The Scottish War Graves Project

gourdongirl · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:11 am Post subject: Inveresk Cemetery Queries

Over the past few weeks I have been documenting and taking photos of the WW1 and WWII graves in this cemetery.

However I have also found graves for servicemen killed at Waterloo, The Crimean War and The Battle of New Orleans 1815 to name but a few.

There are also numerous graves to ex-servicemen who died later in life.

Are any of these of interest to this forum?

Shona

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Hi Shona,

Like Adam says, these are exactly what we're looking for.

I don't know whether you've noticed the 'system/order' involved in uploading photos? If not, the following is how we try and keep the threads:

1. Each individual should have their own post (so at a later date, these are/can be easily updated either by you or any of the Mods).

2. Before you start posting, visit the appropriate CWGC Cemetery on their database and that will list alphabetically ALL CWGC Burials in that cemetery.
To do this, click on the 'Cemetery Details' link at the bottom of an individuals entry and that will open a new window listing all the burials alphabetically.
Alternatively, on the CWGC 'Search Page', you'll see that on the 'Search for' field, you can search for 'Cemeteries' as well as 'Casualties' and that will enable you to see the same lists.

3. Your photos should be added along with the information from CWGC or SNWM (or both) in alphabetical order.

4. When the CWGC Burials are complete A - Z (if you can't find a stone, just add the CWGC entry), then start on the non-CWGC Burials i.e. WW1/WW2 'Family Stones' to people buried elsewhere but who are mentioned on stones and you can identify on CWGC or SNWM.

Now and again, there are no listed CWGC Burials in a Cemetery or Churchyard but umpteen 'Family Stones', but the only sure-fire way of finding out is by checking the burial places/memorials on the CWGC database.

5. Lastly, when all the WW1/WW2 entries (or as many as you can find) are complete, it's then we add the 'miscellaneous' ones - Boer/Crimean War, post WW2 stones e.g. Korean War, survivors of the wars (sometimes only identifiable by the inscription giving their awards - M.C. etc.) and also included should be any other 'military related' stones.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to either post a query or get in touch with any of the Mods. You might find along the way that you come across differences in spelling/differences in dates of death etc., but we've all 'been there' and usually, eventually, we can work out exactly who's who!

I hope I haven't put you off and the above makes sense!!! Laughing

Anne

**Added later Embarassed

Shona, I've just visited the Scottish War Memorials Project and I see you know exactly what you're doing!

I thought I'd just leave the above in case anyone new wonders what to do.

gourdongirl · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:46 pm Post subject:

gourdongirl · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:43 am Post subject: I'm confused so help needed!

I'm a bit confused, so looking for some assistance on how to list the CWGC dead in this post.

I am going through the list of the CWGC graves listed for Inveresk and there are quite a few WWI ones for Dec1918 - 1921 and ones listed as WWII, but are 1946-47, where do I put them? Do I just put them in as they are on the list or do I add the 1919-21 ones at the end of WWI and the 46-47 ones at the end of WWII?

I know there is probably a logical answer to this stupid question, but I want to get it right.

TIA, Shona

spoons · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:00 pm Post subject:

What I do for each cemetery is, post 1; name, location, grid ref, number of CWGC listed burials (from their website) and an overall photo.

Next, an individual post for each CWGC listed grave in strict alphabetical order. If you go to the CWGC website and look up the cemetery and click on cemetery details it gives you this. Photo of the grave with the CWGC details and anything else of interest.

Next any other military inscriptions, in alphabetical order with photo and CWGC details if I can find them (or Armed Forces Memorial Roll of Honour details for post 1947). If I can find no details, I just put a transcription so people can find it with a search engine.

Looking forward to seeing what you have found.

\Paul

spoons · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:01 pm Post subject:

Actually it would probably be best to open a new thread for Inveresk cemetery, then rename this one to 'queries on first post' or something, then ask one of the mods to move it to a more appropriate place, e.g. queries and requests.

\Paul

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Shona,

Don't worry about the 1946/47 dates - if they're listed on the CWGC database, just include them as WW2. (Same applies to WW1)

I would agree with Paul about starting a new thread for Inveresk, so it's a 'clean start'. We'll get this thread changed over to 'Queries and Requests' soon.

Anne

gourdongirl · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks to you all for your help. I have renamed the first post, so if some kind Mod could move it to the appropriate place that would be great. I will now start a new thread to list the CWGC graves.

I have an other question or two for you. On looking at my pix and cross referencing them with the CWGC lists it would appear that some of them are mentioned on family graves not the standard CWGC stones, is this usual? and why would this be?

TIA.
Shona

spoons · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject:

That's quite common. In some cemeteries around Dumfries and Galloway, up to half of all CWGC listed graves (sometimes more) are on private stones and sometimes there are 2 - a private stone and a CWGC listed one, either side by side or in different parts of the cemetery!

In some cases the private stone was put in place before CWGC ones were available, in others they were buried in family plots and the names added to the existing family stone and in others I guess the family wanted nothing more to do with the army, there are some that make no reference to the man's service so without the CWGC record you would never know it was a war grave.

On the other side, we have even seen one or two that look exactly like CWGC stones but are not CWGC listed graves.

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Hi Shona,

The families were given a choice at the time whether they wanted a 'standard' type CWGC stone or to erect their own - simple as that.

If a family stone falls into a state of disrepair, a CWGC stone can be erected in it's place and these are cared for usually by the appropriate cemetery authorities but going by the state of some of them, this 'care' is sadly lacking. There is no obligatory responsibility in the case of a family stone

If you ever come across an unmarked grave, there are two main reasons for this. Firstly, the grave is in Common Ground (previously called a 'Pauper's Grave') where no stones are permitted, or secondly, and far less common, is that the family didn't wish any sort of commemoration and CWGC have to abide by the family's wishes.

Anne.

Adam Brown · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 714 Location: Edinburgh

This thread has now been moved to Queries and requests.

Thanks folks

Adam