2011-2012 Annual Report

Annual Report 2011 – 2012

T H E I R N A M E L I V E T H F O R E V E R M O R E

The Commonwealth War Graves Commissionas at 31 July 2012

PresidentHIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF KENT KG GCMG GCVO ADC

ChairmanThe Secretary of State for Defence in the United Kingdom

The Rt Hon PHILIP HAMMOND MP

Vice ChairmanLieutenant General Sir ALISTAIR IRWIN KCB CBE

MembersThe High Commissioner for New Zealand

His Excellency Mr DEREK LEASK

The High Commissioner for AustraliaHis Excellency Mr JOHN DAUTH AO LVO

The High Commissioner of the Republic of South AfricaHis Excellency Dr ZOLA SKWEYIYA

The High Commissioner for the Republic of IndiaHis Excellency Dr JAIMINI BHAGWATI

The High Commissioner for CanadaHis Excellency Mr GORDON CAMPBELL

Mrs SARA JONES CBE DL(with effect until 30 September 2012)

Professor HEW STRACHAN PhD FRSE

Air Chief Marshal Sir JOE FRENCH KCB CBE

Mr KEITH SIMPSON MP

Mr KEVAN JONES MP

Vice Admiral Sir TIM LAURENCE KCVO CB ADC(P)

Mr EDWARD CHAPLIN CMG OBE

Mr ROBERT FOX MBE(with effect from 1 October 2012)

The Hon ROS KELLY AO (with effect from 1 October 2012)

Honorary Artistic AdviserMr PETER INSKIP FSA RIBA

Director General and SecretaryMr ALAN PATEMAN-JONES

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Contents:Page

The Vice Chairman’s Foreword 2

The World-Wide Task 6

The Annual Report 8

At Your Service 28

The Commission’s Finances 30

War Graves and Memorials in

the Commission’s Care 38

Trustees, Principal Officers,

Offices and Agencies of the

Commission 44

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is required by its

Charters to produce an annual report of its proceedings, with a

duly certified statement of the accounts and of the finances of the

Commission. The Charters also require the report to be

submitted to Her Majesty The Queen. In addition, copies are sent

to the governments represented on the Commission.

This 93rd annual report covers the work of the Commission

during the period 1 August 2011 to 31 July 2012.

Front Cover left: Tobruk War Cemetery, Libya, and right: Cassino War Cemetery, Italy

Far left: Runnymede Memorial, United Kingdom

Above left: St. Symphorien Military Cemetery, Belgium, and right: Guillemont Road Cemetery, France

Back Cover left: Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery, Syria, and right: Thiepval Memorial, France

This has been a busy and stimulating year for

the Commission. The privilege and responsibility

for ensuring that the obligations of our Royal

Charter are fully honoured rests with the Board

of Commissioners. Each year some names and

faces change but there is a wonderful continuity

of purpose, a determination to see that the

fallen of the Commonwealth are always

properly commemorated. During this last year

we have said farewell to James Wright, formerly

High Commissioner for Canada, and have

welcomed in his place His Excellency Mr

Gordon Campbell. We have also said goodbye

to Nalin Surie, formerly High Commissioner for

India, who has been succeeded by His

Excellency Dr Jaimini Bhagwati. Finally we were

especially sad to lose after eight years the

commitment, wisdom and good humour of Sir

Rob Young; he has been replaced by Mr Edward

Chaplin. To those who have left the Commission

we all extend our warmest thanks for their

support and contributions; to those who join us

in their place we are delighted to welcome

them to the Commission.

There will be many familiar with our work who

will remember with affection and admiration our

Indian Army Liaison Officer, General Stanley

Menezes who died earlier this year. Amongst

many significant achievements he was

instrumental in establishing the cantonment

cemetery project, featured later in this report.

He has been succeeded by General Ravi Eipe

with whom we look forward to working closely.

Of course it is the excellent staff of the

Commission that do all the hard work. I would

like to thank them all, throughout the world, for

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by the Vice ChairmanLieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin KCB CBE

Foreword

Above from left to right:Volunteers Mike Cole, Bruce Caldwell and TerryDenham receiving their President’s Awards at StJames’ Palace

Our Vice Chairman meeting Commission gardenersin Calcutta (Bhowanipore) Cemetery, Kolkata

Commissioner Sara Jones, presenting President’sAwards to seven of our gardeners in Gaza

Our Vice Chairman with Fatma and other staff atOued Zarga War Cemetery, Tunisia

everything that they do to maintain the

Commission’s reputation at such a high peak.

Whether Director General or account

manager, front line gardener or stonemason,

supervisor or office staff, they all play their

indispensable part. President’s Awards are made

to those whose work or circumstances have

particularly caught the eye. In February the

Award was presented by Commissioner Sara

Jones to seven gardeners in the Gaza mobile

group, Mohamed Awaja, Essam Jeradeh, Aziz

Assalia, Yacoub Ismali, Ibrahim Jeradeh MBE,

Mahmoud Said and Mohammed Rabee Jeradeh

for exceptional courage and unwavering

commitment to the Commission. They are not

alone amongst our staff in operating in

dangerous and challenging circumstances: later

in this report we highlight the work of our staff

in Iraq and Libya. In March the same award was

presented by our President himself to Bruce

Caldwell, Terry Denham and Mike Cole, all

volunteers, who have painstakingly plotted the

GPS co-ordinates of 20,000 sites containing

war graves. Congratulations to all of them.

An important and enjoyable part of the Vice-

Chairman’s duties is to take a personal interest

in the Commission’s staff and work in the field.

During this last year I have visited fourteen

different countries. Each has its own

particularities from the Commission’s point of

view. It has been especially invigorating to see

how our staff adapt to local circumstances

without compromising our high standards, even

at sites that receive very few if any visitors.

One such example is the spectacularly sited

Oued Zarga War Cemetery in Tunisia. Apart

from the beauty of the cemetery’s position and

the care with which it is maintained, it is the

dedication of Fatma, the caretaker, which makes

the impact. Nearly every day she walks the

three kilometre track to the cemetery to

ensure that everything is in order and that the

visitor’s book and cemetery register are always

available – a tradition previously carried out by

her father. It is on people such as this that we

completely depend. It was a genuine pleasure

to meet her and all the many other

Commission staff whom I have met this year.

It is perhaps important to emphasise that the

other Commissioners are also very much

involved in this wider work beyond the

committee room. For example, in addition to

her not entirely straightforward expedition to

Gaza, Sarah Jones spoke at Thiepval to mark

the 80th anniversary of the unveiling of

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Lutyen’s great memorial there. Professor

Hew Strachan represented the Commission

on ANZAC Day in Gallipoli. Vice Admiral Sir

Tim Laurence, accompanying HRH The Princess

Royal, visited some of our cemeteries in South

Africa. And Kevan Jones MP has been especially

active in the north-east of England in advertising

the work of the Commission and in encouraging

children to place poppy crosses on war graves. To

them and all the Commissioners a big thank you

for all that they do.

We describe the changes introduced in Head

Office structure and procedures, all designed to

ensure that we are fighting fit for the demands of

the Great War centenaries. We report on the

remarkable effort to establish definitively the

state of nearly half a million headstones world-

wide and on the cutting edge renovation and

restoration work on some of our iconic

memorials. It is a continuing sadness that every

year we have to record examples of vandalism

and theft, an example of which is the major loss

of copper from the Naval Memorial in Chatham.

In contrast, our educational work continues to

build on the firm foundations of recent years and

this too is featured in the Report.

It would be wrong to conclude without thanking

the 153 ‘host’ countries for their continuing

support and our member governments and their

agents, embassies and high commissions around

the world for their invaluable assistance and co-

operation. They all do perhaps more than they

realise to ease our work. We are most grateful.

All of us, Commissioners and staff, hope that you

will enjoy this Report which sets out to provide

an interesting and representative picture of the

Commission’s year. I commend it to you.

