CWGC Headstone/Memorial Error Reports and results.

Following a request made with supporting information, two men of the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment now have the award of a Mentioned in Despatches added to their details on the CWGC website:-

Rank: Warrant Officer Class I
Trade: RSM
Surname: SMITH
Forenames: RICHARD HENRY
Service No: 4801253
Age: 28
Awards: Mentioned in Despatches
Unit: 1st Bn.
Regiment: Lincolnshire Regiment
Date of Death: 22 February 1944
Additional Information
Son of William Alexander and Mary Eliza Smith, of Rotherham, Yorkshire.
Commemoration
TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY, Myanmar, 11. H. 21.

Died of Wounds (From the Nominal Roll of the Lincolns)



Rank: Serjeant
Surname: KENNEDY
Forenames: HENRY
Service No: 3060177
Age: 24
Awards: Mentioned in Despatches
Unit: 1st Bn.
Regiment: Lincolnshire Regiment
Date of Death: 7 April 1944
Additional Information
Son of George and Helen Kennedy, of Glasgow.
Commemoration
TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY, Myanmar, Coll. grave 11. K. 1-17.

Killed in Action (From the Nominal Roll of the Lincolns)

 

E-mail sent to CWGC on 21 June 2015 regarding an incorrect service number:-

"Dear Sir/Madam,

The following casualty has an incorrect service number recorded against his name.

Name: STEPPINGS, REGINALD THOMAS
Rank: Private
Service No: 4809205
Date of Death: 24/01/1944
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: Lincolnshire Regiment
Grave Reference: Grave 76.
Cemetery: TOTTENHAM CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Elizabeth A. Steppings, of Wood Green.

I attach a copy of the Lincolnshire Regiment Nominal roll, which shows his service number should be 2 digits lower, namely 4809203. Ernest Arthur SMITH was allocated 4809205.A transcription error looks to be likely.

 

Email sent to CWGC about a incorrect date of death on their database.

"Dear Sir/Madam,
The following casualty is listed on your database as having died on 2 July 1945.



Name: HANSLIP, STANLEY
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 4804163
Date of Death: 02/07/1945
Age: 25
Regiment/Service: Lincolnshire Regiment
Unit: 4th Bn.
Grave Reference: V. B. 11.
Cemetery: ST. MANVIEU WAR CEMETERY, CHEUX
Additional Information: Son of Walter and Ada Hanslip, of Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

1. The Lincolns Nominal Roll shows him killed in action 2 July 1944.
2. The Headstone is engraved with the date 2 July 1944.
3. The Graves Concentration document on your database show the date 2 July 1944.
4. The headstone details from the document on your database shows the date 2 July 1944
5. The Lincolns Roll of Honour shows the date 2 July 1944.

The only place which has the date 2 July 1945, is the Graves Register on your database, so I believe the date to be a transcription error.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

 

E-mail sent to CWGC dated 22 August 2015.

"Dear Sir/Madam,
The following casualty does not have the Battalion details of the Lincolnshire Regiment shown in your records:-



Name: PIPER, WILLIAM CHARLES (BILL)
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 338182
Date of Death: 25/04/1945
Age: 34
Regiment/Service: Lincolnshire
Regiment
Grave Reference: 4. E. 1A.
Cemetery: BECKLINGEN WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of William Charles and Ellen Piper, of Birmingham; husband of Grace Piper, of Winson Green, Birmingham.

I attach evidence that he served with the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire at the time of his death.

1. Copy of the war diary page about his death.
2. Field return of Officers dated 7 April 1945 with his service number shown.
3. Field return of Officers dated 28 April 1945 recording he was killed in action.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course."

 

Email to CWGC on 24/9/2015

Dear Sir/Madam,

The following casualty was attached to the 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment from 14 September 1944. Attached as evidence, is the Roll of Officers from 6 Lincolns for the week ending 7 October 1944, the week before his death.

Name: McKIMMIE, ALEXANDER GRANT
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 187043
Date of Death: 15/10/1944
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Grave Reference: II, D, 1.
Cemetery: ASSISI WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information: Son of Alexander Grant McKimmie and Sarah McKimmie, of Glasgow.

Please can you amend your database accordingly.[/SIZE]

 

Battalion details added to the CWGC database.

 

Correct date of death now shown on the CWGC database.

 

Dear All,

Can I ask what's the most productive email address you are using to contact the CWGC for these cases? I have some of my own that I would like to see put right and then post on here ...

Best,

Skip

 

hello Skip

details below


http://www.cwgc.org/contact-us/contact-form.aspx


regards
Clive

 

Cheers Clive. Much appreciated ...

