SOLDIERS’ GRAVES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2055, 15 November 1919, Page 3

SOLDIERS’ GRAVES.

TRACING’ THEIR LOCATION,

Wellington, This Day

A particularly gratifying response has been made to a recent official appeal to soldiers and others to forward to Base Records, Wellington, particulars of the location of soldiers’ graves on Gallipoli. Many photographs and plans have been sent, giving information which has enabl-

ed the exact location of graves to he marked on the official plans with accuracy, although the wooden marks placed in position at the time of burial have disappeared! Many relatives of deceased soldiers received photographs of graves from friends of the fallen, and these now constitute valuable evidence of location, especially if the surrounding natural features are shown, enabling the position to be picked up on the plan. Base Records officials are sparing no trouble to follow up clues which will enable graves to be properly marked. , As an example, one friend of a dead soldier wrote that his old pal was buried at the rear of a particular trench, which he roughly sketched. As corroborative detail, he mentioned that the grave was just at the spot at which the .battalion messenger on a parti-' citlar date entered the french about the hour of darkness. This messenger was traced by the Defence authorities, he was shown a “pinpoint” plan of the area, and the relatives of the dead soldier will now have the satisfaction of knowing that the grave of their kinsman can be definitely located. The Rev. Gluts. J. Bush-King has rendered good service by submitting a schedule of 5.1 graves of men burled by him ou the Peninsula, with careful references to the location an (lie official plan. All the information is being communicated to the officials responsible for locating, marking and recording the graves, so that memorials of a permanent nature may be provided.