Left top: Commissioner Sara Jones, attended theceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of theunveiling of the Thiepval Memorial

Left centre: Our Vice Chairman presenting Maltagardener, Anthony Tabone, with a long service award,marking his 20 years’ service with the Commission

Left bottom: HRH The Princess Royal on a visit toSimon’s Town (Dido Valley) Cemetery, South Africa

Far right: Oued Zarga War Cemetery, Tunisia

The

Wor

ld-W

ide

Task

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

was established by the Royal Charter of

21 May 1917, the provisions of which were

amended and extended by a Supplemental

Charter of 8 June 1964.

In accordance with its Royal Charter, the task of

the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is

to commemorate the Commonwealth war dead

of the two world wars by:

n making fit provision in perpetuity

for their graves and memorials; and

n maintaining records of the dead.

The cost is shared by the member governments –

Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South

Africa and the United Kingdom – in proportions

based upon the number of their graves.

Most of the war cemeteries and memorials are

maintained by the Commission’s own staff,

although a number of governments carry out care

and maintenance on the Commission’s behalf. The

care of the war graves in civil cemeteries and

churchyards is mostly entrusted to local

authorities and contractors.

The Commission’s work is guided by fundamental

principles:

n each of the dead should be

commemorated by name on the

headstone or by an inscription on a

memorial

n the headstones and memorials

should be permanent

n the headstones should be uniform

n there should be no distinction

made on account of military or civil

rank, race or creed.

The headstones are 813mm in height, engraved

with the national emblem or the service or

regimental badge, followed by the rank, name,

unit, date of death, age and, usually, a religious

emblem. In many cases, at the foot of the

headstone there is an inscription chosen by

relatives. In some cemeteries, where there is a

risk of earth movement, stone or bronze plaques

on low pedestals are used instead.

Climate permitting, the headstones stand in

narrow planted borders, in a setting of lawn,

trees and shrubs. Two monuments are common

to the cemeteries: the Cross of Sacrifice, and, in

the larger cemeteries, the Stone of Remembrance

– designed specifically to commemorate those of

all faiths and none.

Those who have no known grave, or whose

remains were cremated, are commemorated

on memorials.

The Commission’s work is protected by a series

of international agreements which recognise it as

the authority responsible for the care of graves

and memorials. The signatory governments,

together with the governments of many other

countries have acquired the land occupied by the

cemeteries and have generously granted its

perpetual use to the Commission.

In presenting this report, the Commission

expresses its gratitude for the practical assistance

and support it has received from its member

governments and their departments of state,

other national and local governments, diplomatic

and consular representatives, veterans’

organisations, other official and unofficial bodies

and private individuals all over the world. Without

this support, the widely acclaimed standards set

and maintained throughout the Commission’s

history would not have been possible.

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Far right: Le Quesnoy New Zealand Memorial, France

The

Ann

ual R

epor

t

IntroductionIn just two years, events to mark the

centenary of the First World War – the

conflict which brought the Commonwealth

War Graves Commission into being –

will bring the sacrifices made during

that period, and our work to perpetuate

the memory of those who fell, into

sharp focus.

In a very real sense the graves, cemeteries

and memorials maintained by the

Commission may be the only physical

reminder left of the conflict and, more

importantly, of the human cost of the war.

Inevitably, they will be at the heart of

centenary events.

Ensuring our locations are ready for the

centenary is perhaps the biggest single

operational challenge we have faced since

the end of the Second World War. It is a

challenge that has brought all the

Commission’s staff, departments and

disciplines together to deliver a solution

that will not only honour those who died,

but also engage a new generation in the

importance of remembrance.

Making the organisation fit to deliver our

centenary objectives has been a major

focus of the past year’s work.

Our People

The years 2014 – 2018 mark not only the

100th anniversary of the Great War, but

also of the founding of our own

organisation, in 1917. Although our work

has not changed a great deal in almost a

century, the equipment, processes, skills

and techniques required to achieve our

goals have.

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Getting Fit For 14 – 18

We have already heard from the Vice Chairman

about the skill and dedication of our staff. The

Commission is building on this solid foundation

and is making changes that will equip and

empower employees to meet future challenges.

The Commission’s newly restructured Human

Resources Department, for example, has been

leading a number of development and training

programmes, whilst our Communications

Department has improved the flow of

information within the organisation.

Worldwide, the Commission employs 1,312

staff who, between them, speak more than 25

different languages. Keeping them appraised of

change and making them feel part of our

organisation is the challenge of our Internal

Communications Team.

April 2012 saw the launch of ‘The HUB’, the

first ever Commission-wide Intranet, aimed at

helping with this complex task.

Given that some Commission locations are

remote, not every member of staff has access to

the HUB but the aim is to provide access where

and whenever we can. In some cases however,

the best communication channels are not

electronic and other means need to be found.

As a result, the Commission has introduced a

new system of local briefings, designed to

communicate decisions taken by senior

management, whilst providing a forum for

colleagues to get together to discuss their

own work.

Since launching our records on the internet

in 1998, the Commission’s website has

played an increasingly important role in

honouring the fallen and meeting our

communication objectives.

For many members of the public it is their

primary source of information about us and

their first point of contact with the Commission.

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Another way of keeping in touch withoutthe need for expensive or time-consumingtravel is through the Commission’s newvideo conferencing facilities.

Our Hub – InternalCommunications

Our Web – ExternalCommunications

The ability to search our records online is a

major part of our website’s appeal and

delivering a system that meets the needs of a

wide range of users – from researchers familiar

with war records, to first time surfers – is a

challenging goal for the Commission’s External

Communications Team.

Following extensive public consultation,

January 2012 saw the launch of a completely

redesigned website. The new site offers a fresh,

dynamic layout, increased editorial content and

advanced search facilities.

One of the most popular features of the new

site is the ability to find our cemeteries and

memorials using GPS and Google maps. This

was made possible by the volunteers

mentioned in the Vice Chairman’s foreword,

who gathered more than 20,000 GPS

coordinates for us.

Initial feedback has been very positive and we

are now able to move into phase two of the

site’s development to make sure that it is fully

fit to deal with increased traffic and the

anticipated demands of 2014 – 2018.

The website will function alongside our

increasingly popular social media platforms to

ensure that we have a strong and unified

online presence during the 2014 – 2018

period and beyond.

Our FinanceDelivering these objectives will cost money and

in a time of global economic downturn, the

Commission must use the resources entrusted

to it as effectively as possible.

Through the implementation of a number of

financial process changes, combined with astute

financial management and proactive savings, the

Commission is managing to meet increased

costs from within its existing budget. In

addition, it has set aside sums specifically for

the 2014 – 2018 period.

2011 – 2012 saw major changes in the finance

function. The Annual Accounts, for example,

are now completed in accordance with charity

sector best practice. The Commission’s

accounting system has been radically updated,

providing a completely new coding list which

has facilitated a more stringent budgetary

control process.

All the Commission’s banking has been unified

with HSBC. This further simplifies our systems

and allows the Commission to exploit its

assets and purchasing potential. These

Our ‘Look’

Part of the communications remitis to ensure that we have acoherent and consistent identity,both internally and externally.

Our logo, the most visibleelement of our identity, has beenre-drawn to create a sharperimage whilst our promotionalmaterial has been standardisedusing a new colour palette.

efficiencies release funds to be used in key

projects elsewhere.

The course of reform will continue into

2012 – 2013.

On The Ground

Visitor numbers to our cemeteries continue

to grow and are expected to rise significantly

over the centenary period, but the reasons

for visiting are changing. Personal pilgrimage is

still important but is perhaps no longer the

single largest factor in deciding to take a

battlefield tour.

Commission research shows that the growth

in visitor numbers is not connected to the

search for a specific relative but is instead

linked to historical awareness and education.

As a result, the Commission has developed a

major interpretive programme for more than

450 representative cemeteries and memorials.

At each site, panels provide background

context and specific battlefield data. In

addition, and as part of a new media venture,

personal casualty stories can be accessed

using the latest QR Code smartphone

technology via a mobile device.

