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Marking the memories of a million service personnel | |
(about 8 hours later) | |
The act of Remembrance takes place every day of the year for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. | The act of Remembrance takes place every day of the year for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. |
It works to maintain more than one million headstones and memorials in 154 countries around the world to mark those who died in World War One and World War Two. | It works to maintain more than one million headstones and memorials in 154 countries around the world to mark those who died in World War One and World War Two. |
Tyne Cot cemetery near the town of Ypres in Belgium is where almost 12,000 soldiers who fought in World War One are buried. | Tyne Cot cemetery near the town of Ypres in Belgium is where almost 12,000 soldiers who fought in World War One are buried. |
"We are probably the world's largest gardener," Peter Francis from the Commission says, with staff mowing the equivalent of 1,000 football pitches every week. | "We are probably the world's largest gardener," Peter Francis from the Commission says, with staff mowing the equivalent of 1,000 football pitches every week. |
The headstones are the same size surrounded by uniform lawns and flowers. | The headstones are the same size surrounded by uniform lawns and flowers. |
The Commission says everyone who died is treated equally, adding it "doesn't matter whether you were killed in battle and awarded a Victoria Cross or whether you died from influenza". | The Commission says everyone who died is treated equally, adding it "doesn't matter whether you were killed in battle and awarded a Victoria Cross or whether you died from influenza". |
The Commission employs 13,000 staff around the world - many of them locals. Four generations of the Jaradah family have been tending the Gaza cemetery that dates from WW1. | The Commission employs 13,000 staff around the world - many of them locals. Four generations of the Jaradah family have been tending the Gaza cemetery that dates from WW1. |
"I'm a son of the cemetery," Ibrahim, the youngest member of the family, says. "I've grown up with these men." | "I'm a son of the cemetery," Ibrahim, the youngest member of the family, says. "I've grown up with these men." |
Meanwhile it's a husband and wife team, Shadrack Paull and Lusia Axalte, that look after the cemetery at Morogoro in Tanzania. | Meanwhile it's a husband and wife team, Shadrack Paull and Lusia Axalte, that look after the cemetery at Morogoro in Tanzania. |
Ben More Assynt in north-west Scotland is the most remote war grave in the UK. In April 1941 an RAF Anson bomber crashed on the mountain killing all six crew on board. | Ben More Assynt in north-west Scotland is the most remote war grave in the UK. In April 1941 an RAF Anson bomber crashed on the mountain killing all six crew on board. |
The grave was originally marked with a cairn, a man-made stack of stones, which deteriorated over time. In 2012 they flew in a new granite marker by RAF helicopter to replace the original stones. | The grave was originally marked with a cairn, a man-made stack of stones, which deteriorated over time. In 2012 they flew in a new granite marker by RAF helicopter to replace the original stones. |
Continuing conflict can make the job of maintaining war graves more difficult. | Continuing conflict can make the job of maintaining war graves more difficult. |
However, the Commission has recently managed to restore hundreds of graves at Habbaniya war cemetery, west of Baghdad in Iraq. | However, the Commission has recently managed to restore hundreds of graves at Habbaniya war cemetery, west of Baghdad in Iraq. |
There are 54,000 war dead remembered in Iraq alone. | There are 54,000 war dead remembered in Iraq alone. |
War-torn Yemen is another challenging location. The CWGC was recently informed of vandalism at the Maala cemetery in the south of the country. | War-torn Yemen is another challenging location. The CWGC was recently informed of vandalism at the Maala cemetery in the south of the country. |
It says it has already made replacement grave markers, but is waiting for safe access to the site to carry out repairs. | It says it has already made replacement grave markers, but is waiting for safe access to the site to carry out repairs. |
Encroachment is another problem. In Nairobi farmers have been using the Kariokor cemetery to dry cow hides for sale. | Encroachment is another problem. In Nairobi farmers have been using the Kariokor cemetery to dry cow hides for sale. |
The CWGC says it is working with local authorities to find a long-term solution. | The CWGC says it is working with local authorities to find a long-term solution. |
Though each cemetery has familiar themes with gardens and flowers, no two sites are exactly the same. | Though each cemetery has familiar themes with gardens and flowers, no two sites are exactly the same. |
Portland stone is often used for the headstones at the large cemeteries in Belgium and France while in Scotland granite is often used. | Portland stone is often used for the headstones at the large cemeteries in Belgium and France while in Scotland granite is often used. |
In Turkey the graves are marked with plinths rather than headstones because of the harsher climate. | In Turkey the graves are marked with plinths rather than headstones because of the harsher climate. |
"Remembrance is still a living, breathing process," says the CWGC. | "Remembrance is still a living, breathing process," says the CWGC. |
It recently completed a memorial in Abuja, Nigeria, commemorating more than 2,000 Nigerian nationals who lost their lives serving with Commonwealth forces. | It recently completed a memorial in Abuja, Nigeria, commemorating more than 2,000 Nigerian nationals who lost their lives serving with Commonwealth forces. |
All pictures copyright of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. | All pictures copyright of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. |
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