Commonwealth War Graves closer than you think

THINK Commonwealth War Graves and you automatically think of the thousands of distinctive white headstones in neat lines stretching across the fields near the battle sites of France and Belgium.
By Helen McCall
Published 3rd Jun 2014, 08:00 BST
War Graves...are all across ClydesdaleWar Graves...are all across Clydesdale
War Graves...are all across Clydesdale

But, in fact, many of the Commonwealth War Graves are far closer to home. Much closer to home than any of us may have realised, in fact!

Clydesdale’s main cemeteries and some of its remote churchyards house them and now the War Graves Commission is raising their profiles to bring home to new generations the sacrifices of the past.

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At Lanark Cemetery, where the green Commonwealth War Graves notice has recently gone up, no fewer than 32 servicemen lie buried, 15 from the First World War and 17 from the Second.

There are five in old St Kentigern’s and six in St Mary’s.

The Commonwealth Graves began in the First World War – before then ordinary servicemen were not commemorated.

In the UK now, the CWGC looks after the graves of 150,000 servicemen who lie in 13,000 places.

Related topics:FranceBelgiumClydesdale