Our Structure The Commission’s work is undertaken

against a complex, international backdrop,

coupled with changing environmental

demands. We keep our organisational

structure under constant review to ensure

that we have the best model to meet these

challenges. This year, after a great deal of

analysis, the Commission decided to create a

new operational area covering all

Mediterranean countries. Having reviewed

factors such as cost, communication, political

stability and supporting infrastructure, the

Commission decided to establish the new

Mediterranean Area headquarters in Cyprus.

The office is on schedule to open in early

2013 and will oversee a much more efficient

use of resources.

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Some of the 450 cemeteries lendthemselves to a thematic approach.These ‘remembrance trails’ areintended to detail particularengagements, phases, or aspects ofthe war. The ‘Forgotten FrontRemembrance Trail’ is the first ofthese and covers ten locations in thePas de Calais region, between Lilleand Béthune. This often overlookedsector of the Western Front was thescene of some of the heaviestfighting of the early years of the war.

Changes have also been made to theCanadian Agency’s structure to includecountries in the Caribbean. Extending theCanadian inspection cycle will lead togreater output during the traditional ‘downperiod’, when the weather in North Americamakes grave inspections difficult.

The Commission operates in 23,000

locations, in 153 countries, some of

which are challenging and

environmentally extreme. Our

commitment in the Mediterranean

basin highlights some of these issues.

Desecration in BenghaziVandalism is a rare occurrence given

the scale of the Commission’s

commitment, but this does not make

it any less distressing when it happens.

In late February 2012, two cemeteries

in Libya, Benghazi War Cemetery and

Benghazi British Military Cemetery,

were subject to attack.

224 headstones were damaged or

destroyed in Benghazi War

Cemetery and the Cross of Sacrifice

was damaged. A further 129

headstones were desecrated in

Benghazi Military Cemetery.

Thankfully, our staff in Libya were

unhurt in the attacks and their safety

remains paramount as we assess and

make plans to repair the damage.

At the time of writing, the damage has

been cleared and temporary markers

have been placed above all the graves

where headstones were removed.

Replacements have been ordered and

the cemeteries will be fully restored

as soon as circumstances allow.

First Steps in IraqWe also face a number of challenges

in Iraq. For many years it has not been

possible for us to manage or maintain

our cemeteries and memorials there.

In 2006, contacts were re-established

with local contractors and activity

was gradually increased but the

majority of cemeteries still remained

in a poor condition.

Alternative arrangements for

commemoration were therefore

made and a two volume Roll of

Honour, listing all casualties buried

and commemorated in Iraq, is now

on display at our Head Office.

The Commission continues to

monitor the situation in Iraq and,

in January 2012, began to make

significant progress within the country.

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Ongoing Challenges

‘We operate in 23,000 locations, in 153 countries’

Benghazi War Cemetery, Libya

Baghdad North Gate Cemetery

In 2006, a basic twice-a-year programme was established to keep the cemetery as clean

and tidy as possible. In 2011, the situation improved and the Commission began re-

establishing links with known contractors. In January 2012, the Commission let the first

contract to carry out a limited amount of structural maintenance. This included the

erection of 511 headstones with new bases as well as repairs to the boundary fence and

the watchman’s house.

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Kut War Cemetery

Kut War Cemetery contains 420 burials from the First World War. The site has a low-

lying urban location and has suffered from neighbouring debris as a result.

Earlier this year, a contract was let to clear the cemetery and to replace the front wall

and fence. The contract has now been successfully completed and we are continuing to

make improvements wherever possible.

This container of 511 headstones was shipped to Iraq after the First Gulf War ended. As the diplomatic situation

deteriorated however, work became impossible and the container was left at the Baghdad North Gate cemetery

unopened. The container and its contents stayed at the cemetery throughout the Second Gulf War and all of the

subsequent violence.

The new roof will quickly blend in and match the surrounding

copper features.

Copper Theft at Chatham

The theft of a substantial part of the copper

roofing material from one of the shelter

buildings at Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, is an

unfortunate reminder that our sites in the UK

can also occasionally come under threat.

The theft took place in May 2012 and, despite a

second attempt at theft, the roof was replaced in

full, less than a month later.

The local council and the Ministry of Defence

are working together to improve security

around the site.

The Commission has a worldwide

commitment of over 1,140,000 headstones.

As part of our 2014 – 2018 preparations, we

have completed a major headstone

inspection programme which will enable us

to put in place a programme of work to

support this infrastructure.

Altogether, 465,000 headstones were

examined during the late summer and

autumn of 2011 including all those in

cemeteries which had high rates of

deterioration or which were subject to

aggressive climate conditions.

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Preserving the fabric of commemoration

‘465,000headstoneswereexamined’

We are delighted to report that the vast

majority of headstones are in good condition.

Nevertheless, the survey found that a small

proportion – under 3%, or about 32,000 –

need to be replaced within two years. A larger

number, more than 80,000, will need to be

replaced within five years.

The coastal sites in France and Belgium in

particular, need a significant number of

replacements, suggesting that the main cause of

deterioration is the coastal climate.

Headstones are produced at the Commission’s

workshop near Arras in France and the

Commission is reviewing its stone supplies and

production process to ensure that the demand

can be met.

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At the time of going to press,Mike Diaz, has been appointedas Headstone ProductionManager. The Commission haspurchased a new engravingmachine, which will increaseproduction capacity from6,000 headstones per annumto 15,000. A new automatedheadstone ordering process isalso under way.

The headstone production programme fallsunder a number of wider projects within theCommission. It is, for example, one of 20 projectsset out as part of a Commission-wideInformation Strategy. Other key projects includedevelopment of the website and intranet and theoutsourcing of all our IT servers – all of whichwill be completed over a three-year period.

A ‘master file’ of key Commission data including,business intelligence and digitised cemetery files isalso being created.

Several headstone replacement projects are already underway and, in

some cases, have resulted in full-scale horticultural renovation. Mont

Huon Military Cemetery is one such example.

There are 2,128 Commonwealth burials from the First World War in

Mont Huon Cemetery, as well as seven Second World War burials

and more than 200 German war graves.

Towards the end of 2011, a two-year full-scale headstone

replacement project began.

Phase one saw the replacement of the first 986 headstones, during

which it was discovered that the original beams were not of a

suitable quality to support the new Botticino headstones. It was

therefore decided that a full horticultural renovation was required.

This involved re-leveling the whole cemetery and replanting all of the

headstone border plants. The perimeter hedge was also removed.

The scale of the renovation allowed the Commission to develop a

faster turf replacement programme based on commercially grown

turf rather than relying on seed germination.

The turf was grown to order and delivered in ‘environment

controlled’ transport thus ensuring that it was in excellent condition

before being laid in Spring 2012. The initial phase saw 2,500 square

metres of new turf laid in the cemetery and a further 3,500 square

metres is scheduled for completion in Spring 2013.

Calais Canadian War Cemetery

Calais Canadian War Cemeterycontains 704 Commonwealth burialsfrom the Second World War, 30 ofwhich are unidentified. There are alsosix Czech and 19 Polish war graves.

Mont Huon Military Cemetery, France

The reinstatement of First World War isolated graves

in India, known as ‘Cantonment Graves’, is a long

term project for the Commission. The project is

now moving into its seventh year.

At the time of India’s independence, these graves,

scattered in 131 remote sites across the country,

were declared ‘un-maintainable’. The names of almost

2,500 casualties were therefore alternatively

commemorated on Memorials

erected in three Commission

war cemeteries at Chennai,

Delhi and Kirkee.

Some fifty years later, with

modernisation and improved

communications across India,

the Commission became

aware that a significant number

of the Cantonment Graves had

now become accessible.

The Commission prides itself on the core principle

of equality of treatment for all casualties and, as a

result, the decision was taken to reinstate as many of

the Cantonment Graves as possible.

The original aim was to recover 50% of the graves

that had been lost. To date however, 90 of the original

sites have been located and approximately 2,270

graves have been securely marked.

In September 2011, the appointment of

Keneilhouzo Sekhouse, to the role of

Cantonment Maintenance Manager,

marked a new phase of the project.

