Making Changes to Commonwealth War Graves Records

[skb]

Does anyone have any experience of getting changes made to Commonwealth War Graves records and memorials?

The CWGC website says they will consider amendments if documentary evidence is supplied, but what level of evidence is needed to prove an error?

I have found someone who I believe is recorded under the wrong surname (LUCK instead of TUCK). I have copies of articles and an obituary from a local church magazine, which show his army service number, regiment and date of death.  Do you think they would be considered official enough?

[BumbleB]

Ask them  . If you don't ask the question then you won't get an answer 

The worst they can say is "no"

[StevieSteve]

I agree

If I was a betting man, I'd wager you'll get a considered response

[HughC]

I've found the GWGC people to be a bit obstinate, to be honest.  I have a relative whose mother died during a surgical operation shortly after he fell on the battlefield; it was said that the father then died of grief at losing wife and son in such quick succession.  I have newspaper announcements to show the dates of death, i.e. that they were alive when he was killed, but the CWGC is not prepared to change the wording "the late" submitted by their daughter (the soldier's sister) after the war.

Sooner or later, we're all "the late"!  I maintain that it's irrelevant that the parents were dead by 1919.

[skb]

Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I've got the paperwork ready to send off.

Will keep you posted!

[km1971]

I've found the GWGC people to be a bit obstinate, to be honest.  ...
Sooner or later, we're all "the late"!  I maintain that it's irrelevant that the parents were dead by 1919.

I disagree. The CWGC indicate the position when they compiled the database. The extra notes come from the family themselves. They did not get a lot of replies. The date of a lot of deaths were not known for certain, so the person replying may not have known when the soldier died.

Ken

[IMBER]

Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I've got the paperwork ready to send off.

Will keep you posted!

It all depends on the quality of the evidence. I have always found them willing to make changes, but then I've always ensured that what i've submitted is watertight.

Here's what my own family asked for when approached by the then IWGC after the war:

"Son of Eliza Ayers, of "Mayville," Highfield Rd., Maidenhead, and the late William Ayers."

If that's what they asked for then who am I to change it a hundred years later?

Imber