Strange inscription on headstone

[david murdoch]

See the attached picture - this headstone is in Kilsyth cemetery. By the inscription on the top it's clear he isn't buried under it. I thought is was very odd when I first saw it...it's like they lost him! Perhaps he was buried in a family grave, but that being the case there would be a record of which plot. The stone is in a fairly prominent spot, with no other graves close by. I still need to do some more research on him - he is named on a plaque on the town bandstand, as a member of the public band, so I'm guessing he was local, but he's not on the war memorial. Any ideas or comments would be welcome.

David

[alliekiwi]

I think there're quite a few men buried in cemeteries in F&F with 'Known to be Buried in this Cemetery' or similar on their headstones. Generally, their exact spot was lost due to any of a number of reasons such as shelling of the cemetery etc. However, that sort of reason doesn't seem likely for a cemetery outside of the battlefield areas. Unless the original marker was moved or lost somehow.

Allie

[Terry Denham]

This is not unusual. There are many in the UK.

In many cemeteries casualties were buried as normal but the actual location of the grave is now unknown. Often this was caused by burials being recorded by the authorities against 'burial numbers' rather than grave numbers - a frequent occurance (I have one such case in my own cemetery). This means that the record does not give a clue to the actual location of the grave and, in those days, burials were not always the 'next in line'. If there is no other means of identifying the grave, this now means that the spot cannot be pinpointed.

In such cases, CWGC negotiates with the cemetery aurthority for a location to erect what is called a 'Special Memorial'. This is usually placed in a convenient spot and often near where the grave is thought to be. They are common on the battlefield but are also found in other countries - particularly the UK.

[david murdoch]

Thanks Terry.

First time I'd come across one like that.

[Guest KevinEndon]

Here is another different enscription on a headstone.

believed to be.

[Terry Denham]

There are many varieties of superscription as they are known.

Buried near this spot

Buried near this cemetery/churchyard/chapelyard

Buried in XYZ Cemetery

Believed to be 'either ABC' or 'DEF'

Believed to be buried in Row X

and others