Kenneilhouzo’s appointment now

allows the Commission not only to

recover and mark further graves, but

also to effectively manage their on-

going maintenance.

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All of the headstones made ofPortland stone, had begun to fail, withmany inscriptions becoming illegible. Asa result, between September andNovember 2011, every headstone inthe cemetery was replaced.

Cantonment Cemeteries:Exceeding Expectations

‘approximately2,270 graves

have beensecurelymarked’

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These photographs of Caldecott Road (Kirkee) New Cemetery illustrate what has been achieved.

Stage One

FINDING: The first stage of work involved physically locating the cemeteries and individual graves and creating well-protected spaces and markers.

Our staff found themselves dealing with every conceivable kind of terrain; mountain, desert, jungle and swamp. It is testament to their hard work and skill that, ofthe 130 sites originally lost, over 90 have now been recovered.

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Stage Two

MARKING: Stage two is about marking. Standard Commission headstones were not considered practical in these conditions, at this stage. Pre-fabricatedconcrete curb slabs were used to mark each grave – with the individual headstone then erected from it.

Stage Three

ONGOING: Going forward we face the challenge of maintaining a consistent programme of works, across such a wide and diverse area. With our newmember of staff in place, and a significant pool of contacts already established, it is a challenge we are ready to meet.

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The Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery contains 1,147burials in total, 619 of them casualties of the IndianArmy. The Rabaul Memorial, which stands within thecemetery, commemorates more than 1,200 membersof the Royal Australian Army and Royal Australian AirForce, who lost their lives in the area during theSecond World War and who have no known grave.

On behalf of the Commission, the Office ofAustralian War Graves assisted in the burial of fiveunknown Indian soldiers from the Second World Warat the Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery. The burialservice took place on 23 February 2012 and wascoordinated by the Indian High Commission, withsupport from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.

Indian burials at Rabaul (Bita Paka) War

Cemetery, Papua New Guinea Maintaining the Commission’s

The Commission cares for the graves and memorials of almost 1.7 million Commonwealth

servicemen and women who died in the two world wars. These include the graves of more than

935,000 identified casualties and almost 212,000 unidentified individuals. The names of almost

760,000 people can be found on memorials to the missing.

Maintaining these memorials is a huge part of our on-going commitment and another important

focus as we move towards the centenary period.

Memorials – ‘He is not missing, he is here’Field Marshal Lord Plumer at the unveiling of the Menin Gate Memorial, July 1927

The Ypres (Menin Gate) MemorialThe Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial was the first of the

Commission’s memorials to be commissioned and

completed in 1927. Designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield

it commemorates the names of more than 54,000

men, on 1,200 panels.

In June 2012, work began to clean and re-bronze the

three large rings in the roof of the Menin Gate. For the

first time, scaffolding was suspended through the roof

of the memorial, so that the work could be completed

with minimum disruption to visitors and traffic.

The roof was not the only area to receive our staff’s

attention this year, as they also successfully replaced

33 of the memorial’s plaques.

The original plaques had become eroded as the result

of a particular micro climate within the stairwell,

where the plaques are sited.

The thickness of the new Portland stone plaques is

75mm, compared with 100mm in the originals. This

allows for a gap of air and a waterproof membrane

between the back of the stones and the brick wall.

The plaques are held in place with a dry fix system,

using stainless steel fishtail anchors in the brickwork

and bronze dowels between each plaque. This allows

them to expand and contract in the heat, without

causing erosion.

The project forms part of a wider five-year plan to

renovate all the panels on the Menin Gate.

One of the original panels removedfrom the Menin Gate has been donatedto the recently renovated ‘In FlandersFields Museum’, Ieper, for their display onremembrance.

The Jerusalem Memorial

The Jerusalem Memorial stands in Jerusalem War Cemetery,

4.5 kilometres north of the walled city.

The memorial commemorates 3,300 Commonwealth

servicemen who died during the First World War in

operations in Egypt or Palestine and who have no

known grave.

Severe erosion and damage, caused by thermal and seismic

action, has resulted in the need to clean the entire structure

and replace every one of the memorial’s 120 panels.

The project began in July 2012. The old panels were cut out

and the substrate of the wall cut back to form a cavity.

Stainless steel brackets were then fixed to the substrate for

the new panels to rest on, thus allowing the panels to expand

and contract in the heat, without causing erosion.

23

The Ottawa Memorial

The Ottawa Memorial stands on the north-

eastern point of Green Island in the City of

Ottawa, overlooking the Rideau Falls.

The memorial commemorates almost 800

men and women of the Commonwealth Air

Forces who lost their lives whilst serving in

units operating from bases in Canada, the

British West Indies and the U.S.A., or whilst

training in Canada and the U.S.A., and who

have no known graves.

This year, the memorial has been completely

restored with the removal, refurbishment

and re-installation of all of its panels.

To inspect the grave site, Scotland’s

Regional Supervisor, Iain Anderson,

had to enlist the help of a mountain

guide and walk five miles uphill from

the hamlet of Inchnadamph, north

of Ullapool.

The grave is so remote that, apart

from on foot, the only realistic way

to reach the site is by helicopter. It is

for this reason that the six airmen

have, what the Commission calls, an

alternative commemoration. In this

case, a plaque commemorating the

casualties has been placed in the

churchyard at Inchnadamph.

Following Iain’s inspection however,

the Commission decided that despite

inherent transport challenges, it

would preserve the integrity of the

grave and place an inscribed granite

stone at the airmen’s resting place.

Going the Extra Mile

Over 300,000 Commonwealth

war dead are commemorated

in the United Kingdom, in

almost 13,000 different

locations. The great majority of

these commemorations are

accounted for by individual

graves, which are to be found in

every conceivable type of burial

ground, no matter how remote.

The Commission’s commitment

to individual graves was

highlighted dramatically this

year when the Commission

pledged to place a granite

block, weighing half a ton, on

one of the most remote war

graves in Scotland.

Six airmen are buried on Ben

More, in the Western

Highlands, where their Avro

Anson crashed in April 1941.

‘Over 300,000Commonwealthwar dead are

commemorated inthe UnitedKingdom, in

almost 13,000different locations.’

Forever IndiaFollowing the enthusiastic

response to our Forever

India taster DVD, and in

conjunction with the

Indian Government, the

Commission developed

a website which explores

the contribution of the

160,000 servicemen and

women from Undivided

India, who sacrificed their

lives in the First and the

Second World Wars.

Many people, including

the loved ones of some

of the servicemen we

commemorate assisted

in this process.

25

Education: Inspiring the Next Generation

Dodla Ranga Reddy, aged 22, was shot down in1944, over the Burmese border. His familyprovided us with some of his personal lettersand his pilot’s licence.

Dodla Ranga Reddy’s story can be seen in full onthe Forever India website. He is commemoratedon the Singapore Memorial at Kranji.

In order to engage with a new

generation and to align with the

2014 – 2018 preparations, the

Commission has devised a new

education strategy, aimed at reaching

audiences in the UK and beyond.

We plan to support local

curriculums or complement existing

education resources.

As a result, the Commission has

recently conducted an independent

survey of teachers. The data will

inform our future work and enable

more in-depth consultation.

One very pleasing result of the

survey was that 73.6% of

respondents thought the work of the

Commission was relevant or very

relevant to the National Curriculum.

This is exactly the sort of

endorsement that the Commission

needs in order to engage with

future generations.

26

‘73.6% of respondents thoughtthe work of the Commission

was relevant or very relevant tothe National Curriculum’

Enhanced Communication

At Y

our

Serv

ice

At Your ServiceOur customers expect a high quality service from

the Commission and we are committed to meeting

this expectation. We continually assess and develop

the services we offer, reviewing and improving what

we do and how we do it.

Our customer service standardsWe have developed seven main customer service

standards to help us meet the needs of our

customers and the table on the facing page details

how we have performed in the past year. We

regularly review the standards and changes to

them are included in At Your Service, our customer

service leaflet, which is available in print and on

our website.

