SIR HERBERT HART

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1943, Page 4

SIR HERBERT HART

RETURN TO NEW ZEALAND CARE OF WAR GRAVES OVERSEAS. PLANS IN NORTH AFRICA. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 8. An assurance that all graves throughout the Middle East were being properly located and carefully tended was given by Brigadier Sir Herbert Hart, K.8.E., C.B, C.M.G., p.S.'d.;Uwho“has returned to take up permanent residence in New Zealand. Sir Herbert recently relinquished his appointments of Chief Administrative Officer for the Imperial War Graves Commission, Eastern District, and Assistant Director of Graves Registration and' Inquiries, General Headquarters, Middle East. A number of specially organised units drawn from the British, New Zealand, Australian, and South African forces were each given a special graves area to supervise, Sir Herbert said. Their primary job was to erect temporary crosses on which were marked the man’s name, rank, unit, and the date of his death. . “Maintenance of war graves is ■an Army responsibility as long as the war lasts, but on the termination of hostilities the whole of this work will be taken over by the Imperial War Graves Commission,” he stated. “One of 'England’s leading "architects has been appointed principal architest for the Commission and recently made a tour of the North African territory from Alexandria to Algiers with a view to advising upon the design and preparation of permanent war cemeteries. In the main these are to be located near the scene of the principal battles, including El Alamein, ‘Hell Fire Pass,’ Barce, Tripoli, the Mareth Line,' and Enfidaville. ' In due course permanent headstones of uniform design, regardless of the man’s rank or station, will be erected over all graves bv the Commission. The cemeteries will be planted with trees, shrubs, and flowers, and kept neat and attractive in the same manner as was done after the last war.”

He said it was understood that the graves in Greece and Crete had been marked either’ by the enemy army of occupation or by local residents. Ip due course these would receive the same careful treatment from the Commission as those elsejyhere.