It is hoped that the reader will benefit from this selection of F.A.Q.s & not be discouraged from contacting us due to the misconception of us as anti-Commission or "Commission Bashers." Our prime concern, identical to that of the Commission, is the care in perpetuity of the graves, memorials & records of "The Fallen." We have common goals in this respect. However, there are differences of opinion & policy between us, not least of which is the plight of the "Forgotten Men."
It was primarily to represent the British public's interest in the continuation of the Commission's work, that we founded this site. We fear that the years-elasped & decline of public interest (albeit now actually rising) might lead to the eventual restructure, dissolution or privatisation of the Commission. Unthinkable! Their work is our heritage (so why are they still funded by the MoD?). Long Live the Commission!
Why are so many men missing from the Commission's records?
Simple human error. Everybody makes mistakes. No database can be free from human error (although they can easily be checked & improved). Some names were lost by the Director of Graves Registration & Enquiries just after WW1 & others have been lost since. However, the reason why after so long, that so many men are still missing from the Commission's registers, is because the Commission have never actively tried to trace these "Forgotten Men" ; leaving it to 'Joe Public' to find & present their cases. The Commission's view is that their function is purely to "Mark & Maintain" (i.e. "it's not our job to find them"). This standpoint effectively abandons the "Forgotten Men" to their fate & may be construed as the worst example of "Jobsworth" in the last century. Is it really up to 'Joe Public' to put the record straight? Is there never to be any official responsibility taken for these "Forgotten Men?"
This is a modified estimate based upon the figure of 20,000, reported to have been stated by a Commission official in conversation with a PRO professional researcher. From the number of uncommemorated men we have found in the RND (combined with the number already listed on various addenda panels) it is simply a matter of multiplying that number by the number of British Army Divisions, plus the Corps (Royal Engineers, Labour Corps, Army Service Corps etc.), plus the Royal Navy, R.F.C. & Commonwealth Forces (Canadians, Aussies & Kiwis). The Commission have never commented officially on the numbers missing from their registers & are never likely to. However, the truth of the matter is that nobody really knows for sure, least of all the Commission.
No. It would be quite unreasonable to expect all Headstones or Memorials to be corrected. So many inscriptions are in error, that the cost of corrections would be incredibly expensive. However, the Commission have a routine "Headstone Replacement Schedule" & it would not be unreasonable to expect such errors to be corrected in the normal course of their replacement. Meanwhile, the Cemetery Registers & database could easily be corrected, so that at least one source of information gives the true details.
We have so far found 51 uncommemorated servicemen (confirmed by the Commission), of which 22 were Sailors & Marines of the RND. We have a further list of 60+ men (& counting) who are awaiting further research/action.
Yes, although they have always denied this. Records such as Burial Returns (for the exhumations of graves to Commission cemeteries) & the Personal Inscription Registers. The latter records the Personal Inscription seen on the bottom of many headstones, along with the name & address of the next-of-kin. Some headstones with Personal Inscriptions have either partial details or no next-of-kin listed in the Cemetery Registers, but the "P.I. Registers" records the next-of-kin & their address. Here are two examples of this:-
| 8264 CQMS Alfred Fisher, 1st Bn. Royal Berks. Regt. DD 14/6/16, buried Barlin Com. Cem. Ext. |
| Commission Register records: Son of Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Fisher, of Abingdon, Berks. |
| P.I. Register records: F.W. Fisher, 118 Ock St, Abingdon, Berks. |
| Y/858 L/Sgt. Horace Webster, 17th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. DD 23/1/18, buried Etaples Mil. Cem. |
| Commission Register records: no next-of-kin or details. |
| P.I. Register records: Mrs Webster, Claypitt Lane, West Bromwich. |
A large number of "The Fallen" are not commemorated by the Commission. They have no known graves and their names do not appear on any of the memorials to the Missing.
As time passes, more and more cases of uncommemorated men are coming to light, with the majority being unearthed by military researchers rather than their next of kin. This increase can be attributed to a number of things: the availability of servicemen's records of service, the Commission's Debt of Honour register on the Internet, and the researchable database "Soldiers Died in the Great War" on CD-ROM. Therefore now, as never before, a researcher can have a wealth of material relating to a particular man at their fingertips within seconds.
In the event of a researcher contacting the Commission asking about the possibility of an uncommemorated man, they must first pay £2 to have a casualty check undertaken. Should this reveal what is suspected, they are informed that for commemoration to take place, a number of things need to be provided. Again the researcher must bear all costs of procurement. These items include:
1) A copy of the mans service record if it is available. If not then an official statement is required confirming that it does not exist.
2) Copy of the death certificate.
3) Letter from the regiment or unit with which the man served giving details they record in respect of the casualty, or a statement of fact that they have no information relating to him.
4) Copy of the mans entry on the relevant medal roll showing medal entitlement, which is held at the Public Record Office, Kew, London.
5) If death occurred in the UK, details of the location of his grave.
6) Plus if possible, any other supporting evidence such as a rubbing of his death plaque, a memorial card or newspaper obituary.
On the other hand, should the next of kin contact the Commission about the same man, the Commission will carry out the investigation, acquiring all the necessary information at their own cost.
What has happened to the "Free of Charge" commemoration that used to be applied across the board regardless of whom the notifying party was, be they next of kin or researcher? It appears from this change of direction, that the Commission is now in the business of placating the relatives of uncommemorated men, whilst deterring researchers by asking for a mountain of information before they will continue with commemoration. It is wrong for the organisation that was put in place to care for the memory of ALL of our war dead to adopt this stance.
As the roll of uncommemorated men continues to grow it becomes more evident that a problem exists.