CWGC Headstone/Memorial Error Reports and results.

CWGC informed again.
It has been like this for a few years.

WOOLFORD, JAMES ALFRED Rank: Gunner Service No: 6853635 Date of Death: 21/06/1942 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery Grave Reference Sec. 39. Grave 6177. Cemetery HARROW CEMETERY Additional Information:
Son of William Francis and Caroline Woolford. of Harrow.

 

CWGC informed again.Grave has been like this for a few years


HATTON, DENNIS F.

Rank:

Ordinary Seaman

Service No:

P/JX380530

Date of Death:

24/06/1943

Age:

19

Regiment/Service:

Royal Navy



H.M.S. Southdown

Grave Reference

Sec. 37. Grave 5870.

Cemetery

HARROW CEMETERY

Additional Information:
Son of Frank Henry and Kate Hatton, of Harrow.

 

CWGC headstone broken
CWGC informed


WHITE, GEORGE PERCY

Rank:

Lieutenant

Service No:

194935

Date of Death:

02/11/1944

Age:

27

Regiment/Service:

Royal Artillery



508 Coast Regt.

Grave Reference

Sec. 37. Grave 5904.

Cemetery

HARROW CEMETERY

Additional Information:
Son of Percy and Elizabeth White, of Harrow; husband of Irene White. of Harrow.

 

Roxeth Cemetery North West London
Totally overgrown and no access to 4 WW1 burials

 

St Marys Churchyard North West London

Totally over grown upper and lower church yards, and D.U.Lowson grave in a terrible state .I flagged this up a few years ago to CWGC and have re sent details.


LOWSON, DONALD URQUHART

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Trade:

Pilot

Service No:

41306

Date of Death:

07/07/1941

Age:

28

Regiment/Service:

Royal Air Force



102 Sqdn.

Awards:

D F C

Grave Reference



Cemetery

HARROW (ST. MARY) LOWER CHURCHYARD

Additional Information:
Son of John and Margaret Lowson: husband of Rita May Lowson, of Norbreck. Blackpool, Lancashire.

 

Hi Clive,

Reminds of the trouble Judy had getting my WW1 lad Kensal Green All Souls in London.

Before View attachment 122274 and After View attachment 122275

Cheers

Geoff

 

Hi Clive,

Reminds me of the trouble Judy had getting my WW1 lad at Kensal Green All Souls in London.

Before and After

How many are in there is unknown.


Cheers

Geoff

 

Interesting that CWGC has F/Lt Dowson as serving with 102 Squadron, all other sources have him at 10 OTU Abingdon flying Whitley Z6476.
He did his last Op for 102 Squadron on 1st March '41 and was posted out on 7th.

 

I would assume on the same line is Henry Melville "Dinghy" Young?

Cheers

Geoff

 

I would add that a number of the older cemeteries/churchyards in the UK have areas which are kept over grown to encourage wild life,however the main issue is the number of private headstones/graves that are in a very poor state and damaged by this overgrowth and the elements.This is the challenge CWGC have in the UK to ensure the names are legible on many private headstones/graves.

 

Yes Geoff,
It is Dinghy Young, all three: Lowson, Frampton and Young finished their tours together and were awarded the DFC, Frampton was also killed at 10 OTU, on the 27th July.
Young managed a couple more years...

Pete

 

Stock reply from CWGC

no idea why it mentions headstone cleaning and unless supplied a jungle equipment who would enter

Thank you for your email.

I would explain that there are more than 170,000 Commonwealth war graves in 12,000 different cemeteries and churchyards in the United Kingdom. The graves are inspected on an approximate 3-4 year cycle by Regional Supervisors who check for accessibility, legibility and damage. Where necessary, they will arrange for a replacement headstone to be produced and erected on the grave. In addition, we have teams who clean the headstones with a masonry biocide every 2-3 years, on a cyclical basis. The biocide helps keep the headstones free from algae and lichens but, if the stones are under heavy tree cover or in shady conditions, they may need to be cleaned more often and the cycle is adjusted, accordingly.

As a result, we no longer encourage members of the public or groups to clean our headstones. However, we welcome any reports or concerns regarding legibility. Your comments will, therefore, be copied to the Regional Supervisor for his information and action, where necessary, to ensure that standards are met.

Please find attached a casualty report with information that might help you locate the graves in the burial ground.

In closing, I would like to thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention.

I hope you find this information useful.

