Unknown headstones

[Matt Dixon]

I have a bit of a thing going about unknown headstones, and was wondering about how the inscriptions were actually decided.

If a body was totally unrecognisable then the inscription reads "A soldier of the Great War". However some headstones read "An unknown ***** of the Great War"

What was the criteria for being listed as simply "A ****** of the Great War" as opposed to "An unknown ******* of the Great War"?

I understand that if anything to help with identification could be found then it would read for example "A soldier of the Great War...The Hampshire Regiment" (or whatever), but in 10+ years I have failed to find a consistant thread.

I apologise for coming back to this topic again, but there is still so much I want to know!

[Muerrisch]

In the thread "Unknown headstones, what's the highest number?" there are several halfway relevant contributions. I too am puzzled. Perhaps the bottom line is that CWGC were dependent on what the Graves Registration people told them, and what we now see is not rigorous. Nowadays, CWGC are rigorous in their own right, and demand high standards of proof. I have only managed a handful of idents. in years.

[Alan Seymour]

The following is taken from page 231 of "Courage Remembered" by Gibson and Ward

Unknown (Sailor, Soldier, Airman) - The remains of one whose name is not known. Everthing else (rank, nationality, regiment, date of death) may be known, but positive identification is impossible....

The following is taken from page 43 of "The Unending Vigil" by Philip Longworth

... and that in the absence of a name and identifying information, it should bear some remark in their honour. After considerable difficulty Kipling produced the device: 'A soldier of the Great War... Known unto God.'

[Matt Dixon]

Alan,

Thanks for the post. I read The Unending Vigil but I am still not sure I fully unstand how it works, as there does seem to be some inconsistancy. Maybe I am just thinking too much about it!

[Terry Denham]

Matt

What consistency are you looking for?

CWGC nowadays simply add all the confirmed information they have - unfortunately usually very little after all this time.