CWGC Gravestones - family inscriptions

[Tom Morgan]

Certainly of interest to me. Pte. Rust's inscription is the longest noted so far at 318 characters (not counting the basic CWGC information and a couple of full-stops). Not only the longest inscription so far, but it must be close to being the longest that there can be, as it practically fills the stone. Thanks for the photo and the other details, Paul.

Tom

[Paul Reed]

Glad it was of interest.

Terry's point about inscriptions on original grave markers is an interesting point, as there are - from memory - one or two such stones at Hazebrouck. An original inscription of this length would have been impossible on a wooden cross, but more so on a stone. Wonder, if such a stone did exist for Rust, if it was taken home?

[Terry Denham]

Paul

I have no evidence for the theory but the more I think about it the more it seems a possibility - especially after your confirming the existence of some private stones still extant in Hazebrouck.

Obviously I was not thinking of the wooden temporary crosses but of family erected stone memorials which were later removed by agreement. Now I am trying to think of where I can get any proof!

[ianw]

Might the CWGC internal record that records the details of the individual stone inscription give a clue as to whether it was put there at the behest of a relative or by way of "Denham's Theorem"

[Matt Dixon]

Tom

It is the only case I know of where a man's final action is described on his gravestone.

Another airman, this time in St Catherine CWGC near Arras, and if my maths is right 116 characters.

[Matt Dixon]

There is another long one, on the headstone of Major PSG Wainman, somewhere near Loos

"Nobly killed in action whilst leading his men into battle on the eve of his thirty-fifth birthday he died a hero and is missed by all, his loving family, wife and sons."

[SRDjar]

Tom

I am niggled to say that I cannot put my hands on my 'interesting inscriptions' notebook, but if you are up in the Ypres area before me, take a look in Cement House cemetery. There is a very long, interesting, inscription to an airman, which describes how he flew to the aid of beleaguered friends and was involved in twenty minute dogfight before being shot down. It is well worth seeing. It is the only case I know of where a man's final action is described on his gravestone.

Jack

Found it !

The inscription is that for 2/Lt D F Cunningham-Reid (29th lancers, attd RFC) who died on 19 November 1915.

His headstone in Cement House Cemetery (7A.D.8) reads,

SENT 60 MILES

TO PROTECT ANOTHER

HE FOUGHT IN THE AIR

FOR HALF AN HOUR

SURROUNDED BY THE ENEMY

ENABLING RECONNAISSANCE

MACHINE TO RETURN SAFELY

LOVED BY ALL

Duncan Flower's marker wording has 129 characters and 20 spaces if I count aright...).

If you need further info on epitaphs (I have collected more than 2,500 over the last few years from CWGC sites all over Belgium, where I live), just email me at jeanmichel.dominique@chello.be. I'll be very pleased to help. Needless to say I haven't got them all - I concentrated on the more interesting/unusual/quaint ones, and also those of the VCs buried in Belgium. But please state the name and Regtl number of the man, as I classified them in alpha order.

Cheers from SRD jar

[Guest KevinEndon]

This is an amazing thread, I wonder what headstone has the least letters to form an epitaph.

Kevin

[Peter Woodger]

Hi

This one is in Lonsdale.

My entry for the shortest is WHY which I have seen on the headstine of an Irish Soldier but cannot remember where he lay.

Peter

[ypresman]

Here is a couple more:

Captain Guy Charles Boileau Willock buried at Dud Corner Cemetery in Loos......

[ypresman]

Lt Alfred James Lawrence Evans buried at BAILLEUL communal Cemetery Extension.