CONDITIONS IN LATVIA

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 47, Issue 2671, 17 September 1937, Page 8

CONDITIONS IN LATVIA

WAR GRAVES IN JELGAVA One fine Sunday of this June whije the ship in which I am at present serving was lying in the port of Riga. I took a notion to see the country—the country away from ships and shipping, writes James C. Ross in tlie Scotsman. I boarded a bus and in less than an hour found myself in the town of Jelgava, known as Mitlau in prewar days.

After fossicking around for an hour or two I found myself at the gates of a cemetery a few kilometres from the town. An official in uniform seeing a stranger, pointed inside and said, “Anglisky—something—something.’’ I entered and xv;l s surprised to find a cemetery within a cemetery, and therein the graves of 33 British soldiers and three British seamen. There is a b:\‘j cress, but it has no inscrip-

tion. The whole is enclosed by a well kept hedge and everything is well cared for and really bonnie. Three of the stones are each marked, “To an Unknown British Soldier,” and one “To an Unknown British Seaman.” The others have each full particulars, viz., name and regimental number with regimental badge carved at top. The Seatorths, Cameronians and H.L.I. are each represented by one stone. The rest, with the exception of three from the B.N. Division, are all from English infantry regiments, with no more than one from each regiment. March 1917 is the earliest date, and October 1917 the latest on any stone.

Can you lei! me what force these men could have been attached to? The Germans are said Io have engaged the Russians not s<> far from Millam but Ilia! can hardly. account for the presence of this British cemetery in such a quiet and peaceful spot in Kurland.

I do not remember seeing any reference to this place in your paper when you. dead with tin. work of the British Graves Commission some time ago.