 

CWGC reply

I first sent details of the poor state in May 2012

Thank you contacting us regarding Harrow (St. Mary) Lower Churchyard.
Please allow me to explain that there are more than 170,000 Commonwealth war graves in 12,000 different cemeteries and churchyards in the United Kingdom. We seek to ensure the continued maintenance of Commonwealth war graves in the United Kingdom by entering into maintenance agreements for their upkeep. These are normally made with the controlling authority, cemetery or churchyard concerned or individuals and is sometimes provided free of charge. The standard of maintenance achieved under these arrangements varies considerably but the minimum acceptable standard is that the grave should be kept tidy and, if laid to grass, be cut reasonably short through the growing season.
In the UK, all war graves are inspected on an approximate 3-4 year cycle by Regional Supervisors who check for accessibility, legibility and damage. Where necessary, they will arrange for a replacement headstone to be produced and erected on the grave.
Our records show that this churchyard was last inspected on 15 August 2012. However, in view of your comments, I will copy our correspondence to the Regional Supervisor for his information and action, where necessary, to ensure that appropriate standards are met.
In closing, I would like to thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention and if there is anythng else we can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact us again. We will do our best to help.

 

Photo of the revised spelling on the headstone taken on 6 June 2014

 

Headstone has fallen over,tree growing through the grave
CWGC informed


CINI, ADRIAN FRANCIS ARMANDO

Rank:

Private

Service No:

97005484

Date of Death:

24/12/1943

Regiment/Service:

Royal Army Pay Corps

Grave Reference

Sec. 20. R.C. Grave 22.

Cemetery

ST. PANCRAS CEMETERY

 

reply from CWGC
again I reported this a while back and re reported recently

Thank you for your email.

In the UK, all war graves are inspected on an approximate 3-4 year cycle by Regional Supervisors who check for accessibility, legibility and damage. Where necessary, they will arrange for a replacement headstone to be produced and erected on the grave.

Our records show that St Pancras Cemetery was last inspected on 15 February 2012. In view of your comments, I will copy our correspondence to the Regional Supervisor for his information and action, where necessary, to ensure that appropriate standards are met.

In closing, I would like to thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention.

 

I really wish I could get a job as a regional supervisor!! Would suit me down to the ground.

Cheers

Geoff

 

DEWHURST, JOHN
Rank: Private
Service No: 7629886
Date of Death: 01/08/1943
Age: 32
Regiment/Service: Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Grave Reference: Row P. Grave 260.
Cemetery: WRIGHTINGTON (ST. JAMES THE GREAT) CHURCHYARD
Additional Information: Son of Priscilla Dewhurst, of Heskin; husband of Mary Dewhurst, of Heskin.

Headstone has recently fallen over:

June 2014


September 2014

 

TYLDSLEY-WARBURTON, JOYCE
Rank: Aircraftwoman 1st Class
Service No: 430306
Date of Death: 06/11/1941
Regiment/Service: Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Grave Reference: Plot C. Grave 7.
Cemetery: POULTON-LE-FYLDE NEW CEMETERY

Memorial has fallen over; CWGC informed.

 

A few that I have sent off to CWGC of late. The two headstones mentioned will be replaced.


RAAF 427206 Flt Sgt P R Smith, (Wireless Air Gunner)

SMITH, PHILLIP FRANCIS
Flight Sergeant
427206
20/11/1944
20
Royal Australian Air Force
Australian
Coll. grave 7. B. 5-7.
RHEINBERG WAR CEMETERY
The headstone carries the cap badge of the RAF not the RAAF.


I would like to report (photo attached) that an Australian’s RAAF “Cap Badge” at Durnbach War Cemetery, Bavaria Germany is incorrect.

Flight Sergeant Bernard Kerlin RAAF 413610

The headstone carries the cap badge of the Australian AIF not the RAAF.

This one below is only a correction to the database.

This members 2nd Christian name is listed on the database as SECK which is most likely a copying error.

The nominal roll details show the correct spelling.


Service Record
Name
WALKER, ALEXANDER BECK
Service
Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number
436305
Date of Birth
24 Oct 1911
Place of Birth
BALMAIN, NSW
Date of Enlistment
3 Dec 1942
Locality on Enlistment
Unknown
Place of Enlistment
PERTH
Next of Kin
WALKER, LILLIAN
Date of Death
4 Mar 1945
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Posting on Death
467 SQUADRON
WW2 Honours and Gallantry
None for display
Prisoner of War
No
Roll of Honour
Unknown