Your views matterYour feedback is very important in helping us

continue to improve. Messages sent to

[email protected] email are always welcome as

they allow us to assess the issues that are most

important to customers and put things right where

possible. We are also very grateful to everyone who

takes part in our surveys. Our customer satisfaction

levels remain high and, following our annual

customer service survey, a benchmark exercise

placed us in the top 5% of the organisations

measured, with a Satisfaction IndexTM

of 91%, an

increase of 1.95% on last year.

This year, feedback received from you has been

instrumental in helping to shape our new website

and the more advanced database search facilities

which it now offers. Since its launch in January, we

have received many positive comments about the

website as well as feedback which is helping us to

decide on further modifications.

The development of the monthly e-newsletter,

which now has over 9,500 subscribers, has also been

influenced by feedback from readers who continue

to make suggestions about new features that they

would like to see. To sign up please go to

www.cwgc.org/newsletter.aspx This positive

interaction with the public is also evident in the

growth in numbers following the Commission on

the social media sites, Facebook and Twitter.

Answering your concernsThe Commission received over 21,000 enquiries last

year from around the world, of which only 105, or

0.5%, were complaints. The most common concerns

are outlined below.

Difficulty reading a headstone or memorialpanelAll headstones and memorial panels are inspected

on a regular basis for legibility using objective

criteria. It is an increasing challenge to keep up with

the re-engraving and replacement that is required

because of the effects of natural erosion and

pollution. We have significantly increased the

resources devoted to replacing and re-engraving

headstones and memorial panels in order to

maintain legibility.

Cemetery maintenance and horticultureComments and complaints tend to refer to civil

cemeteries and churchyards rather than war

cemeteries under the Commission’s control. Each

case is investigated and follow-up action is taken

if there has been a lapse in maintenance

standards. In many cases, however, the problem is

the overall condition of the cemetery for which

we are not responsible.

Searching our records onlineAs discussed earlier in the report, it is far from

straightforward to provide a website that everyone

finds to their taste. Expanding the search capabilities

of the Records database is a significant improvement

for many people but it has caused some difficulties

for others. We are continuing to develop the

website to meet the needs of all our customers.

Please continue to provide us with feedbackthrough [email protected]

28

Previous page: Forli Indian Army War Cemetery, India

29

Item

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Customer Service Standards

We will deal with all enquiries promptly, efficiently,

politely, fairly and sensitively and provide you with

clear and helpful information.

We will acknowledge all written enquiries within

two days of receipt.

We will answer all letter and email enquiries within

20 working days of receipt.

We will answer all phone calls within 20 seconds.

We will acknowledge all complaints within five

days of receipt.

We will reply to all complaints within 10 days of receipt.

We will achieve an overall customer service satisfaction

target of 90% in our annual Customer Service Survey.

Achievement against our standards 1 August 2011 to 31 July 2012

Spot checks of our enquiries by letter, phone and email showed that this was done in the

vast majority of cases examined.

Spot checks of our files showed that this was done in all cases examined. In 100% of cases

this was actually done on the day of receipt.

The last spot check (July 2012) showed that enquiries were being answered within six

days of receipt.

Spot checks of our phone lines showed that this was done in 100% of all cases examined.

Reviewing the complaints log showed that 100% of the issues raised were acknowledged

within the required timescale, usually on the day of receipt.

Reviewing the complaints log showed that 100% of complaints were replied to within the

required timescale.

91% of the 450 people who completed the survey expressed the view that they were well

satisfied or very satisfied with the Commission’s service.

The

Com

miss

ion’

s Fi

nanc

es

IntroductionThis is the first year in which the

Commission has chosen to comply in full

with the provisions of the Charities

Statement Of Recommended Practice

(SORP); partial compliance was achieved in

the financial statements for the year ended

31 March 2011. Compliance has meant

introducing new accounting policies for

capital assets, international employment

liabilities and inventory, whilst, at the same

time, introducing more comprehensive

disclosure notes. The Audit Committee has

reviewed each of the major changes in policy

with the Commission’s external auditors.

Financial strategyThe financial strategy was approved by the

Commission in December 2011. The strategy

sets out funding and expenditure

assumptions for the next three years and the

Commissioners agreed in principle to sustain

funding in real terms during that period. The

Commission’s operating budgets are

consistent with the assumptions set out in

the strategy.

The financial model89% of the Commission’s revenues come

from member governments to fund the ‘core’

activities defined in the Commission's

Charter of 1917. A further 8% of revenues

are generated from member governments

and from other governments (principally

Germany), for agency work outside of the

core world war activities. Most of this work

relates to memorials, non world war graves

and graves of non-Commonwealth

combatants. The balance of the funding

comes from the Imperial War Graves

Endowment Fund, which is administered by

a separate group of trustees and receives its

donations from members of the public.

A recent example of new agency work is

Rheindahlen Military Cemetery, Germany,

where the Commission has taken on the

maintenance of the cemetery for the UK

Ministry of Defence.

Funding is primarily in Sterling and in Euros,

with member governments providing local

currency requirements in South Africa, India

and Canada. The UK Ministry of Defence

provides hedging against currency

fluctuations on the Euro, whilst hedging is

arranged by the Commission’s finance team

for the most volatile of other currencies.

Risk managementWith much of the Commission’s fabric now

80–90 years old, it is essential that there are

processes in place to ensure the regular

review of headstones, cemeteries and

memorials. These processes are undertaken

on a cyclical basis and generate the data for

strategic financial planning.

Other strategic risks which are being

addressed include future pension

arrangements and workforce planning.

Operational risks include foreign exchange

risk, legal liabilities, the information and IT

environments and political risk, as

evidenced by recent activity in Libya, Syria,

Egypt and Iran.

The Commission has enhanced its risk

processes during the year, with operational

31

Luxembourg (Hollerich) Communal Cemetery

Vimy Memorial, France

and strategic risks reviewed monthly by the

management team and strategic risks

reviewed by the Commissioners at

each meeting.

GovernancePrimary financial governance sits with the

Audit Committee, chaired by Air Chief

Marshal Sir Joe French, which meets

quarterly. The Committee meetings include

representatives from both internal and

external auditors and, from 2012, the new

international auditor also attends. The role

of the international auditor was created to

address the greater levels of systems risk

inherent in remote operations, both in

terms of internal controls, local taxation

and banking compliance.

The provisions of the new UK Bribery Act

are relevant to the Commission and a

programme of work is underway to confirm

the Commission’s continued adherence.

Efficiency and value for moneyThere is now a far greater focus on

securing value for money within the

Commission’s activities.

Procurement rules have been tightened and

improved financial systems have ensured far

greater accountability. More robust

performance management has enabled

budgets to be redeployed into priority areas,

without requests for additional funding or

diminution in core services.

Looking to the futureThe operations of the Commission are

contingent on the willingness of member

governments to support the core activities.

Support continues and preparations for the

2014 – 2018 centenary are progressing in

the context of very strong levels of

commitment, both from the public and from

member governments.

Key to the Commission’s success are the

very high standards achieved and sustained

in our cemeteries and memorials.

In financial terms, however, the

Commission must continue to

demonstrate to member governments that

it remains committed to financial

transparency, to value for money and to

engagement with its stakeholders.

The Commission’s financial results show

income of £64m, up 3.7% on 2010 – 2011.

Activities in the year generated a surplus,

before other recognised gains and losses, of

£983k, in contrast to a surplus of £511k

in 2010 – 2011. However, these surpluses

were necessary to generate the cash to

support our capital investment programme.

In 2010 – 2011, the total FRS 17 pension

adjustment was a favourable move of

£2.4m, bringing the net deficit to nil in the

2011 balance sheet; this reflected a gradual

recovery from international financial

pressures during the previous year. In 2011

– 2012 there was a negative movement of

£3.2m on the pension deficit, with a

matching liability shown on the balance

sheet. This reflects the deterioration in the

financial markets in the second half of the

year, combining assumptions of higher

inflation and lower investment yield.

