Nunhead (All Saints) Cemetery, London

[Brant81uk]

I recently found my 2 x Great Grandfather is buried in a plot at Nunhead Cemetery and just thought i'd ask if anybody on Roots lives by the cemetery and would be kind enough to take a photo of his stone? I know this is a long shot but it's a fair old trek down to London so this would be a great help.

His details:

Private - Arthur Buckle - 4th Bn. Worcestershire Regiment - 29/10/1916 - Service No. 22798.

I hope someone can help, if not I shall go myself one day.

Kind regards,

Tyrone

[Deb D]

Hi Tyrone,

There may be a photo available online; - I'm unable to find the link at the moment, but I'm sure I've seen a website that has photos of the headstones of servicemen who were killed in the Wars.  If I can't find it for you, someone else here on RC might have it - or perhaps it's listed amongst the "sticky" topics at the top of the Armed Services board?

I'm under the impression that men who gave their lives in the services were entitled to a headstone, provided by a grateful country.

Cheers and good luck

[PrueM]

Hi Tyrone

If nobody is able to get there for you, perhaps you could order a photo here:
http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=626094
His grave has been photographed but the pic is not yet on the site.  You can order a copy using their form.

Cheers
Prue

[Deb D]

Thanks, Prue, I knew there was a site somewhere! 

[Brant81uk]

Thanks guys,

Shall have a look at the link now and see what happens. Would be nice to have him exhumed and re-buried in his home town of Pershore but doubt I'd get the permission to do that. Why would he of been buried in London when his wife lived in Pershore Worcester?

thanks for the help,

tyrone

[PrueM]

Hi Tyrone,
My guess is that, as he died of wounds, he was at a hospital somewhere in the vicinity and was buried in the nearest designated cemetery.  You might want to ask on the Armed Forces board to see if they can tell you more.  I take it you don't have his service record?
Cheers
Prue

[Brant81uk]

I just got a reply from the guy @ twgpp.org and he tells me the Headstones at the Cemetery are gone and the are is now a lawn. and there is the commemoration stone. Thats made me pretty angry that they can take the headstones away and lawn over the top??

So the graves are not even 100 years old and they feel they can remove the stones???

And thanks Prue, I have his sigining up papers but will search to see if I can find out how he died...

regards,

tyrone

[Valda]

Hi

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission description of Nunhead cemetery.

'Nunhead (All Saints) Cemetery contains 580 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war. The majority are in three war graves plots; the United Kingdom plot (in Square 89) has 260 graves, the Australian plot (near the main entrance) has 23 and the Canadian plot (in Square 52, also containing New Zealand and South African burials) has 36. The graves in the Australian and Canadian plots are marked with individual headstones. The graves in the United Kingdom plot and the remaining war graves scattered throughout the cemetery could not be marked individually; the casualties buried in these graves are therefore commemorated by name on a Screen Wall inside the main entrance gate to the cemetery. A second Screen Wall commemorates the 110 burials of the 1939-1945 war in a further war graves plot in Square 5 and elsewhere in the cemetery whose graves could not be marked by headstones. There is also 1 Belgian burial of the 1914-1918 war and 7 Non-war Service burials commemorated here.'

That might indicate there were never any headstones in the first place. You would have to contact the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to find out why it wasn't possible to mark the graves individually after the war, if that was the case. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains World War graves it doesn't oversee (or allow) any to be removed.


Regards

Valda

[Plummiegirl]

Do not be so angry about these war graves.

If you do ever get the chance to come to London and visit Nunhead Cemetery you will find it in places set aside as a nature reserve.  It is a beautiful cemetery and very peaceful.  Your ancestor and all those other men will be in a lovely place, which is visited by lots of Londoners who respect the place and love it for its beauty and tranquility.