WAR GRAVES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 57, 8 March 1923, Page 5

WAR GRAVES.

COMMISSION'S REPOPT.

OVER 400 CEMETERIES CONSTRUCTED. The annual report of tue Imperial War Graves Commission for 1821-15122 has just been issued. It states that of the total death casualties during the war (about one million), some 610,000 graves had been located and registered by March 31. 1921. The number located and registered in France and Belgium was 503,02."), in Egypt and Palestine 35,862, in Macedonia 11.283. Tho percentage of unidentified graves is largest in the Dardanelles and IraK. Out of about 31,000 deatli casualties reported by the forces in the Dardanelles, only 7313 graves have been identified in (iailipoli, in addition to 2557 in the different islands of the Aegean. In Irak, out of nearly 40,000 death casualities, only 716!) graves have been so far identified. The report points out that there are many cemeteries on the Western Front containing a large proportion of unknown graves, and the question of how to treat them is a difficult one. For instance, in one cemetery there are 2102 unknown burials to 1156 known: in another cemetery 2550 unknown and 1103 known. After careful consideration the commission decided to erect headstones on all the unknown graves. GRAVES OF MERCANTILE MARINE. The Governments represented on tlu commission have agreed in principle that they will regard as war graves the graves of members of the mercantile marine who los£ their lives through enemy action during the warPending agreement with the Germnns on the interpretation of the clauses in the Peace Treaty relating to war graves, the commoßsion have decided to maki the cost of maintaining enemy graves in the United Kingdom a charge against the funds of the commission. The report adds that after the withdrawal of the military exhumation parties in France and Flanders, decided on by the Army Council in November, IHiJI, agreements were made with the French and Belgian authorities that any remains discovered should be reported to local representatives of the commission, by whom arrangements would be made for reinterment in existing military cemeteries. Similarly, where relatives or friends could produce prima facie evidence that the body of ail officer or soldier could be found in a particular locality, special search was made. In this manner the bodies of 3080 officers or men were discovered during the year under review. i MEMORIALS TO THE MISSING. With regard to memorials to the missing on the French and Belgian fronts, the report states that preliminary designs for one such memorial at Vpres was being considered at the close of the financial year. Other memorials on other fronts have been erected or arc under consideration. The report deals with the work of the commission up to March 31, 1922. but there is added the following summary of work up to November 30 last: "Outside the United Kingdom work has been begun in 892 cemeteries, communal cemeteries, churchyards and burial grounds, and in the case of 431 the constructional work lias been completed. Of these last 300 are situated in Franc* and Belgium, «4 in Italy, three in Gallipoli, nine in Macedonia, four in Palestine, eight in Egypt, 20 in Sweden, five in Canada, two in Bulgaria. Serbia and Thrace, and one in Finland. "The remaining 401 are still under construction, and of these 402 are'situated in France and Belgium, two in Italy, 30 in Gallipoli, 'hue in Macedonia, two in Palestine, seven in Egypt, four in Holland, seven in Canada, one in Switzerland, one in Gibraltar, one in British East Africa, two in Bulgaria, Serbia and TliTnee, and one in Persia."'