What does the acronym DDGR mean on a Graves Concentration Report

Discussion in 'War Cemeteries & War Memorial Research' started by SDP, Aug 11, 2021.

  1. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    I am helping someone research her grandfather (E Rudge) and we are wondering where these Reports may currently reside (DDGR/1889 in this case)

    IMG_6678.PNG
     
    CL1 likes this.
  2. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    You might be best making an enquiry with Commonwealth War Grave Commission at Maidenhead.

    I can’t interpret the acronym
    DDGR (other than ?? Graves Registration). I have seen post war reports in Canadian and Australian files about the recovery of airmen from crash sites.

    Forum member alieneyes might be able to assist via his knowledge of Canadian sources connected to Squadron Leader Kimber RCAF.

    Steve
     
    SDP likes this.
  3. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    If they survived they will be in the CWGC Archive ,view by appointment, but like most still closed.

    CWGC Archive | CWGC

    DGR & E ;= The Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries

    Kyle
     
    CL1 and SDP like this.
  4. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Thanks chaps. I've a sneaky suspicion it could mean Deputy Director of Graves Registration (I've just done a quick scan of the NA files database). As you say, it's probably best to contact the CWGC and hope the files still exist.
     
  5. JITTER PARTY

    JITTER PARTY Well-Known Member

    Deputy Director of Graves Registration and Enquiry is correct, but I am confused; this Graves Concentration Report Form is freely available to view on the CWGC website, so that is where it currently resides.
     
    SDP likes this.
  6. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Thanks. I see where you are coming from but the Graves Concentration Report itself references other documents in the right hand column and it's that document (DDGR/1889) that we are looking for. There must be a series of these because other DDGR documents with different numbers are also mentioned in the right hand column of the Graves Concentration Report.
     
  7. Adam Petipher

    Adam Petipher Well-Known Member

    Did you have any luck finding out where the reports reside in the end? I am on a similar journey and also hitting brick walls!
     
  8. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    These reports are not available for the public
     
  9. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    My original enquiry was for a friend whose grandfather was KIA (see post #1). I don't know whether she was successful or not in contacting CWGC Archive, but, from other posts, that's where the reports reside but they might not be available to the public. I suggest you phone CWGC Archive and ask - no harm in several people asking them the same question.
     
  10. Adam Petipher

    Adam Petipher Well-Known Member

    Thanks, I've done just that and they requested it be sent in as an email request. If its restricted info then I doubt I will get any further though.
     
    SDP likes this.
  11. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    .....but hopefully they will provide an explanation etc that could guide those of us who would like to know.
     
  12. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    Hi,

    The best information provided by the CWGC is something called the "place of first burial". As most Allied crews were buried in the nearest churchyard or cemetery it gave one some idea of where the aircraft came down. In this case, Boston BZ382 of No. 88 Squadron came down at Ouilly-le-Basset in Normandy. From the Graves Registration Report Form (attached) we see they were disinterred from Ouillly-le-Basset and moved to Ranville War Cemetery.

    I had a look at the ancestry file on the RCAF skipper, J15210 A/S/Ldr George Peter Vickers, DFC. Two pages from it attached.

    Regards,

    Dave

    Boston BZ382 a.jpg
    Boston BZ382 b.jpg
    vickers crew.JPG
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2022
    SDP likes this.

Share This Page