WHERE HEROES SLEEP

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 104, 27 January 1920, Page 5

WHERE HEROES SLEEP

PERMANENT WAR CEMETERIES

WORK OF THE COMMISSION

The system under which the Imperial Graves' Commission, with its elaborate organisation, is carrying out its work on all battlefields-where soldiers of the British Empire dicd v was described in Auckland by Captain G. S. Keesing, who, after serving in the Australian Imperial Force, was in charge of Australian memorial work in all theatres of war, and of the Anzac interests in Gallipoli, being oificial adviser to the Australian High Commissioner on the Graves Commission. Captain Keesing was concerned with permanent memorials and cemeteries, the work of keeping Aukic. graves ill temporary order 'being carried out by Captain' Bigg-Wither, of Auckland. The temporary work on the cemeteries, said Captain Keesing, was being done by British labour units, which recorded nil burials and sent all information to the Imperial Commission, which was responsible for keeping the permanent cemeteries in order. In France scattered graves were being concentrated in cemeteries.,.'. Phis work, which was well in hand, was absolutely necessary, becauso tens of thousands of graves would otherwise disappear when the towns and fields were restored. Tho British authorities had arranged with the French Government for the ground occupied by British cemeteries to be permmentiy liaiided over to a Franco-British Commission. Tho final number of British cemeteries in France would be nearly 2000. Tho putting of all these burial'grounds into permanent order would take years, the work already having been greatly hampered by the congestion that existed on French roads and railways. It had been agreed that each cemetery should be surrounded by a substantial wall, and in those of any size there would be a record house, n giant ctoss, and a giant altar in stone. Each gravo would have a uniform headstone, no difference being allowed. This decision would ensure a uniform memorial for rich and poor, and for all ranks. In the case of men of the Christian, religion there would be an incised cross on the headstone, and in the case of men of other faiths the special'Bvmbol of their religion would take the place of tho cross. Further, on each stone there would be a space for a text of a limited number of letters. In this connection the. Imperial Graves Commission was sending \\\i forms on which the text desired by the next-of-kin would bo supplied. In Egypt and. Pnlestmo the same course would be gene-ally adopted. At Anzac the graves were' now being Temoved to permanent situations, in cases where tho ground was unsound, and lik»'.y to collapse. The plan was to make tkwhole of Anzac into one large cemetery with the graves in groups on the actual sites of battles, A central memorial in tho form of a massive obelisk with a record house would be erected at Lone l'ine.

'Cantain Kee=iv? staled that anvone desiring to forward or obtain any information about graves should address their communications to the Imperial War Graves Commission, Winchester ITonse, St. -James's S'rniare, London, or, preferAbly, to the High Commissioner for New Zealand.