 

BRI54
Do you know if this headstone has been repaired, I have just completed research that suggest that this is the final resting place of my Great Grandfather, and I was looking to get a photograph of the grave?

 

for information
I have flagged many headstones from many cemeteries throughout the UK both CWGC and private which are weather warn/faded/dirty/broken

The CWGC in this country are up against it trying to keep the headstones in a readable state.

Thank you for your email regarding the condition of the graves in South Ealing Cemetery.

The Commission seeks to ensure the continued maintenance of Commonwealth war graves in the United Kingdom, by entering into maintenance agreements for their upkeep. These are normally made with the controlling authority, cemetery or churchyard concerned or individuals and is sometimes provided free of charge. The standard of maintenance achieved under these arrangements varies considerably but the minimum acceptable standard is that the grave should be kept tidy and, if laid to grass, be cut reasonably short through the growing season.

In the UK, all war graves are inspected on an approximate 3-4 year cycle by Regional Supervisors who check for accessibility, legibility and damage. Where necessary, they will arrange for a replacement headstone to be produced and erected on the grave.

Our records show that this cemetery was last inspected in 2012. In view of your comments, I will copy our correspondence to the Regional Supervisor for his information and action, where necessary, to ensure that appropriate standards are met. However, to investigate your enquiry in full, if you are able to provide photographs of the graves in question, this would be very helpful to us.

In closing, I would like to thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention.

 

for ref
I have posted about this casualty before due to the poor condition of the graveyard and his headstone.
I have again sent details to CWGC
LOWSON, DONALD URQUHART
Rank:
Flight Lieutenant
Trade:
Pilot
Service No:
41306
Date of Death:
07/07/1941
Age:
28
Regiment/Service:
Royal Air Force
102 Sqdn.
Awards:
D F C
Grave Reference:
Cemetery:
HARROW (ST. MARY) LOWER CHURCHYARD
Additional Information:
Son of John and Margaret Lowson: husband of Rita May Lowson, of Norbreck. Blackpool, Lancashire.

 

Well done Clive.
Seems like it has been in a bad state for much longer than the last check in 2012 but what would I know!

Cheers

Geoff

 

Hello Geoff

This is just one example of the many I have sent to CWGC of standard CWGC headstones and private ones which are in a poor state in a number of cemeteries I have visited in the UK.
The CWGC cemeteries which appear on TV or the news always show the pristine row on row in France,Holland etc and never the UK.
I try not to bother them too much but a flag has to be raised based on the number I have sent. There will be thousands that require immediate attention throughout the UK.


Unfortunately in the UK the CWGC staff are low in number to maintain the UK Cemeteries on a regular basis.
When I first joined WW2talk in 2009 CWGC told me they visited every 2 years this has now gone to 4 years,although I know of a few that have gone over the 4 years.
As with all companies/charities their budgets are tight.

They now have a paypal link for donations from the public on their front page,perhaps this will prove popular.


regards
Clive

 

I thought they were supposed to benefit from the sale of headstone photos. I wonder how much they have received after expenses?

 

I think you will discover that the company that did photo headstones were not part of CWGC. Recently, I believe that photo company details has been dropped from the CWGC web site without reason or discussion. Personally, I believe the photo company played an important role in supplying photos, which are taken by volunteers, worldwide. Thus giving giving a service to those who could not make the journey to view a headstone.

It was thanks to this photo company, that I discovered a headstone had been incorrectly engraved years ago by the company that did the work for CWGC, thus my difficulty in tracing the grave.

 

I am glad you found your headstone Alan. I am well aware that they are not part of CWGC. I and many others have found errors, reported them and had them resolved. What many people did not realise is, those who took the photos and provided them and those that purchased them is that, the "company" and /or the CWGC retained copyright of their photos once they were donated. Some donors were aware, many were not!

I realise they are or did provide a service however I have always had a problem with people having to pay for these photos which is the reason I started my own project for RAAF Headstones and Memorials and pass them on freely to anybody who requests them.

If this company and the CWGC have parted company, this company now holds the copyright on 1.7 million photos.

 

Double post

 

Another I sent a numbers of years ago.No change.
HATTON, DENNIS F.
Rank:
Ordinary Seaman
Service No:
P/JX380530
Date of Death:
24/06/1943
Age:
19
Regiment/Service:
Royal Navy
H.M.S. Southdown
Grave Reference:
Sec. 37. Grave 5870.
Cemetery:
HARROW CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Frank Henry and Kate Hatton, of Harrow.