As we continue our monthly walk-though of countries where the Commission has a commitment, we reach D for a second time.

This month we feature the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country where we currently have limited access, but the memory of those who died continues to be kept alive. 

The other D's where the Commission has a commitment are:

Denmark and Djibouti

"A Gallant and Devoted Officer" - Captain Noel Godfrey Chavasse VC and Bar, MC, RAMC

Noel was one of identical twins and his brother was called Christopher.   In 1908, both twins represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games in the 400 metres. Noel finished second in his heat while Christopher finished third, neither time being fast enough to progress further.

Read more in our leaflet on Noel Chavasse by clicking below.

In our last newsletter, we included a Behind the Scenes feature on cleaning of headstones. 

This month's article specifically features  work which has recently been carried out in Tunisia, at Medjez El Bab War Cemetery to remove mineral staining from headstones and other structures within the cemetery (record building, shelter building, steps and Stone of Remembrance). 

This photograph was taken shortly after the uprising in Tunisia and is indication of our continued commitment to maintaining graves around the world despite challenging circumstances.

Thanks for the photograph go to Mr James Day one of our readers. 

First among the Commission’s responsibilities is the commemoration by name of all Commonwealth servicemen and women who died during the two world wars either on a headstone marking the grave or, if the grave is not known, on a memorial to the missing.

A significant part of our day-to-day work is centred on making sure the inscriptions on headstones and memorial panels remain legible but the question of what constitutes illegibility is not always understood.

To find out more about what is involved and the ongoing reengraving project to "Keep these names alive"  visit our website using the read more button below.

88 year old Mrs. M.R. Cantem, better known as Peggy or Aunty Peggy, is one of the most popular figures in Jhansi today. She was all set to migrate to the UK but when her husband passed away in 1986, she changed her mind and stayed to work with the local community. 

In 2004, Peggy decided to restore the Jhansi Lynchgate Cemetery, which along with 62 Commission cantonment graves, has graves dating back to the era of the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857.  The Cemetery had long been abandoned, as access was almost impossible, and was filled with snakes and other pests and covered with shrubs and weeds. Peggy's involvement has help restore the cemetery to its original condition.

The Commission is currently reinstating the original graves in 131 burial sites across India.  Jhansi Lynchgate Cemetery is one of these cemeteries and is now almost completely restored; with the other sites in different stages of completion.

The photograph above shows Peggy and Commission staff during a visit earlier this month.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is proud to announce that our new website will be launched in January 2012.

The redesigned site has a completely new “look and feel” which we hope will appeal to a wide audience. We have made the site much easier to navigate and maintain, but perhaps the most improved features are the enhanced search capabilities around the “Search our Records” function.

Following your feedback, a greatly enhanced search will allow you to look for individuals by regiment, cemetery, country, awards, date of death and service number. You will also be able to browse cemeteries and memorials by country and even by size.

Further enhancements will come on line later as part of our ongoing commitment to provide a better service to you.

Finally, the Commission would like to express our sincere thanks to all those individuals who took part in our feedback programme sent in suggestions or tested the website.  Thank you for your assistance.

On the 2nd December 2011, the Embassy of Malta in Belgium held a Commemorative Service in honour and remembrance of the Maltese Servicemen who fell on the western front in the two World Wars.

The ceremony was held at Ploegsteert Memorial, where the first of the Maltese died. He was Second Lieutenant Frederick Paul Bernard, who was killed in action on the 21 December 1914. He was 20 years old.

The names of these Maltese buried in unknown graves are etched on memorials such as the Menin Gate in Ieper and on the Ploegsteert Memorial.

The battle at Rafa, (or more accurately “Action at Rafa”) which took place on 9 January 1917, was a small affair that rarely receives any mention in accounts of the First World War. It was, however, a victory that ended the Sinai campaign of 1916.

Find out more about the Battle by visiting our website

With many thanks to the Western Front Association for producing this informative article.

The photograph shows Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt, which commemorates 1,950 casualties from the First and Second World Wars.