Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
Wonderful job Harry and friends.Nice to know that some one cares.
Guest 868- Registered: 25 Jan 2013
- Posts: 490
Wow - how did you manage to bring it up to such good condition ?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
that is so impressive, hearty congratulations to all who made it possible.
Guest 767- Registered: 30 Aug 2012
- Posts: 458
Harry, what can I say, a huge thank you to you and your fellow Buffs for a job well done! I am still working on the other three (or is it four?) VCs in St James's, and will report back when there is something to say.
Many thanks once again.
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,543
The Sun have started a campaign restore any neglected graves of Victoria Cross holders.
The names of VC holders buried locally listed in today's paper are
William Bernard Traynor (Charlton)
William House (St James)
William McWheeney (St James)
Charles Wooden (St James)
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/5580338/Campaign-to-restore-VC-heroes-headstones.html
http://victoriacrosstrust.org/vc-gravesGuest 767- Registered: 30 Aug 2012
- Posts: 458
Karlos, Thanks for the update, when I last checked the graves they were all in fairly good condition, except for Traynor and Ward, Traynor has been sorted but Private Ward, 79th Regiment of foot, remains barely readable, if indeed he lies there and not, as recorded, in Malvern!
QuarterMaster C Wooden is one of my favorites, he might well be of German birth, and he won his VC at the charge of the Light Brigade, he died in Dover after haveing used his service revolver to cure his tooth ache......yes, he shot his teeth out!
Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
We went up to the grave of Sgt William Traynor V.C. again yesterday put some flowers on the grave and did a bit of a tidy up after the winter and the grave still looks respectable.
I have to think though as to why all these graves of our past heroes are in such a state specially those who earned the Victoria Cross. Yes many of the relatives have past on them selves but there are relatives who are selling the medals including the Victoria Cross medal for thousands of pounds. In some cases well over a quarter of a million pounds yet they can not consider where the grave of the person who earned the medals lays at rest or what condition the grave is in. Still I expect they enjoy their found wealth.
Picture taken after yesterdays visit.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Looks much more than "respectable" Harry.
I also agree with your comments about relatives not caring where those earners of the Victoria Cross are buried or the condition of their graves; not all relatives obviously, but perhaps too many.
Roger
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,878
It is nice to see any grave well tended but a VC holder's grave is special.
Playing devil's advocate maybe the remaining relatives live a long way away or the relationship was very distant, so it is as if the grave belongs to a complete stranger.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
would it be possible to contact the commonwealth war graves commission for the upkeep of mr trayners grave and the two as well.
ps they already have some up there any way and 3 more shouldn't an extra burden.
Guest 767- Registered: 30 Aug 2012
- Posts: 458
Once again may I offer my thanks to you, Harry, and fellow Buffs for keeping a close eye on William's grave, a good job well done, thank you.
Guest 767- Registered: 30 Aug 2012
- Posts: 458
Ref Brian at post 30, The CWGC is not responsible for any of the VC graves in Dover as they laid to rest before the CWGC was formed and so lie in civilian graves which are the responsibility of the familys' concerned. In my experence it is unlikly that modern regiments would take on the task for members of it's forbear regiments.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
phil,if that's the case its a shame.
