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Welcome to the October edition of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s newsletter. In this edition, we report back on some of our recent projects and events and start to look forward to the remembrance period and some of the items heading your way soon. Welcome also to all our new members. We now have over 5,500 members of our newsletter and are delighted that this number continues to increase. PDF of this newsletter is available here. 
Farewell to Richard Kellaway… On 30 September we bid farewell to Mr Richard Kellaway CBE. Richard has been at the helm of the Commission for ten years and during that time has overseen a significant number of initiatives aimed at building on our traditions, informing the public and equipping the organisation to meet the challenges of the future. We wish him the very best for his retirement. …and a warm welcome to our new Director General Mr Alan Pateman-Jones joins the Commission as our new Director General. Alan served with the British Army for 12 years before pursuing a highly successful career in the private sector. Alan is married with 4 children and lists his hobbies as reading, long distance walking, sailing, and gardening. Alan has targeted commemoration events to mark the outbreak of the First World War as a way for the Commission to support the continuing need to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. “It is our duty at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to ensure their memory remains as fresh in people’s minds 100 years after the event as at the time the guns fell silent.” How our records were compiled The Commission's records commemorate over 1.7 million service men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars. As we have so many records, we are regularly asked why.....
To help explain this further, our Archives Supervisor has written a short report on following the First World War, and we hope that this will answer some of your queries. 
Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary weekend: 4-5 September Perfect weather for flying greeted the thousands of visitors to the Imperial War Museum Air Show at Duxford over the weekend of 4th and 5th Septemberwhich commemorated the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The Commission exhibition stand, featuring the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede as well as cemeteries and memorials worldwide which commemorate the ultimate sacrifice made by the air forces of the Commonwealth in the two world wars, was kept busy throughout the weekend dealing with visitors’ questions and providing information leaflets and guiding people to obtain further information concerning their loved ones military service. The Head Office team were moved by the sheer number of people who just wanted to pop in and say hello and offer the Commission a big “thank you” for what we do. This overwhelming public support for our work was confirmed by nearly £500.00 being collected in our donations box despite not being promoted, people simply wanted to give! Thank you so much for your generosity. The highlight of the weekend was the sight of sixteen Spitfires taking to the skies of Duxford in formation, plus an incredible display by the Red Arrows. War Graves Commission honours the fallen of India 
Indian soldiers are honoured by Commonwealth War Graves Commission At midday on Sunday 26 September a new war memorial, built by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, was unveiled in Sussex, paying tribute to some of the one and half million Indian soldiers who fought for the British Empire during the First World War. The new memorial bears the names of 53 Indian soldiers who died during the Great War in Brighton and who remains were creamted on the Sussex Downs in accordance with the funeral rights of their faith. For further information visit our website here.
New Education Resource In addition, the Commission, with the help and support of the Indian High Commission, will be producing an education resource which examines the often overlooked contribution of servicemen and women from undivided India during the two world wars. The first phase of the resource – a CD ROM for schools in the UK – will be launched during October. The second phase – a website – will be launched in 2011. Exhibition of the Work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in the UK 25th October to 27th November North Lincolnshire Museum Oswald Road Admission Free For further information and opening hours, please contact the Museum Tel: 01724 843533 North Lincs Museum website Saturday 21 May 2011 will mark the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete. Further information on the Battle of Crete and the events surround the Anniversary will be included in newsletters later in the year. 
Robert Sandow recently sent an account of his visit to the Far East. Along with several friends and historian Lynette Silver they followed the route of the Sandakan Death March, the march made by 2,700 Allied soldiers who were transferred to Sandakan by the Japanese in 1942-43, following Singapore's fall. His moving story and photographs of his trip can be found here. For further information, please look at the following links: If you have a particular story to tell, please do contact us. We read all your feedback and comments and they are always welcome 
If you would like to receive more regular updates why not join our Facebook and Twitter pages? Our Facebook page has an ever increasing number of fans and we are always interested in seeing your photographs and receiving your comments. Our Twitter site also has almost 550 regular followers and is an excellent way of receiving regular updates from the Commission Our Flickr site is now up and running and you can subscribe to regular updates. It includes photographs of recent events and work across the Commission. We are delighted that Jon Garrett our photographer, whose photos are shown on this site was recently a winner of the Guardian's Weekend readers' pictures: Lines (25 September) Feedback email address: And don't forget you can let us have your comments and feedback about any aspect of the Commission's work through this address. Please remember this is not a general enquiry address. Cemetery closures, work and visitor information Don't forget....... If you are planning on visiting a cemetery or memorial, please check both the cemetery records and visitor information section on our website before your visit for up-to-date information. |
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October 2010 newsletterIn this Issue Useful links The links included here are for easy reference and aim to provide you to access to further information about our events and services *Brighton report on Chattri Memorial unveiling PDF version of this newsletter *CWGC holds no responsibility for the content of outside links Pass it on Do you know anyone who would like to receive this newsletter? Your details Click here to change your subscription details. |
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