The balance sheet reflects the new

accounting policies, with capital assets at

£14.2m, foreign employment liabilities at

£4.0m and net reserves of £8.1m.

The Commission retains sufficient reserves

to address working capital needs and

increasingly, to mitigate operational risk.

Restricted reserves are retained to reflect

historic donations and legacies outside of

member government funding.

The taxation status of the Commission is

that it does not pay any corporation tax

(or equivalent) in any country in which

it operates.

Government Percentage

United Kingdom 78.43

Canada 10.07

Australia 6.05

New Zealand 2.14

South Africa 2.11

India 1.20

TOTAL 100.00

Percentages of contributions being made by

partner governments

The report from the external auditors, Grant Thornton UK LLP, is attached.

On behalf of the Commissioners

Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin Alan Pateman-Jones

Vice Chairman Director General

Financial results for the year ended 31 March 2012

We have examined the summary financial statements of the Commonwealth War

Graves Commission ("the Commission") for the year ended 31 March 2012, which

comprises the operating and financial review, the statement of internal control, the

summary statement of financial activities, the summary balance sheet and the

summary cash flow statement.

Respective Responsibilities of the Commissioners and AuditorThe Commissioners are responsible for preparing the annual report in accordance

with the Commission’s Royal Charter of Incorporation and for such internal

controls as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of

financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud

or error.

Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion on the consistency of the summary

financial statement within the annual report with the full annual financial statements.

We also read the other information contained in the annual report and consider the

implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or

material inconsistencies with the summary financial statements.

Our report on the Commission’s full annual financial statements describes the basis

of our audit opinion on those financial statements.

OpinionIn our opinion the summary financial statements are consistent with the full annual

financial statements of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for the year

ended 31 March 2012.

We have not considered the effects of any events between the date on which we

signed our report on the full financial statements, 14 September 2012, and the date of

this statement.

Grant Thornton UK LLP London

Statutory Auditor, Chartered Accountants 14 September 2012

34

Financial statements for year ended 31 March 2012

Independent Auditors Report to the Members of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2012

General Agency Resticted As restated

Purposes Purposes Funds Total Total

2012 2012 2012 2012 2011

£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

Incoming resources

Funds received from

member governments 57,145 - - 57,145 53,811

Funds received for

agency purposes - 4,327 - 4,327 5,992

Investment income 1,288 - - 1,288 920

Other incoming resources 1,320 - - 1,320 1,020

Total incoming resources 59,753 4,327 - 64,080 61,743

Resources expended

Expenditure in respect of

general activities 56,820 - - 56,820 54,173

Expenditure in respect of

agency purposes - 4,960 - 4,960 5,704

Governance costs 176 - - 176 170

Other resources expended 1,141 - - 1,141 1,185

Total resources expended 58,137 4,960 - 63,097 61,232

Net incoming resources for

the year before other

recognised gains and losses 1,616 (633) - 983 511

Other recognised gains/(losses)

Unrealised gain on

investments 2 - - 2 76

Actuarial gain/(loss) on

defined benefit pension

scheme (4,255) - - (4,255) 1,848

Net movement in funds (2,637) (633) - (3,270) 2,435

Reconciliation of funds

Total funds brought forward 8,996 412 1,937 11,345 8,910

Net movement in funds (2,637) (633) - (3,270) 2,435

Total funds carried forward 6,359 (221) 1,937 8,075 11,345

Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2012

General Agency Resticted As restated

Purposes Purposes Funds Total Total

2012 2012 2012 2012 2011

£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

Fixed assets

Tangible assets 14,187 - - 14,187 11,743

Investments 102 - 1,937 2,039 1,937

14,289 - 1,937 16,226 13,680

Current assets

Stocks 709 - - 709 -

Debtors 1,551 293 - 1,844 1,542

Cash at bank and in hand 13,422 - - 13,422 14,065

15,682 293 - 15,975 15,607

Creditors: amounts falling

due within one year (15,168) (514) - (15,682) (14,318)

Net current assets 514 (221) - 293 1,289

Total assets less current

liabilities 14,803 (221) 1,937 16,519 14,969

Provisions for liabilities and charges (5,237) - - (5,237) (3,672)

Total assets excluding pension

scheme (liability)/asset 9,566 (221) 1,937 11,282 11,297

Defined benefit pension

scheme (liability)/asset (3,207) - - (3,207) 48

Net assets including pension

scheme (liability)/asset 6,359 (221) 1,937 8,075 11,345

Funds of the Commission

Funds carried forward 3,530 (221) 1,937 5,246 5,261

Revaluation reserve 6,036 - - 6,036 6,036

Pension reserve (3,207) - - (3,207) 48

6,359 (221) 1,937 8,075 11,345

The financial statements were approved by the Commission on 14 September 2012

Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin Vice-Chairman Alan Pateman-Jones Director General

35

We have examined the summary financial statements of the Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund

for the year ended 31 March 2012 which comprises the Summary Revenue Account and Summary

Balance Sheet.

Respective Responsibilities of the Trustees and AuditorThe Trustees are responsible for the annual report in accordance with the Royal Charter of

Incorporation of the Fund and for such internal control as management determines is necessary

to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement,

whether due to fraud or error.

Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion on the consistency of the summary financial

statement within the annual report with the full annual financial statements.

We also read the other information contained in the annual report and consider the implications

for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies

with the summary financial statements.

Our report on the Fund's full annual financial statements describes the basis of our audit opinion

on those financial statements.

OpinionIn our opinion the summary financial statements are consistent with the full annual financial

statements of the Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund for the year ended 31 March 2012.

We have not considered the effects of any events between the date on which we signed our

report on the full financial statements, 14 June 2012, and the date of this statement.

Basis of AccountingThe financial statements are prepared to assist the Trustees in complying with the financial

reporting provisions of the Royal Charter of Incorporation of the Fund. As a result the

financial statements may not be suitable for another purpose other than presentation of the

financial statements in accordance with the Royal Charter of Incorporation of the Fund.

Grant Thornton UK LLP London

Statutory Auditor, Chartered Accountants 14 June 2012

36

Independent Auditors Report to the Members of the Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund

Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund

Far right: The importance of a grave. A St. Barnabus pilgrim, 1924

for the year ended 31 March 2012

2012 2011

£ £

Income

Dividends and interest 905,881 832,176

Expenditure

Fees and charges (65,913) (77,250)

Net income payable to the Commonwealth

War Graves Commission 839,968 754,926

Accumulated fund

Balance at 1 April 24,613,491 23,342,697

Gain on realisation and revaluation

of investments (185,540) 1,270,794

Balance at 31 March 24,427,951 24,613,491

Balance Sheet at 31 March 2012

2012 2011

£ £

Accumulated fund 24,427,951 24,613,491

Represented by:

Investments 24,427,951 24,613,491

Debtors 124,618 94,262

Balance at bank 113,295 185,377

24,665,864 24,893,130

Less:

Liability to the Commonwealth War

Graves Commission (237,913) (279,639)

24,427,951 24,613,491

The financial statements were approved and signed by the Trustees on 14 June 2012.

