guest Phil Jackman]

Hi Phil,

Walker was born 18th September 1878 (see David's post above)

Regards

Patrick

Patrick

Have found your Edwin in 1881 and 1891 with his parents, Golden and Maria, plus 1901 when he had branched out.

Am not sure of the protocol with this site. Can I attach the census images or send you direct?

He was born in East Harling, Norfolk, by the way.

Best regards

Phil

[Patrick H]

Patrick

Have found your Edwin in 1881 and 1891 with his parents, Golden and Maria, plus 1901 when he had branched out.

Am not sure of the protocol with this site. Can I attach the census images or send you direct?

He was born in East Harling, Norfolk, by the way.

Best regards

Phil

Hi Phil, I believe you can post them here as others have done so. Many thanks

Patrick

[Guest Phil Jackman]

Hi Phil, I believe you can post them here as others have done so. Many thanks

Patrick

Patrick

Each file is ca 0.5Mb - too large for the attachments apparently. I can get each one to under 0.1Mb (the limit) by trimming to the family only. It will also mean 4 mails. If all that is ok, I will go ahead.

Phil

[Patrick H]

yes please phil

Patrick

[Patrick H]

Patrick

Each file is ca 0.5Mb - too large for the attachments apparently. I can get each one to under 0.1Mb (the limit) by trimming to the family only. It will also mean 4 mails. If all that is ok, I will go ahead.

Phil

Phil,

havnt heard from you. Can you still post them

Patrick

[Greg Bloomfield]

Reasonably new to the Forum and I've only just noticed this thread so apologies for not bringing this up before. I last saw Baghdad North Gate about six months ago, sadly only in passing through a vehicle window. All things considered it didn't look too bad considering what happens here and the preservation of a Commonwealth cemetery would be a very low priority to any local who might care to tend it. The headstones were still in place and didn't appear to have been vandalized although, as I said, I was in a passing vehicle. I used to pass it regularly and would dearly have loved to have entered as one of my boys, Driver Will Derisley, 63rd Bty, RFA, is buried there. However, it would have been a tad rash in that part of town, I may have ended up joining him!

Regards

Greg

[SteveB]

I hope things will improve over there soon. Really want a picture of my grandmothers uncles grave. She's 96 now, and I would be chuffed to bits if I could present her with a picture of his grave. She remembers him going off to the war.

SteveB