Reasons behind closure of War Cemetery

Hi,
Something which has puzzled me for a while now ..Why was the war cemetery on Kos closed in 1957 and those buried there moved to Rhodes.Sixty five men were re-interred anyone know the reasons why? I know I can probably get the answer from the CWGC direct but I`m wondering if anyone out there knows the reasons and possibly the original location? .............. was it because of the redevelopment of the airfield at Antimachia? Over to you
Verrieres

 

I came across this thread when I found some concentration reports for Samos and Kos . I know the graves on Samos were moved to Rhodes in 1946 and this was to concentrate them in Rhodes but Kos (Cos) was an established site ? I contacted `Verrieres` and asked if he ever found an answer to `why` if was closed in July 1957 ,he didnt and his enquiry with CWGC met with a `Sorry we dont have that information ` (Very hard to believe ) .
Anyone care to enlighten me on this one?

Kyle

 

I have read that in the Far East, in Burma, smaller cemeteries were closed and the bodies reinterred in larger ones. This was to make it easier to care for the grounds to the highest of standards.Some original locations proved not to be well situated. Shortages of suitable staff or remote locations were some reasons. There are also the usual economies of scale to consider. I am sure there must have been similar reasons in the case you have.

 

The "no longer able to maintain the cemetery." is oft used by CWGC.

Why were some war dead moved from their original place of burial?
The CWGC is responsible for ensuring each of the 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead from the two world wars are commemorated. It has, on occasion, been necessary to exhume and rebury individuals, or to provide alternative commemorations for them. Sometimes, this was done immediately after the wars, when isolated graves or smaller, battlefield cemeteries were moved into the sites you see today to guarantee their continued care. More recently, this occurred in the 1960's when the Indonesian government requested the Commission to concentrate burials into a smaller number of large sites.
Documents FAQs

An slightly different example from the UK
EAST HAM (ST. MARY MAGDALENE) CHURCHYARD

It closed for burials in 1974 and became very over grown (as are many of the larger cemeteries in the UK that I have visited).It was then decided to make a nature reserve of it.

The war graves in this churchyard are now commemorated on a memorial erected in 1997 since the site is now a nature reserve.
I visited and the area is a nature reserve however a number of the WW1 and WW2 headstones are still standing albeit not touched for over 20 years.

I did enquire with CWGC if it was their plan for the UK to cease maintaining cemeteries and add memorials with the names of the casualties.The reply was they did not have plans to do this.

If you call them/email them now I am sure they will give you an answer.

regards
Clive

 

Thanks Shiny appreciate your input. I understand the remote locations may prove difficult to maintain but from what I understand this cemetery was closed 14 years after the soldiers there were interred ?
It was just strange that they were moved to another Island rather than one of the cemeteries on Kos (Cos) . I know it was a Company in Stratford E 15 that carried out the exhumations for the then Imperial War Graves.
Clive I have sent an email to the CWGC and I will see what they say, having said that when I spoke to `Verrieres` he stated he had spoken to someone on the telephone after he had received his initial answer via email. He described them as `Evasive` ???

Kyle

 

Well it did exist at one time?


Kyle

 

Just been sent the reason for the closure.

Kyle