Mr Julian Cazalet

Mr Stephen Burley Trustees

Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin

Imperial War Graves Endowment Fund Revenue Account

Albania 47 0 0 0 2 0 47

Algeria 2,041 122 34 71 13 0 2,041

Antigua 2 0 0 0 1 0 2

Argentina 15 0 0 3 2 0 15

Australia 11,757 15 873 8 894 1,063 12,820

Austria 583 16 3 58 2 0 583

Azerbaijan 0 0 0 0 0 47 47

Azores 51 1 1 1 3 0 51

Bahamas 51 0 0 3 2 9 60

Bahrain 0 0 0 105 2 0 0

Bangladesh 1,415 27 46 5 3 0 1,415

Barbados 23 0 2 0 9 0 23

Belgium 102,587 48,581 3,927 58 617 102,503 205,090

Belize 10 0 0 11 1 40 50

Bermuda 140 0 0 2 12 0 140

Botswana 0 0 0 0 0 162 162

Brazil 25 0 0 1 5 0 25

British Indian Ocean Territory 9 0 0 0 1 0 9

British Virgin Islands 0 0 0 1 1 0 0

Bulgaria 240 3 1 12 2 0 240

Cameroon 47 0 0 4 4 0 47

Canada 14,328 11 302 1 2,837 4,112 18,440

Canary Islands 1 0 0 0 1 0 1

Cape Verde 9 0 0 0 1 0 9

Chad 4 0 0 0 1 0 4

Chile 5 0 0 0 5 0 5

China,

(including Hong Kong) 1,828 620 82 1,963 22 4,578 6,406

Congo 29 0 0 0 1 0 29

Congo (Dem. Rep.) 22 0 0 0 6 8 30

Costa Rica 1 0 0 0 1 0 1

Cote d' Ivoire 0 6 0 0 1 0 0

War Graves and Memorials in the Commission’s Care

Country or Territory Commonwealth Other Non Burial Common- TotalIdentified Unidentified Nation- War Grounds wealth Common-

alities Graves War Dead wealthCommem- War Deadorated on Commem-Memorials orated by

name(Cols 2 & 7)

Kem

mel

Cha

teau

Milit

ary

Cem

eter

y, Be

lgiu

m

38

War

Gra

ves

and

Mem

oria

ls

Croatia 2 0 0 0 2 0 2

Cuba 3 0 0 0 1 0 3

Cyprus 321 3 6 606 9 58 379

Czech Republic 223 34 8 0 2 0 223

Denmark 999 117 26 0 130 0 999

Djibouti 13 0 0 0 1 0 13

Dominica 3 0 0 0 2 0 3

Egypt 24,652 1,335 1,608 4,552 24 27,811 52,463

Equatorial Guinea 10 0 0 0 1 0 10

Eritrea 953 49 6 25 5 0 953

Estonia 15 0 0 1 2 0 15

Ethiopia 409 12 3 60 4 0 409

Falkland Islands 33 0 0 21 1 0 33

Faroe Islands 56 3 0 2 4 0 56

Fiji 75 0 0 5 2 34 109

France 357,098 116,553 15,321 525 2,919 218,087 575,185

Gambia 199 4 3 10 1 70 269

Germany 31,750 1,372 242 4,823 48 26 31,776

Ghana 612 3 8 57 7 1,220 1,832

Gibraltar 653 2 34 1 2 100 753

Greece 12,397 2,359 509 1,110 31 5,674 18,071

Grenada 4 1 0 0 2 0 4

Guatemala 1 0 0 0 1 0 1

Guinea 2 0 0 0 2 0 2

Guyana 6 0 0 7 1 18 24

Honduras 1 0 0 0 1 0 1

Hungary 173 3 38 0 3 0 173

Iceland 232 2 9 8 6 0 232

India 10,996 521 77 203 23 51,162 62,158

Indonesia 2,607 657 187 10 6 442 3,049

Iran 552 13 25 14 2 3,590 4,142

Iraq 13,043 9,376 249 1,164 15 41,119 54,162




name(Cols 2 & 7)

39

Ireland, Republic of 2,948 53 3 15 663 153 3,101

Israel and Palestine

(including Gaza) 11,994 2,581 1,585 749 30 3,678 15,672

Italy 44,785 1,911 70 157 123 4,471 49,256

Jamaica 153 0 23 1 8 82 235

Japan 1,718 94 80 173 3 20 1,738

Jordan 0 0 0 32 1 0 0

Kenya 4,183 77 32 316 31 4,023 8,206

Latvia 32 4 0 0 1 0 32

Lebanese Republic 1,705 12 75 9 6 0 1,705

Lesotho 0 0 0 0 0 996 996

Liberia 12 0 0 0 2 0 12

Libya 7,056 1,460 265 557 6 0 7,056

Lithuania 2 0 0 0 1 0 2

Luxembourg 26 0 3 0 8 0 26

Macedonia, Republic of 118 6 0 0 1 0 118

Madagascar 311 3 1 0 1 0 311

Madeira 6 0 0 1 1 0 6

Malawi 209 2 10 12 6 125 334

Malaysia 2,328 2,655 1 2,154 34 2,294 4,622

Maldives 0 0 0 0 0 70 70

Mali 3 0 0 0 2 0 3

Malta 3,377 9 219 3,689 13 2,350 5,727

Martinique 1 0 0 0 1 0 1

Mauritania 5 0 0 0 1 0 5

Mauritius 37 0 0 74 4 57 94

Monaco 2 0 0 0 1 0 2

Morocco 61 2 2 7 5 0 61

Mozambique 185 7 1 1 6 93 278

Myanmar (Burma) 10,945 1,080 622 12 5 26,907 37,852

Namibia 427 0 217 0 40 0 427

Nepal 1 0 0 0 1 0 1




name(Cols 2 & 7)

Lone

Pin

e C

emet

ery,

Gal

lipol

i

40

Netherlands 18,271 1,262 281 11 475 1,029 19,300

Netherlands Antilles 11 0 0 0 3 0 11

New Caledonia 242 4 0 0 1 449 691

New Zealand 2,909 1 2 0 435 570 3,479

Nigeria 983 29 38 77 32 3,669 4,652

Norfolk Island 4 0 0 0 1 0 4

Norway 955 193 2 7 74 0 955

Oman 2 0 0 48 4 0 2

Pakistan 999 0 0 0 2 570 1,569

Panama 15 0 0 1 1 0 15

Papua New Guinea 6,153 1,648 3 4 7 2,280 8,433

Peru 6 0 0 0 1 0 6

Philippines 2 0 0 0 2 0 2

Poland 1,131 54 34 25 3 44 1,175

Portugal 51 0 0 8 5 0 51

Puerto Rico 2 0 0 0 1 0 2

Romania 170 8 0 1 3 0 170

Russian Federation 365 4 7 4 5 242 607

Samoa 12 0 0 0 1 0 12

San Marino 2 0 0 0 1 0 2

Saudi Arabia 1 0 0 0 1 0 1

Senegal 23 0 0 0 2 0 23

Serbia 493 16 18 11 3 0 493

Seychelles 76 0 0 0 1 289 365

Sierra Leone 444 9 22 135 4 1,391 1,835

Singapore 4,464 858 25 1,436 4 24,668 29,132

Society Islands 4 0 0 0 1 0 4

Solomon Islands 5 0 0 0 1 0 5

Somalia

(including Somaliland) 280 22 3 20 2 317 597

South Africa 8,311 20 135 22,947 1,145 148 8,459

Spain 108 6 2 9 19 0 108




name(Cols 2 & 7)

41

Sri Lanka 1,653 11 60 273 10 344 1,997

St. Christopher and Nevis 2 0 0 1 1 0 2

St. Helena and

Ascension Island 21 2 0 12 3 0 21

St. Lucia 44 0 0 4 1 0 44

St. Vincent 18 0 0 3 6 0 18

Sudan 395 0 19 428 1 1,346 1,741

Swaziland 0 0 0 5 1 77 77

Sweden 149 47 0 0 11 0 149

Switzerland 136 0 0 0 1 0 136

Syria 1,274 132 20 0 2 10 1,284

Tanzania 3,271 87 167 10 12 51,655 54,926

Thailand 6,323 188 2,209 1 2 11 6,334

Togo 1 0 0 0 1 0 1

Tonga 3 0 0 0 2 0 3

Trinidad and Tobago 105 0 1 3 1 40 145

Tunisia 7,750 810 5 12 11 1,954 9,704

Turkey (including Gallipoli) 9,487 13,461 29 148 38 27,203 36,690

Uganda 373 2 2 6 10 127 500

Ukraine 2 0 0 0 2 0 2

United Arab Emirates 0 0 0 12 1 0 0

United Kingdom,

Channel Islands and

Isle of Man 171,459 1,410 10,803 3,076 12,341 134,240 305,699

United States of America 1,013 4 22 8 488 0 1,013

Uruguay 8 1 0 0 1 0 8

Vanuatu 2 0 0 0 1 0 2

Venezuela 1 0 0 0 1 0 1

Yemen 297 3 11 514 2 76 373

Zambia 70 0 1 0 1 661 731

Zimbabwe 542 8 14 54 21 132 674

Totals 936,886 212,077 40,774 52,784 23,930 760,794 1,697,680

War Graves and Memorials in the Commission’s CareCountry or Territory Commonwealth Other Non Burial Common- Total

Identified Unidentified Nation- War Grounds wealth Common-alities Graves War Dead wealth

Commem- War Deadorated on Commem-Memorials orated by

name(Cols 2 & 7)

The Bombay and Chittagong 1939 – 1945 Memorials to the

Missing each commemorate the same 6,469 casualties. The Delhi

and Karachi 1939 – 1945 Memorials each commemorate the same

25,867 casualties. As a result, the Commission only records these

casualty statistics within the commemoration figures for INDIA.

