BRITISH GRAVES IN FRANCE.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2929, 15 November 1916, Page 14

BRITISH GRAVES IN FRANCE.

' HOW THEY WILL BE CARED FOR AFTER THE WAR OFFICIAL INFORMATION FOR RELATIVES It is announced by the War Office that a branch of the Adjutant-General's Department has been created to care for and pre-sorvo the identity of the graves of British officers and men. Units were established for this purpose in France and Belgium shortly after the battle of tho Marno, in Egypt, and Salonika recently, and an officer has now been . dispatched to Mesopotamia. The Director of Graves Registration and Inquiries is the officer directly responsible for this work. The duty of the graves registration units is to register the position of graves,'and to see that they-are marked with .durable wooden crosses bearing a metal inscription giving the name, number, ' rank, regiment, and date of death. While these units have been successful in registering and marking' a largo number of graves at the front, and many in advanced positions, whero they might otherwise have been lost, it is not possible, and never will bo possible, to obtain a record of all graves. If, as is to be feared, the enemy have in many instances not marked the graves of British officers and men buried within their lines, a number of graves will be irretrievably lost. Destroyed by Shell Fire. ' I In some cases,' even within our own lines, though graves .have been marked, the position is [too exposed for a correct plan and survey to be made; in others every trace, of a burial ground having been, obliterated by the enemy's shell lire, there is no hope of reconstructing tho cemetery so that individual graves may be recognised. Again, during heavy fighting burials are often carried out under circuit stances which make it impossible to tako, or at any rate to. transmit, an '.accurate record of the positions of graves.

Early in 1915 it became neoossary to make definite arrangements with regard to the provision of land in Franco for the burial of British. officers and men. Up till then, and particularly during the retreat and the subsequent advance to the Aisne, burials had often taken place in isolated graves, which were, wherever practicable, cared ! for with reverence and respect by the French peasants and owners of land, and in a few cases permanent concessions..of. land were, offered. . By, .this ; time, ■'howpvciv French civil ■ cemeteries were being more regularly used, and.it was also possible :to arrange 'for special burial grounds. The Director nf Graves Registration and Inquiries approached the . French Government, through the Frei:ch military authorities, on the matter. French Cenerosity, The French Government immediately expressed the desire to provido land for pcrmancrit resting places for British officers and men at the cost of the French nation, and a law was passed which gave effect to this generous impulse on December 29, 1915. . Since then, in co-operation with the French Army, the Directorate has established authorised burial grounds immediately behind the British front and near tho field ambulances, the casualty clearing stations, and the hospitals, further back. Soldiers are employed, under the officers of tho Graves Registration Units, to look after these burial grounds. In the case, however, of a battle or < severe fighting, isolated burials necessarily still take- place. . The French' Government further offered to .maintain these cemeteries. The .British Government has, however, in agreement with the French Government, undertaken' to provide for their maintenance in perpetuity, and has appointed a National Committee to care for the graves of our officers and men after the war.. "With the King's consent the Princo of Wales has accepted the ■ presidency-of this committee. • Advice to Relatives. Relatives are requested to facilitate the work of this branch of tho Arniy (a)' by addressing as few inquiries as possible to tho Directorate, and (b) by realising that pressure Spf \v,ork, and not'want of sympathy,, will often necessitate a. brief reply on a printed form. On the other hand the work will bo assisted if relatives send to the Director any information they possess as to the place.of burial. It is not intended, unless' circumstances. should show that it is desirable, to make arrangements for dealing with inquiries made in person. Relatives are therefore requested to confine themselves to written communications,' which should be addressed to: Director of Graves Registration and Inquiries', • War Office,. . Winchester House,

St. Jariics's Square, S.W. Much unnecessary .correspondence will bo saved if relatives will carefully note the following facts: — 1. Sonic time may elapse after burial before the.grave has been properly registered, ana marked and tiio" position, accurately recorded: As soon as' tills is done a notification will be sent to tlio next-of-kin. This notification may bo taken as final- verification or correction of information received from other sources.

'2. Ix, is not' possible to arrange for the distribution of flowers- or wreaths for individual graves; but the . cemeteries, as a whole, are grass-sown and planted with flowers and shrubs, where military conditions allow, under the advice of the Director of the ftoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew! Their maintenance is under, the supervision of Officers of the Graves Registration Units.

Photographs. 3. Photographs of such graves • in France and Belgium as arc accessible to the photographers employed for tho purpose are furnished to relatives on application, free, of cost, out of funds placed at. the disposal of the Directorate, for .this ohject as well as for the planting of burial grounds, by the Joint War Committee of' the British Red Cross Society and St, John Ambulance Association. All applications aro carefully, noted and photographs are sent as soon as possible, but it will bo understood that in many cases weeks or months may pass' before . photographs can bo taken. 4. Circumstances not. .infrequently aviso which make it undesirable in tho interest of tho military situation to disclose the position of a grave, although it has been duly registered and recorded. J ''"■■';' 5. Many considerations, among which is the desire felt at the front to avoid inequality of treatment, have inado it necessary to forbid the erection of «ny permanent memorials during tho progross of hostilities; the sending of crosses to France is also prohibited, as all transport is required for material of war. i I 0. The exhumation of bodies during the war is strictly forbidden by both the French and British military authorities.

7. Owing to tho great difficulties that exist in "Mesopotamia duo to local and climatic conditions, tho proper registration and marking of graves will necessarily ho a lengthy and difficult problem.