Forgotten soldier

Discussion in 'Non-Commemorated War Dead' started by Helen Ingham, May 18, 2017.

  1. Helen Ingham

    Helen Ingham Member

    My great uncle died in 1951 at the age of 31. His inquest found he had died of pulmonary tuberculosis which was a direct result of his service. He was an artillery man who served on ships and was torpedoed and spent 10 hours in the sea waiting to be rescued.
    As he lingered on with his illness, he does not qualify for a CWG headstone despite my emails.
    His widow could not afford a headstone so he has lain in an unmarked grave for the last 66 years.
    Where is the justice for him and others like him? Should not all service personnel be awarded the same honour if proven they died because of their service, regardless of when they died?
    Does anyone know who I could write too about this?
     
    CL1 likes this.
  2. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    The CWGC only commemorates casualties from WW1 and WW2, within a short time of the end of those wars. Although 1951 is too late for this he may be commemorated on the Armed Forces Memorial. While you don't give his name, you can check yourself by clicking in this link:
    Armed Forces Memorial | National Memorial Arboretum

    Good luck!
     
    bamboo43 likes this.
  3. Helen Ingham

    Helen Ingham Member

    If only...but his service relates to WW2 and the Arboretum memorial is for those who died in conflicts after this.
    Thanks anyway.
     
  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Was his first name Tom - and he died in Blackpool??

    TD
     
  5. Helen Ingham

    Helen Ingham Member

    No he is Richard Wilkinson Buckley and died in Sunderland.
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Just for information and to reiterate what Ritsonvaljos has said:

    Fast Facts
    The Commission commemorates those who died during the First and Second World Wars in service or of causes attributable to service. The designated war years are


    First World War
    4 August 1914 to 31 August 1921

    Second World War
    3 September 1939 to 31 December 1947

    TD
     
  7. Helen Ingham

    Helen Ingham Member

    Yes I know this. Shocking that I can prove his death was linked to his service but he gets to lay in an unmarked grave. Just because he did not die quickly enough.
    I will fight on regardless.
     
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    All I can suggest is to re contact CWGC with the documents you have and see if they will relent in line with the phrase in red above.

    TD
     
  9. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    The CWGC will not budge on this ,they cannot ,if they make one exception then they have set a precedent and thousands of others will follow. I think there will be many more ex service personnel who died within the CWGC dates who were never commemorated either once discharged from the services many were as you say `forgotten` The MoD wont be interested either unless he was still serving at the time of his death?
    Was your great Uncle 1128508 R. W. Buckley, Royal Artillery? As he died as a result of his service,and you have proof of that? The fact that he died in Sunderland may qualify to have him added to the Memorial Wall or the Sunderland Walk of Heroes ?
    The Memorial wall was set up by a group of families who have lost loved ones in conflicts and accidents since WW2 I dont know the exact criteria for having a name added but Tom Cuthbertson an ex para whose son Nathan died in Afghanistan told the local press ;-

    "Every year we try to add more names to Memorial Wall to remember all those from Sunderland who made the ultimate sacrifice, and have died in training and in conflict since the end of the Second World War.

    "I'd invite all those families, friends or relatives of loved ones who have made such a sacrifice to get in touch so their names can be added to those of their fallen comrades.

    "If you know of anyone who may have died in please come forward to let us know so that their names can be added to this worthy tribute."

    The City Council is asking people to get in touch with any additional names for inscription by the end of July to enable new names to be inscribed on the memorial wall in time for Remembrance Weekend in November. The application can be made by anyone who is next of kin of those lost due to service and in training.

    If you would like to know more, please contact: Governance Services, Room 3.38, Civic Centre, Sunderland City Council, Burdon Road SR2 7DN or 0191 561 1332 or email mandy.howard@sunderland.gov.uk


    Good Luck

    Kyle

    Ps Theres a thread on here about the wall by an ex member

    Sunderlands New Memorial Wall 1946-
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2017
  10. CL1

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

    Helen
    It is a sad fact there were many people who died years after the world wars outside of the timescale for commemoration.
    As stated he does not qualify for a CWGC commemoration headstone.
    The CWGC barely has the funds to cover their current criteria let alone extending it beyond the current dates.
    I would add we have a number of people on this forum who liaise regularly with CWGC in the attempt to gain recognition for casualties who died within their set dates and criteria.I can tell you it takes a lot of time and effort to get them recognised.
    example threads below

    New CWGC Commemoration 18th May 2017
    Godwin-Monck: Casualty 6/12/40

    regards
    Clive
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.

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