The Dar es Salaam, the Mombassa and the Nairobi African

Memorials to the Missing each commemorate the same 49,572

casualties. As a result, the Commission only records these casualty

statistics within the commemoration figures for TANZANIA.

Tororo War Cemetery, Uganda

42

United Kingdom

& Colonies 478,184 410,062 244,769 138,940 722,953 549,002 1,271,955

Undivided India 8,075 66,116 18,218 68,815 26,293 134,931 161,224

Canada 45,493 19,497 37,297 8,071 82,790 27,568 110,358

Australia 38,791 23,290 28,569 12,092 67,360 35,382 102,742

New Zealand 11,760 6,293 9,042 2,888 20,802 9,181 29,983

South Africa 6,669 2,847 10,019 1,883 16,688 4,730 21,418

Totals 588,972 528,105 347,914 232,689 936,886 760,794 1,697,680

There are 212,077 unidentified Commonwealth war burials, (187,644 from the First World War and 24,433 from the Second

World War). This brings the total Commonwealth war burials to 1,148,963.

The names of 67,160 civilians of the Commonwealth, whose deaths were due to enemy action in the Second World War, are

commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour located near St. George’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey, London.

AcknowledgementsThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission is grateful to the following individuals for permission to publish

their photographs: Brian Harris (inside cover, page 1 top-left, page 20 bottom-right, page 26 and page 27) and

Mike St Maur Sheil (front cover right, page 1 top-right, page 7, page 32 and page 43). Our thanks also to Commission

staff all over the world for their photographic contributions.

Breakdown of Numbers of War Dead by ForcesForces 1914-1918 War 1939-1945 War Both Wars

Identified Commemorated Identified Commemorated Identified Commemorated TotalBurials on Memorials Burials on Memorials Burials on Memorials Commem-

orated

Prowse Point Military Cemetery, Belgium

Head Office

Director General

Alan Pateman-Jones

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2 Marlow Road

Maidenhead

Berkshire SL6 7DX

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1628 634221

Fax: +44 (0) 1628 771208

For Casualty & Cemetery Enquiries:

E-mail:[email protected]

Tel: +44 (0) 1628 507200

Web Site: www.cwgc.org

United Kingdom Area

Director

Barry Murphy

United Kingdom Area


Jenton Road, Sydenham

Leamington Spa

Warwickshire CV31 1XS

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1926 330137

Fax: +44 (0) 1926 456595

E-mail: [email protected]

Channel Islands, Faroe Islands, Iceland,Ireland, Isle of Man, United Kingdom

Northern Europe Area

Director

Ian Hussein

Northern Europe Area


Elverdingestraat 82

B-8900 Ieper

Belgium

Tel: +32 (0) 57 22 36 36

Fax: +32 (0) 57 21 80 14


Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Federal Republic of Germany, Hungary,Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,Poland, Sweden

Principal Offices and TRUSTEES OF THE

IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES ENDOWMENT FUND

as at 31 July 2012

Chairman

JULIAN CAZALET

STEPHEN BURLEY

Lieutenant General Sir ALISTAIR IRWIN KCB CBE

Secretary

COLIN KERR CA

TRUSTEES OF THE

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION

SUPERANNUATION SCHEME

as at 31 July 2012

Chairman

MICHAEL JOHNSON OBE

PHILIP NOAKES

Air Chief Marshall Sir JOE FRENCH KCB CBE

Secretary

SUE KETTLE

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AT HEAD OFFICE

as at 31 July 2012

Director General (Secretary of the Commission)

ALAN PATEMAN-JONES

Deputy Director General

(Assistant Secretary of the Commission)

TIM REEVES

(with effect until 3 August 2012)

Director of Technical Services and

Director of Works

BRIAN DAVIDSON MBE

Director of Finance

COLIN KERR CA

Director of Human Resources

STEPHEN LUCKHURST

Director of Horticulture

DAVID RICHARDSON

Director of Legal Services

GILLIAN STEDMAN

Director of Communication and Information

DAVID SYMONS

(with effect until 10 February 2012)

Director of Information Services

BERNARD McGEE

Agencies of the Commonwealth War Graves CommissionFrance Area

Director

Val Sargeson

France Area

Commonwealth War Graves

Commission

5 -7 Rue Angèle Richard

BP 109

62217 Beaurains

France

Tel: +33 (0) 3 21 21 77 00

Fax: +33 (0) 3 21 21 77 10


France (including Corsica), Monaco,Switzerland

Western Mediterranean Area

Director

Alan Jarvis

With effect from 1 Oct 2012:

Mediterranean Area

Director

David Symons


Commission

Fourth Floor, Novel Tower1 Alexandrou Panagoulli 6057 Larnaca PO Box 40970 TT 6308, Cyprus

Tel: +357 24819460

Fax: +357 24661969


Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijani Republic,

Azores, Bahrain, Canary Islands, Croatia,Cyprus, Egypt, Gibraltar, Greece, Israel andPalestine (including Gaza), Italy, Jordan,Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Madeira,Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Morocco,Oman, Portugal, San Marino, Saudi Arabia,Serbia, Spain (including Spanish Morocco),Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Yemen

Outer Area

Director

Philip Noakes

Outer Area


Commission

2 Marlow Road

Maidenhead

Berkshire SL6 7DX

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1628 634221

Fax: +44 (0) 1628 771643


All other countries and territories notlisted elsewhere

Australia

Director

Brigadier Chris Appleton CSC (Retired)

Office of Australian War Graves

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

GPO Box 9998

Canberra ACT 2601

Australia

Tel: +61 (0) 2 6289 6477

Fax: +61 (0) 2 6289 4861


Australia, Norfolk Island, Papua NewGuinea, Solomon Islands

Canada

Secretary-General

Bradley N Hall CD

Canadian Agency


Commission

66 Slater Street, Suite 1707

Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0P4

Canada

Tel: +1 613 992 3224

Fax: +1 613 995 0431

E-mail:

[email protected]

Web Site:

www.cwgc-canadianagency.ca

Canada, The Americas (including theCaribbean)

India

Honorary Liaison Officer

General Ravi Eipe

c/o Outer Area


Commission

Head Office

2 Marlow Road

Maidenhead

Berkshire

SL6 7DX

United Kingdom

New Zealand

The Manager

Brodie Stubbs

Heritage Operations

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

PO Box 5364, Wellington

New Zealand

Tel: +64 (0) 4 499 4229

Fax: +64 (0) 4 499 4490


New Zealand, New Caledonia, Samoa,Society Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu

South Africa

Secretary

Charles Ross

South African Agency


Commission

PO Box 9849

Centurion 0046

South Africa

Tel: +27 (0) 12 663 7285

Fax: +27 (0) 12 663 7258


South Africa, Namibia

Kenya

Office of the President

Department of Defence

Nairobi, Kenya

Malawi

Office of the President

Lilongwe, Malawi

Sri Lanka

Office of the Minister

responsible for Defence

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Tanzania

Office of the Prime Minister

Dodoma, Tanzania

Uganda



Kampala, Uganda

Zambia



Lusaka, Zambia

Zimbabwe



Harare, Zimbabwe

AGENCIES

Documents

2011-2012 Annual Report