The Bulletin is the in-house magazine of the WFA. It is published three times a year in February/March, June/July and October/November.
As a subscribed member of the WFA, you will be sent your copy by post as soon as it is published. This publication, together with your copies of Stand To! which is also sent to you three times a year, form one of the key benefits of your membership of the WFA.
The Bulletin Editor, Ralph Lomas, will be delighted to receive and consider news items from any source, but preference will always be given to WFA members, and you should state your membership number, name and address on all correspondence.
Contents of Edition 84
If you know of a better charity, give to it! - Tonie and Valmai Holt
Letters – Various Contributors
Old Soldiers, Old Stones – John Websper
WFA Memorial Officer's Report – Hilary Wheeler
29th Division Ceremony – Matthew Lucas
Canadian VC Medal Group Sold – Gordon McKinnon
Exhibition at the IWM
The War Graves Photographic Project – Steve Rogers
Letters from the Trenches – Bill Lamin
The WFA Presidents AGM Address – Correlli Barnett
WFA AGM Report and Minutes – David Routs
Branch Meetings and Contacts – Branch Chairmen
From Mud through Blood – Rob Kirk
The Christmas Truce in 1914 – Brian Owen and Dr John Krijnen
Armistice 90th First Day Covers – John Richardson
Hot on the York Trail? – Stephan van Meulebrouck
Stow Maries - A Unique Great War Airfield Restoration – Peter Last
Branch Lines – Branch Chairmen
Front Cover:
Version of The Better ‘Ole by Bryn Parry (co-founder of H4H) – make another bid!! (Article – If you Know Of A Better Charity).
Article Extract
The War Graves Photographic Project by Steve Rogers
With today's technology it is easy for people to plan a trip to a far off place, book all flights, hotels and car hire on the Internet all from the comfort of their home and then go and enjoy their experience, be it holiday or business.
Even with these facilities that are readily available it is not so easy to do the same thing when planning to visit the grave of a member of the family who gave their all in any of the conflicts affecting their country. The daunting task of planning specific travel, accommodation, transport - identifying and confirming location - arranging specialist help for the elderly and many other minor tasks
With this in mind and with the belief that all the graves and memorials to war dead and particularly those of the Commonwealth should be recorded for posterity, The War Graves Photographic Project (TWGPP), have undertaken the immense task of recording, archiving and making available to the descendants, images of the graves or memorial listings of every service casualty since the outbreak of the First World War.
Now working as a joint venture with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), this will enable families, scholars and researchers to obtain, via the CWGC or TWGPP websites, a copy of the photograph of a grave or memorial entry which for many is impossible to visit due to the location. This service has only been made possible through the efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers, from all walks of life, who feel the need to remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice and who realise the importance for families to see where their loved ones are laid to rest or commemorated. This emulates the CWGC ethos to ‘Remember in Perpetuity’
“Can I say what a rewarding and sometimes sad experience this has been for me? I feel fortunate to help to remember these people and what they sacrificed for us”.
Bill Saxton, volunteer photographer,
“Your group do see the world with a good purpose”
TWGPP was presented to The All Party Parliamentary Group ‘War Graves and Battlefield Heritage’ in May 2008 and soon after an Early Day Motion was proposed by MP Edward O’Hara
Early Day Motion – EDM 1230 War Graves Photographic Project
19 March 2008
“That this House notes that the War Graves Photographic Project has been established to integrate the work being carried out by volunteers photographing designated war graves and memorials around the world; commends this work which provides an uncomplicated facility for families to obtain a photograph of a loved one's grave, including many families who have never had a chance to visit fallen relatives' graves, or who are researching family history; and congratulates the project coordinator, Steve Rogers, and his team, for their selfless dedication to this work, in the course of which they have now photographed over one million graves and memorial names, on an entirely voluntary basis.”
At present, project volunteers have a managed to photograph over 1.1 million gravestones and names commemorated on memorials throughout the world. The majority of these being in France and Belgium but includes more obscure places like the Cape Verde Islands and Churkin Russian Naval cemetery at Vladivostok.
A group visit to the
Some comments from recipients
“Thank you so much. It means a great deal. It was very emotional seeing the picture, and I know my Mum back in the
Warmest Regards, Sandy Meyer,
“Good morning – I can’t quite explain howtouched I was when I saw the photographs. My mother was a little overwhelmed. She said she wished his parents and m y great uncle and aunts had seen them. The telegram was the end of the story. Now she feels he is notforgotten and he is named where he died. It was priceless gift from you to my mother – She said she is ninety and he was killed 90 years ago this year. Never forget just how appreciated you are and how important your work is to families. We are eternally grateful to you.
With warmest regards Katrina”
“Thanks for the pictures. Gives me goose bumps to see my great uncles name on that magnificent monument. Gone - never known but not forgotten.
Sincerely, Eileen”
“Thank you so much. I am very grateful for the efforts of all concerned in the project. Living here in
Thank you again, Anne”
Stop press
Steve and his group have recently returned from
Ed.
Steve Rogers, Project Co-ordinator,
The War Graves Photographic Project
Email:
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