Burials Menu
    Commonwealth War Graves
Most visitors will probably notice the war memorial 'screen' in the West courtyard, but how many know that there are also over 200 official war graves in the cemetery? The War Graves Commission (set up after the First World War) pays to have these decently maintained. While fields of white crosses in foreign lands mark the graves of those killed in battle abroad, the wounded were repatriated for medical attention and the many who did not recover (some lingered on until 1921) were given the same official recognition. However, their family had the say on where to bury and whether they wanted the official headstone or one of their own choosing.
So these graves are scattered not only across the country (almost every country churchyard has at least one) but within the cemetery itself: mainly on the East side but some 35 in the West. The vast majority are from World War 1 but World War 2 accounts for over 30, including a few women.
The official headstones are easy to recognise and many can be spied from the paths. However, the majority of families opted for their own family grave or at least a more individual headstone and memorial and here one has to read the inscription to identify it as a war grave - and many are tucked away in some of the wilder areas of the cemetery.
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