Freetown (King Tom) Cemetery and Memorial, Sierra Leone

Discussion in 'War Grave Photographs' started by temptage, Apr 10, 2014.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Hi John,
    I am happy with I-phone photos as long as they are not too far away. Numbers for others in Africa I presume????

    Algeria - Djibouti - Gambia - Ghana - Nigeria - Sierra Leone (Listed above Post #12) Uganda - Zimbabwe. I do have one in Brazil at (NATAL (ALECRIM) CEMETERY )
    Others are Egypt and Middle East and Tunisia and Libya.

    Cheers

    Geoff/Spidge
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2020
  2. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    Hi
    Whereabouts in South Africa are the cemeteries/memorials?. I live in Cape Town if that is any help.
    Diane
     
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  3. temptage

    temptage I thought it would only take a few weeks......

    Very useful indeed Diane.

    I have 3 men buried in Simon's Town (Dido Valley) Cemetery, down on the peninsular. Unfortunately the CWGC warn that there have been attacks on vehicles in the area so I would understand if you thought better of visiting.
     
  4. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    Hi, Let me have the names and I will have a look and check out the area. I won't be alone and will make a hasty retreat if it looks dicey.
    Cheers
    Diane
     
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  5. temptage

    temptage I thought it would only take a few weeks......

    Thanks Diane. The three are as follows

    Naval Allotment Row D. Grave 23 DUNK, JOHN WILLIAM - RNPS
    Naval Allotment Row E. Grave 11 SHEPPARD, RONALD - RNPS
    Naval Allotment Row E. Grave 13 TAYLOR, EDWARD FREDERICK - RN

    All I ask is that the photos are as high resolution as possible, taken from directly in front, and on a level (ie not looking down on them) and close enough to clearly read the inscription, and showing the whole stone and a little bit of background behind them. Not asking too much am I?
    So basically a really good clear photo of the whole headstone please lol
     
  6. DianeE

    DianeE Member

     
  7. temptage

    temptage I thought it would only take a few weeks......

    No thankyou. There's no rush for them. They have only been on my wants list for about 8 years so far!!! but if you fancy nipping all round Africa then I'd have a few for you lol
     
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  8. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    could be a bit difficult under gunfire but I am sure Diane knows what she is doing.
    No worse than some of the cemeteries I go to in London
     
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  9. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    Just need full body armour and an AK47 :chaingun:

    Pity I have neither though I understand AK47's can be bought fairly cheaply if you know the right people.:ninja:
     
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  10. temptage

    temptage I thought it would only take a few weeks......

    I dont seem to recall the CWGC mentioning gunfire lol.......just cars being broken into or damaged.
     
  11. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    Hi there are photos on Find a Grave.com Edward Frederick Taylor (Unknown-1943) - Find A.... They also have Information of Death. Example attached. The photo of R Sheppard's headstone is not the full headstone and was taken last year.
    I have checked exactly where the cemetery is and I don't see any problem visiting there.
    Diane
     

    Attached Files:

  12. temptage

    temptage I thought it would only take a few weeks......

    Thanks Diane. Find A Grave is always my first port of call when looking for pics but even though they are good quality, they are still not of the size and resolution I need for my project. Petty I know, but after 8 years of collecting photos of a certain quality itd be foolish to start accepting lesser standard photos.
    Do you see how those photos are looking down on the headstones? Thats what I dont like in photos. It puts a different aspect on it. I like to see whats around the specific graves in the background.
     
  13. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    I understand. Camera is a Canon Power share A1200 so will have to practice as haven't used it for a long time.
    Diane
     
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  14. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Diane you do what you do and make sure you take care

    Regards
    Clive
     
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  15. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    We visited Dido Valley Cemetery yesterday. The entrances are on the main road and definitely no problems. Though coincidently there was an ADT Security patrol van parked by the cemetery.

    There is a distinct lack of signage and it took us a while to find the right entrance then there was a series of steps (each step was about 9/10 ins high and no handrail) The Temperature was in the mid 30's. I was finding it difficult so sent the other half to find the graves and take the pics.
    The graves are well maintained but the rest of the cemetery is in a dreadful state
    The graves face the sea and attached is the view
     

    Attached Files:

  16. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    What an effort you made there Diane and what a fabulous photograph. Freetown is so integral in the voyages of troops from the UK to the Far East especially during 1942, it is great to see something of the terrain. Thank you.
     
  17. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Don't think it's Freetown it's around Simon's Town.

    Tim
     
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  18. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    It is indeed.

    Despite a lot of malarial cases, the 1/4th Essex left with fond memories of the place.

    Sadly, four of the battalion remained there permanently:

    6020576: Davies, Harry Bentley (Private) - This man drowned under slightly hazy circumstances.

    6014357: Sanders, Stanley William George (Private) - This man died of heart failure in Wilberforce Hospital while under anaesthetic for a hernia operation.

    91764: Williams, Edwin James Carville (Lieutenant) - This man died in a lorry accident near Kedema.

    6014481: Cloake, Frederick Spencer (Private) - About whose death I regrettably have no information. [Edit: see below for information].​

    May they rest in peace.
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2020
  19. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    So it is Tim, thanks for pointing that out for me. I was running from the thread title. :rolleyes:

    Sentiment remains the same though.

    Steve
     
  20. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Charley - re Cloake, perhaps he was moved there, the Roll of Honour shows his death as in the West Africa Theatre, yet he is buried in South Africa?

    UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
    Name: Frederick Cloake
    Given Initials: F S
    Rank: Private
    Death Date: 7 Feb 1941
    Number: 6014481
    Birth Place: London N
    Residence: Essex
    Regiment at Enlistment: Essex Regiment
    Branch at Enlistment: Infantry
    Theatre of War: West Africa
    Regiment at Death: Essex Regiment
    Branch at Death: Infantry

    Family tree
    Frederick Spencer Alexander Cloake
    1921–1941
    BIRTH 15 JAN 1921 • Pancras, London
    DEATH 07 FEB 1941 • West Africa

    [​IMG]

    Cemetery name
    Sierra Leone (Tom King Cemetary)



    TD

    Casualty
    Buried at FREETOWN (KING TOM) CEMETERY
     
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