CWGC - Commonwealth War Graves Commission

[Richard T Eger]

From within a thread on 12 O'Clock High!:

Lynn
Did find more on the pilots thru the CWGC...
Tue Dec 7, 2024 16:59
216.49.69.242


Don't know if others here are aware of this resource, but the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has an amazing website at http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/search.aspx .

Lynn

(Quoting from the CWGC site:

'Welcome to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The "Debt of Honour Register" is the Commission's database listing the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars and the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations world-wide where they are commemorated. The register can also be searched for details of the 67,000 Commonwealth civilians who died as a result of enemy action in the Second World War.'

Further on the CWGC's history:

'The History of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The Commission's Task

The Commission was established by Royal Charter in 1917. Its duties are to mark and maintain the graves of the members of the forces of the Commonwealth who were killed in the two World Wars, to build memorials to those who have no known grave and to keep records and registers, including, after the Second World War, a record of the Civilian War Dead.

It was the energy of Sir Fabian Ware, the Commission's founder, which established the principles upon which the work of the Commission was built. Those principles, which have remained unaltered, were:

- each of the dead should be commemorated individually by name on headstone or memorial;
- headstones and memorials should be permanent;
- headstones should be uniform;
- there should be no distinction made on account of military or civil rank, race or creed.

1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces died in the two World Wars. Of these the remains of 925,000 were found and their graves are marked by a headstone. Where the remains were not found, the casualty's name is commemorated on a memorial. There are war graves in some 150 different countries; mostly in the 2,500 war cemeteries and plots constructed by the Commission.

There are also war graves in many civil cemeteries and churchyards throughout the world. The Commission employs craftsmen to maintain the architectural features of its cemeteries and memorials and embellishes its sites with horticulture to give the casualties fitting and peaceful commemoration.'

Regards,
Richard)