Multiple Burial, Single Plot Query

Discussion in 'War Cemeteries & War Memorial Research' started by MongoUK, Sep 22, 2018.

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  1. MongoUK

    MongoUK Junior Member

    Evening all,

    Can I please get a confirmation as to whether my suspicions on a delicate subject are correct?
    Often, when visiting cemeteries in my travels, I find the multiple burials within a single plot.

    Usually I find that this is for airmen or tankers, and can either be;

    1- x number of unknown soldiers.
    2- Unknown soldier rank x, unknown soldier rank y.
    3- Multiple known soldiers in the same plot.

    Can I assume that this is due to the condition that the were buried?
    1 would be clearly remains from x number of people that were indistinguishable.
    2. rank was distinguishable from uniform, but no names/numbers identifiable.
    3. Personal identifiers found but not able to separate the remains? Would this be so that there was no risk of separation of remains?

    I apologise for the macabre nature of my query, it is merely to understand the process.

    I have used these assumptions when explaining to my wife, why there is a collection, and figured I should learn the reality.

    Thanks

    Mark
     
  2. CL1

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

    for info
    one reason

    In a few cemeteries, where the burials are very crowded (the bodies being buried three or four deep) it will be impracticable to have individual headstones. In such cases it may be necessary to have a single monument for each plot of ground, or headstones containing several names. I am inclined to think that the former method would be the less distressing to the feelings of relatives. These, however, are quite exceptional cases. The normal practice is that of single burials, which admits of individual headstones.
    https://www.cwgc.org/-/media/files/...hash=ABAE4573A5A58A656D9469E9090775637643B896

    example of another
    [​IMG]
    14 March 1945 Incident at Ordnance Depot, Northolt
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
  3. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    How long is a piece of string?
    There are many reasons, but in the scale of things everything possible has been done to identify who they are to have a dignified burial.
    For a whole host of reasons this won't be possible in all cases, so the most practical "workround" has been adopted. The CWGC treat all remains with due respect, however they may have taken over sites where burials were done by others, sometimes in haste or other reasons.

    It wasn't always possible to bury people on a nice sunny day with birds singing, there was a War on, and a battle perhaps going on.
    Probably all cultures treat the dead with respect and dignity, if not at the time, then whenever possible thereafter.

    A huge subject if one goes into detail, but Mrs CL1 will understand!
     
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Think that should be Mrs Mongo :blush::whistle: - Mrs CL1 has already given up trying to understand Mr CL1 :-P:lol:

    TD
     
    MongoUK, 4jonboy and CL1 like this.
  5. MongoUK

    MongoUK Junior Member

    Usually SWMBO rolls her eyes when I try and tell her about stuff.

    In one of the Ardennes museums, we saw some footage. It was only after I showed her where it happened that got got a real understanding for it all. Had more appreciation why I insist in taking a few minutes to visit the headstones when we pass a cemetery. Not knowing how long it is since somebody took the time, especially in thw little out of the way ones.

    She was a more interested and humbled by it all afterwards I think.

    Thanks for the replies all.
     
  6. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    My grandfather's grave plaque at Rangoon War Cemetery, contains the epitaph, Buried Near This Spot. This is one of 67 such grave plaques in the cemetery, the majority being POW's from Rangoon Jail who were originally buried a few miles to the east at the old English Cantonment Cemetery. After the war, all remains from this location were moved over to the newly constructed Rangoon War Cemetery.

    Sadly, these 67 graves, mostly Chindits who had died almost immediately upon arrival in Rangoon in mid-1943, had been hastily buried and the identification of individual plots proved impossible later on.

    HOWNEY_AL grave photo copy.jpg
     
  7. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Deleted (Double entry)

    Ron
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2018
  8. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Last edited: Sep 24, 2018
  9. CL1

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

    MITCHAM (CHURCH ROAD) BURIAL GROUND
    another example here
    no idea why there is a shared grave
    upload_2018-9-25_19-15-10.png
     

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