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November 2012: CWGC at the heart of First World War Centenary
Welcome to our November 2012 Newsletter
Each year, the month of November brings the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission into sharp focus. And, as we approach the centenary of the First World War, the attention on our organisation has perhaps never been greater.
This month, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that the CWGC would be one of the UK government's principal partners, along with the Royal British Legion, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Imperial War Museums, in marking the centenary of the First World War.
The CWGC is at the centre of a four-year programme of commemoration, which will include events to mark anniversaries across the period, including the start of the war in 1914, the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and the Armistice in 1918. Click on the image below to learn more about our involvement.
But, for the Commission, remembrance goes beyond November and the marking of specific anniversaries – it is a year-round, worldwide task. Read on through this month’s newsletter to discover more about some of the latest examples of our work. |
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Latest Annual Report to be published on 11 November |
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The Commission’s 93rd Annual Report will be published on 11 November.
The report outlines exactly how we are getting fit for the challenge of the 14 – 18 centenary and features a number of other highlights from the past year.
The report is accompanied by an account of the Commission’s Finances; a list of the War Graves and Memorials in the Commission’s care; and a breakdown of the numbers of those who died in the two world wars.
The publication will be available both in print and on our website.
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Commission releases short film to publicise Remembrance Trail |
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The CWGC has produced a short film, narrated by Frances Barber, to promote the “Forgotten Front”, a Remembrance Trail in Northern France.
The trail features ten sites in a sector of the Western Front often overlooked by visitors and historians.
The trail includes some of the Commission’s most beautiful cemeteries and memorials.
Click on the tab below to watch the film and discover the Forgotten Front Remembrance Trail for yourself.
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Veterans return to El Alamein 70 years on
Veterans of the Battle of El Alamein came together for a memorial ceremony on 20 October to mark the 70th anniversary of the battle. The service was held at El Alamein War Cemetery which contains 7,240 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.
It was attended by our Vice-Chairman Sir Alistair Irwin, pictured below helping 92 year-old Peter Watson, a veteran of the Black Watch, lay a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance.
The Commission will of course be represented at a number of other events over the Remembrance period. Our Vice Chairman, for example, will attend ceremonies at both the Cenotaph and the Canadian Memorial in Green Park, London.
Commissioner Sir Joe French will be in Ieper, Belgium and our Historian, Dr Edward Madigan, will be at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery in Staffordshire. |
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Take a moment to share your views |
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We have created a short survey to help us understand some of your requirements in relation to the forthcoming centenary of the First World War.
By answering the survey you will help shape future CWGC activity. Your help is greatly appreciated.
All responses are confidential.
Please click on the tab below and spare 10 minutes to answer the questions.
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Blogspot with Ryan Hill: The relevance of remembrance |
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Our Website and Social Media Assistant, Ryan Hill, reflects on his time with the Commission.
Ryan focuses on the size of the Commission's task -- from our wide-reaching committment across 153 countries, to the tremendous effort that goes into maintaining each individual headstone.
He discusses his increasing awareness of the ongoing relevance of remembrance and the imapct this has had for him personally.
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November 2012: How do you remember?
Captain Ken McIntosh and Major Dave Stone have taken part in a very different act of remembrance. While visiting Malta, the pair carried out a dive to the wreck of HMS Maori and attached a Royal British Legion Memorial Cross to the ship.
This unique act of remembrance has sparked our imaginations and we want to know how you remember. Whether it's a specifc event you have planned for November, or something you do all year round, we'd love to hear from you.
Why not take a moment over the next few days to visit our Facebook and Twitter pages to share your stories and read those left by others.
Click on the photo below to discover the full story of the memorial dive. |
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Burial of KL654/R Flight Crew at Kuala Lumpur (Cheras Road) |
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The eight man crew of RAF Liberator KL654/R were buried at Kuala Lumpur (Cheras Road) Civil Cemetery on Thursday 18 October, almost 70 years after their death.
The B24 bomber disappeared on the night of 23 August 1945, only days after the Japanese surrender. It was on a night flight, dropping supplies for the civilian population and resistance fighters.
The ceremony was attended by members of the family of the crew. They were escorted by the Queens Colour Squadron. The service began at 07.30 on the morning of the 18th and was conducted by Rev Jonathan Beach of the R.A.F.
Click below to discover the names of the crew and view the order of service from the ceremony.
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CWGC announces appointment of two new Commissioners |
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The CWGC is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Commissioners; the Hon Roslyn Kelly AO and Mr Robert Fox MBE.
The Hon Roslyn Kelly AO succeeds Mrs Sara Jones, on the completion of her term as Commissioner.
Roslyn "Ros" Kelly was a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1980 to 1995, holding ministerial positions in governments led by Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.
Mr Robert Fox is the Defence Editor of the Evening Standard and Senior Associate Fellow of the Centre for Defence Studies at King's College London.
Both appointments took effect from October 1st 2012.
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One Reader's Snapshot: Etretat Churchyard Extension
This image of Etretat Churchyard Extension, Seine-Maritime, was captured by newsletter reader Stewart May.
In December 1914, No.1 General Hospital was established in Etretat and it remained there until December 1918. In July 1917, it was taken over by No.2 (Presbyterian USA) Base Hospital Unit, but it continued to operate as a British hospital.
The first seven burials took place among the French civil graves but in February 1915, two plots were set aside for Commonwealth burials in the churchyard. These were filled by December 1916 and from then until December 1918, the extension was used. |
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Battles this month: The loss of the HMHS Britannic |
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Earlier in 2012 there was much publicity around the 100th anniversary of the loss of the RMS Titanic.
Less well known, is that the Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, was also lost.
Britannic was the largest vessel to sink during the Great War. This month’s feature provides an insight into the ship’s last moments, through the personal accounts of those who survived.The feature also lists, for the first time, a list of all those who perished.
Thanks to the Western Front Association (WFA) for providing this article. The WFA is a registered charity dedicated to perpetuating the memory of those who served in the First World War.
For further information about the WFA please visit their website.
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A to Z of countries: N is for New Caledonia |
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Nearly 700 Commonwealth war dead of the Second World War are buried or commemorated in New Caledonia, in Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery.
The cemetery contains over 240 graves, the majority of which were concentrated into the cemetery from fourteen other islands in the South Pacific area, as well as from other places in New Caledonia.
Within the cemetery, The Bourail Memorial commemorates almost 450 casualties of the New Zealand land and air forces, who died in the South Pacific and have no known grave.
During the 1939-45 War, New Caledonia became a training ground for jungle and island warfare and was used by the New Zealand forces in the South Pacific area, in preparation for the campaign in the Solomon Islands.
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