Menin Gate

[Northern Soul]

This thread has been prompted by a post Terry made elsewhere announcing that CWGC had accepted someone for commemoration in which he has posted a photo of the (current) Addenda Panel. As an academic exercise I have looked up the sixteen most recently-added names and have a few queries:

1. There seems to be quite a bit of variability over the description of which panel (of the Menin Gate) the casulaties are commemorated on. These include: "Addenda Panel 60", "Addenda Panel 57 to 60", "Addenda Panel 59 to 60", Addenda Panel 58 to 60, "Addenda Panel 57, 58 and 59", "Panel 50 and 52", Addenda, Addenda Panel, and Panel 12. If it is the Panel currently in use then why aren't they all just "Addenda Panel 60"; there does seem to be a lack of consistency and two are plainly incorrect as they direct the individual to the main regimental panels (A. W. Wayman and S. Potter).

2. "T. Bray", of the Middlesex Regiment, is actually Horace Benjamin Bray. What went wrong here?

3. Why do T. Bray and B. Evans have the following caveat inserted into their CWGC entries in the Additional Information section when they are clearly now listed?

PLEASE NOTE This casualty was accepted for commemoration by the Commission. However, it will not be possible to add his name to this Memorial immediately. Please contact the Commission before planning a visit, for more information.

4. Twelve of the sixteen names have Next of Kin information - 75%. If these are recent commemorations (the individuals not having been previously known to the CWGC) and the NoK Final Verification Forms were thrown away in the 1970's, then where exactly is this information coming from?

Best wishes.

Andy.

[John_Hartley]

Your point 4 is an interesting question, as it had been my understanding that CWGC didnt take account of "modern" information about NoK, age, etc.

John

[Terry Denham]

Point 4. CWGC does add NoK information for 'new' names if evidence is supplied by the proposer - often by relatives who have researched the name. This has happened in cases I have put forward myself.

Point 2. Bray's initials are a stonemason's error. I spotted this when sent the pic and reported it. They are being changed.

Point 3. CWGC have started to add this caveat to some new names to stop people arranging trips to see 'their' new name on a memorial when it can take several years to actually appear (in some cases). The names in the pic have only just been added and there is a time lag before the Records Department is informed of their actual appearance.

Point 1. Memorial entries usually refer people to the panels on which a regiment is to be found (sometimes over several panels) as this is how they are displayed. Therefore you can get several panel numbers per name. They do not always direct you to the actual panel bearing the name. However, the format of the entry in the database can vary depending when and by whom the entry is made as this is one of the few fields in the database which CWGC staff type freehand.

With the Menin Gate Addenda Panels, they are treated the same way as a regiment - they are Panels 57-60. Potter is not incorrect as the other number directs you to his original inscription - the new name being a full ALIAS entry. The previous name will be amended in due course.

[Northern Soul]

Thanks for the exaplanation Terry.

Andy.