MilitaryForums.co.uk

Hi all

I hope you do not mind me posting on the Forum, but I am trying to publicise a small charitable appeal I am running in the village of Wedmore in Somerset to raise funds to renovate two First World war graves at St Mary's Church that have fallen into a serious state of disrepair.

One belongs to a 19-year-old pilot in the RFC who died in September 1917 and the other a Canadian servicemen in the 44th Canadian Infantry who died of wounds in January 1919 (his family came from the village). Since both are private memorials they fall outside the remit of the CWGC and other sources of funding are marked by their absence.

Full details can be seen at: http:www.wedmorewargraves.co.uk.

Please do have a look

Any donations large or small would be very appreciated,

ATB

Tim

Have you contacted the Commonwealth War Graves and they should be able to sort this out for you. They are on the internet and you can contact them through their web site.

Alas not - the responsibility of the CWGC in this matter is clear cut - only making sure the naming on the memorials stays legible.

The reason for this is straightforward - these are private memorials originally erected by the families upon the death of their son/husband (before the CWGC got up and running fully). Unfortunately both have died out or moved away leaving the graves untended.

As recognised war graves, pieces of local history and works of art in their own right these graves should be restored and not allowed to crumble into nothing through neglect.

Do have a look at the website

ATB

Tim

Check on their Regiments or who they served with and then try dropping an email to the either their regime ts or if they have been disbanded then to their museum.

Thanks again

Duly tried - these are real orphans. Owing to a change in titles neither Canadian Regimental Association will take the plunge nor can the Army AIr Corps/RAF.

Am delighted to report funds have been coming in well - we still have a few hundred to raise so please make a donation via the website!!!

ATB

Tim

Take some photo's and set up a display board. I don't know where you live but if you ask in one of your local supermarkets if you can have a collection for this you can find them very helpful. You may need insurance and a collection licence for the day which you can get for nothing. We have just finished collection in a shopping centre and in few hours picked up £800.00. When the graves are restored they should have a service of dedication so find your local vicar and find out if you have one of them in the area who acts as a military Chaplin to the local associations. Fund raising is the easiest thing around. The write to the countries and ask them to send a representative to it. Use the press and TV for publicity, write to your local paper and get them to cover the story. Look up were these people lived on the CWG site and look up the local papers in those places and tell them what you are doing and send them some photo's. This is all basic stuff, now don't say it can't be done it can and as you can see I got every one to attend and my rank in the Army bwas that of a private. I got people to build the stands for nothing provide the chairs and carpeting for nothing and I got huge discount for the reception as the duchess was attending.