WAR CEMETERIES SCANDAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 August 1928, Page 10

WAR CEMETERIES SCANDAL

UHOTOGRAPHERS’ ACTIVITIES

Importunate activities of certain professional photographers in France and Belgium, particularly in the Ypres area, have, for some time, been causing acute pain and annoyance to the relatives of the gallant dead. So nu- 1 merous have been the complaints many of them hearti-ending in character, that the Imperial War Graves Commission has been compelled to take certain steps, which, if the public will only co-operate, will go far to prevent the continuance of the scandal.

It is to be regretted that in almost every instance these offenders are of British nationality, and that a number of them have assumed plausible titles calculated to inspire the unwary with confidence. With the completion 'of the cemeteries and memorial, the importunities of these persons have considerably increased; while a sordid rivalry has been introduced that oversteps all bounds of decency and respect for the feelings of the bereaved.

Not only has it become the common practice to circularise, and send photographs of individual graves, “on sale or return,” to the next-of-kin, whose names and addresses are obtained from the official registers, but permanent injury has been inflicted on tho headstones either by employing chalk or by rubbing damp earth into the lettering with the object of making the inscription reproduce more clearly in a photograph. The Imperial War Graves Commission has issued a form of authority to a number of firms and individuals —who have agreed to certain conditions laid down in the interests of the relatives of the fallen —to photograph graves and cemeteries on the Western front.

Incidentally, it is specifically stipulated that they shall not send any photograph speculatively to members of the public on sale or return; and, further, that, as cases are said to have occurred in the past of one wreath being placed on many graves for the purpose of having them photographed, no wreath sha.l be placed on a grave for the purpose of taking a photograph unless the wreath is to be left there. The same wreath is not to be used in the photographing of more than one grave.

The photographers are also requested to enter their names in the visitors’ book, to be found in every cemetery, recording the elate of visit and the number of graves photographed. The persons to whom the authority is granted undertake tp charge the public reasonable prices for their work. The authority holds good for 12 months, and is renewable at the end of that, period. The names of those to whom it has been granted may be obtained on application from the Secretary. Imperial War Graves Commission,' and it. is particularly requested that relatives desiring photographs shall deal only with them.

There is, of course, no desire on the part of the Commission to prevent visitors, who are amateur photographers, from taking a photograph of any individual grave, cemetery, or memorial in which they are interested, provided the canons customarily associated with hallowed ground are observed.