CWGc heastones

[Guest jwillia5]

Good morning all - from a very wet and dreary South Wales,

I wondered if anyone could tell me anything about the one line inscriptions that appear at the bottom of most CWGC headstones. Some say "Gone but not forgotten", others quote "No greater love...". etc

I'd like to know who decided which were used? Did the families have any input into these? Were they allowed to choose from a limited list perhaps...if so what was the choice? Or were they just decided by the authorities and notified to the next of kin?

Thanks very much in advance for your help.......hope its a more pleasant day where you are!

Jane

[gem22]

Jane

My understanding is that the inscriptions are done at the request of the family at the time.

Which is why you see such a wide variation in inscriptions.

Garth

[Terry Denham]

Jane

Each family was contacted and asked if they wanted an inscription and, if so, what wording they wanted. Initially, there was a charge per letter for this service - thus explaining why so many WW1 headstone have no inscription!. Later in WW1 and in WW2 the charge became voluntary and, I believe, early non-payers were not chased for payment.

The New Zealand government forbade inscriptions on their headstones in the cause of equality (not everyone could afford them) and other Dominion governments paid the fee on behalf of the next-of-kin.

Suggested lists of common phrases were available but the final choice was that of the relatives.

[Tom Morgan]

The New Zealand government forbade inscriptions on their headstones in the cause of equality (not everyone could afford them) and other Dominion governments paid the fee on behalf of the next-of-kin.

Terry, that's interesting. I've heard it said that the New Zealand Government decided not to have personal inscriptions because they thought that some less well-educated families might submit overly sentimental inscriptions, and these might compare unfavourably with the more "literary" offerings of more educated families.

Have you ever heard this?

Tom

[Fleur]

The New Zealand government forbade inscriptions on their headstones in the cause of equality (not everyone could afford them) and other Dominion governments paid the fee on behalf of the next-of-kin.

Terry, that's interesting. I've heard it said that the New Zealand Government decided not to have personal inscriptions because they thought that some less well-educated families might submit overly sentimental inscriptions, and these might compare unfavourably with the more "literary" offerings of more educated families.

Have you ever heard this?

Tom

I heard that too Tom, but can't recall where I heard / read it.

Fleur

[Marco]

The New Zealand government forbade inscriptions on their headstones

And with hindsight what a mistake they made! Because let's be honest, one of the most appealing things about CWGC cemeteries are these sometimes highly personal epitaphs.

Regards,

Marco

[Tom Morgan]

Marco, you are absolutely right.

' TOO FAR AWAY

THY GRAVE TO SEE

BUT NOT TOO FAR

TO THINK OF THEE'

Private J.T. Holdroyd,

22nd Battalion AIF, Menin Road South Cemetery, Ieper, Belgium

Tom

[Terry Denham]

Tom

I have never heard that story and it does not ring true to me.

The New Zealand government had several of its own 'rules' when it came to war graves/memorials etc.

However, I do know of one NZ headstone that does have an inscription - possibly added later unofficially but its there!

[burlington]

Each family was contacted and asked if they wanted an inscription and, if so, what wording they wanted. Initially, there was a charge per letter for this service - thus explaining why so many WW1 headstone have no inscription!. Later in WW1 and in WW2 the charge became voluntary and, I believe, early non-payers were not chased for payment.

Terry

Any idea when the charge became 'voluntary'?

I understood that the original charge was 1d per letter or space- a large sum at that time if you were poor.

This just illustrates to me the total inhumamanity of the period- but I am talking in 2004!

[Tom Morgan]

Tom

I have never heard that story and it does not ring true to me.

The New Zealand government had several of its own 'rules' when it came to war graves/memorials etc.

However, I do know of one NZ headstone that does have an inscription - possibly added later unofficially but its there!

I know of lots............ but I am cheating a little bit.

Tom

[Terry Denham]

The charge was actually three and a half pence per letter - talking old money here! A maximum cost was set at £1.

I don't know when the charge became voluntary and I suspect that it was a gradual introduction. However, I can tell you the Personal Inscriptions generated £13,332 7s 10d in the financial year 1923/24 for IWGC and so there was still plenty coming in then!

[Guest Pete Wood]

Using LB's formula for converting the value of money in WW1 to that of today, which is a WW1 £1 = £40 in 2004, that works out at:

Inscription per letter is equal to approx 60p in today's money.

The revenue for the IWGC, for 1923/4, in today's terms is equal to £533,290.

[Terry Denham]

Don't forget that each blank space counted as a letter and therefore cost the same!

The income didn't actually pay for the inscriptions but was simply used to offset the cost of headstones in general.

[Stuart Brown]

This is an original form. It has been cropped as I think the form would be too large to upload in its complete state.

[Terry Denham]

Stuart's posting is of the Final Verification Form - often discussed in various other threads.

Unfortunately, the original WW1 returned forms were destroyed by CWGC when they moved offices in the early 1970s. The WW2 forms survive.

[Stuart Brown]

Thanks Terry,

Double checked - the return address was to the Final Verification Branch.

Stuart

[Guest jwillia5]

Once again you have all come up with some fascinating information....many, many thanks for all the replies and the attachments. It is very much appreciated and has certainly clarifed it for me.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Jane