Guest JoeG Posted 10 December , 2002 Share Posted 10 December , 2002 Can anyone point me in the direction of a photograph of Basra War Memorial? I know that it was moved in 1997, and recently there have been problems with damage to many memorials in Iraq, but I can't find a photgraph anywhere and would like if possible to add one to a web site. Thanks Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 10 December , 2002 Share Posted 10 December , 2002 Joe, I recall that there is a couple of photo's of the Basra War Memorial on Peter van den Heuvel & Marco Hoveling's Unfortunate Region website circa WWII. Unfortunate Region-Basra Memorial Obviously, you shouldn't use these without going through Marco (nsv) first. Otherwise, I am sure that other forum members can point you towards more photo's. Regards Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoeG Posted 11 December , 2002 Share Posted 11 December , 2002 Marc Thanks for that - very interesting. No, I wouldn't transgress without permission - and I've got a feeling no-one will be visiting on their hols. this year! Cheers Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 12 December , 2002 Share Posted 12 December , 2002 There was an article in the Observer about a couple of weeks ago about a UK tour company who are still running package tours to Iraq. And no shortage of takers, either. If you asked WW1 buffs to name the three biggest memorials to the missing of WW1 as measured by the number commemorated, most would have little problem naming Thiepval and Menin Gate in the first two positions, with possibly Arras or Tyne Cot in third place. Of course they would be right about the first two, but incorrect as to the third biggest - which is Basra with 40000 names. That's four divisions disappeared into the sand. And yet the campaign which produced them attracts so little attention. It's a remarkable statistic; it's nearly twice the size of the Cape Helles memorial for the missing of Gallipoli. Yet how much attention does Gallipoi get as compared with the Mesopotamian campaign? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 13 December , 2002 Share Posted 13 December , 2002 Some good points there Hedley; it is strange why Mespot is so neglected, as it was an important campaign and had much bearing on our approach to Desert War in WW2. I was told by a former member of the CWGC that the Basra Memorial was struck by a Cruise Missle during the Gulf War; as was a war cemetery in Kut. I thought that it hadn't been moved as such, but that the Iraqis were finally letting us back in to work on it? Anyone know of any internet press references to this story? There were Mespot pilgrimages in the 1920s and 30s. I have the papers of 2/ic of the Dorsets and among them is a newsletter advertising once such trip to the Basra Memorial and Kut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 13 December , 2002 Share Posted 13 December , 2002 See CWGC's own press release at www.cwgc.org/news.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 13 December , 2002 Share Posted 13 December , 2002 Does anyone know the real or stated reason this memorial was move from Basra Cemetery by presidnetial decree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoeG Posted 13 December , 2002 Share Posted 13 December , 2002 Thanks to everyone for the information, I certainly didn't realise that it was the third largest memorial. There is an article at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-...-447102,00.html but still no explanation of why exactly the memorial was moved. Joe PS However hard I try, the link does not appear correctly on the post. The final bit should read: /0,,3-447102,00.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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