Letter to Aubrey Read's mother from the Imperial War Graves Commission

Letter to Aubrey Read's mother from the Imperial War Graves Commission

Covering letter for a form that the Commission would like Aubrey's mother to complete to enable them to provide an appropriate headstone for Aubrey's grave. Specimen of the headstone.

1950-10-20

Two printed forms

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EHigginsonFReadCW501020-0001, EHigginsonFReadCW501020-0002

IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES COMMISSION,

Wooburn House, Wooburn Green,

High Wycombe, Bucks

[Crest]

20 OCT 1950

Dear Sir or Madam,

I venture to ask for your assistance in completing the attached form.

The Imperial War Graves Commission have been entrusted, for this war as for the last, with the duty of permanently commemorating those members of His Majesty's Naval, Military and Air Forces from all parts of the British Empire who die in the service of the Allied cause. The Commission will consequently be responsible for marking and caring for the graves, or, in the case of those who have no known grave, for making provision for other suitable form of commemoration and also for recording all names in permanent Registers. This work will be carried out at the cost of the Commission, whose funds are provided by all the Governments of the Empire.

A headstone of the same simple pattern will, as before, mark each grave; thus every man rich or poor, General or Private, will be honoured in the same way.

In order to carry out these duties, and to complete the permanent Registers, the Commission desire certain additional information which they hope you will be so good as to supply on the attached for, which should then be returned to the Commission.

You will notice that a space has been left on the form for a personal inscription to be selected by the relatives, if they so desire, for engraving on the headstone. Where, owing to the course of military operations, it has so far been impossible to find or identify a grave, no personal inscription should be inserted on the form. Should the grave eventually be discovered, I shall, of course, write to you again, and you will then have a further opportunity to choose an inscription.

Some relatives have expressed the wish to pay for this personal inscription, and an opportunity will be given to them later on of meeting the cost. Should they not wish to do so, the cost will be borne by the Commission.

Owing to increase in the cost of engraving Personal Inscriptions since the attached form was printed, the amount which may be paid by relatives has been raised from 7s. 6d. To £1.

Yours faithfully,

F. HIGGINSON,

Secretary.







[rubber stamp] SPECIMAN ONLY

[underlined] THE HEADSTONE [/underlined]

[sample drawing of headstone]

The headstone stands 2 feet 8 inches above ground; is 1 foot 3 inches broad and 3 inches thick.

It is inscribed with a badge and religious emblem and the service particulars of the deceased.

At the foot of the stone is a space in which can be engraved an inscription chosen by the relatives. This inscription must not exceed [underlined] 60 letters [/underlined] in length.

[underlined] Imperial War Graves Commission [/underlined]

[underlined] Wooburn Green – Jan. 26 1945. Drawn by M. Newell. [/underlined]