Overseas servicemen/women buried in UK

[Moonraker]

The Travel section of Saturday's Daily Telegraph had a slightly cynical letter from a chap about a small French village commemorating each April the crew of a Lancaster bomber that crashed there in 1944. "Would this happen in Britain? I think not," the letter-writer concludes.

I've left a message on the Telegraph's Feedback message board pointing out that in several Wiltshire villages and in Brockenhurst in the New Forest ceremonies are held on or near ANZAC Day to remember the Australians and New Zealanders (including nurses) who died in local hospitals during the Great War; in some cases local school-children place floral tributes on each grave.

And the Fovant Badges Society drumhead service (held this year on July 6) remembers Australian and British troops who were based - and died - in local camps.

Obviously matching the French circumstances is impossible, but are there many other instances in the UK of local people regularly remembering dead overseas service people of the Great War?

Moonraker

[Wdragon]

This doesn't quite exactly fit the bill (of being in the UK) but, here goes anyway.

A couple of years ago I was in Belgrade and I tried to find any remaining evidence of the British involvement in the defence of the city in 1915 - there was almost nothing. However my guide told me that the contribution of the Scottish red cross nurses from 1915/16 was still very much alive in Serb memory and was celebrated in an annual service held every spring. It was not in Belgrade but in a city further South - I do not recall the name - I will have to see if I can find my notes. He showed me the reports in the newspapers of that year's service. there appeared to be a very large turn out and the local children were prominent in those paying their respects to those brave Scottish ladies. I found it quite touching.

Regards

David

[Tony Lund]

The Huddersfield War Hospital was in the grounds of what is now Royds Hall High School at Padock, Huddersfield. Obviously some of the patients died during the war. The school does not know who they all are, but they do know about three Canadians who died of wounds at the hospital just after Vimy Ridge; these men were buried close together at a local cemetery. Last year the school held a little ceremony at the graves of these men, one lad played the Last Post. I don’t know for certain, but I think this is - or is now going to be - an annual event.

Tony.

[Moonraker]

Just to say that my reply on the Telegraph's Feedback message board was printed in today's "Telegraph Travel", page T19. I point this out not so much out of pride (my job involved my written work often appearing in the press), but to refresh this thread. Wiltshire may well have seen the major concentration of Australian camps in the Great War, but Empire soldiers were based in many other parts of the UK and there must be cemeteries with significant numbers of graves. (I'm planning a visit to the Canadian cemetery of 42 graves at Cliveden, where there was a hospital in both wars; I wonder if there's ever a remembrance service there, for example?)

Moonraker

PS Just been checking a website that clarified that the 42 burials were of the 1914-1918 War; 28 were Canadian (two were nursing sisters), and two American; 19 Americans were repatriated after the Armistice. Other burials are those of men from British, Australian and New Zealand. There are also one Canadian and one British burial of the 1939-1945 war.

[Moonraker]

Every July 1, the citizens of Folkestone hold the Canadian Flower Service at Shorncliffe Military Cemetery. In a tradition dating back to 1919, children lay flowers on each one of 300-plus Canadian soldiers’ graves as wreaths are laid at the central memorial.

(I came across this almost by accident when checking out the Canadian Hospital at Folkestone.)

Moonraker

[NigelS]

I remembered hearing on the the BBC local Radio station about a commemoration held annually in June for WWI Indian Soldiers who died and were cremated in Brighton, (The Royal Pavillion was used as a hospital for evacuated Western Front casualties in WWI) some more details about this and the memorial to them on this site:

http://www.chattri.com/

NigelS

[frev]

Well done on having your reply aired Moonraker, & enlightening the general public that in fact many Brits still do care for their foreign charges.

The St Mary's Church Cemetery in Harefield is the final resting place of 111 Anzacs (one of these being my G/Uncle) & 1 Australian nurse, and regular Anzac Day Services have been held there. Also since Anzac Day 1921, the Harefield School children have been placing flowers on every grave during these services.

It certainly is a beautiful gesture, and much appreciated by we rellies who are so far away.

More here:

http://www.theharefieldacademy.org/article.asp?id=958

Cheers, Frev