SOLDIERS' GRAVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 23

SOLDIERS' GRAVES.

(By Cable.)

LONDON, May 26.

Australia House is investigating a complaint arising out of an alleged obstruction by officers of the Graves Section in order to prevent relatives from Australia -from attending the exhumation of a body of a soldier -who died in captivity. It is understood that the Australian authorities have accepted a German report regarding the graves, but a relative made inquiries during a visit to France and became suspicious that the report was inaccurate. He applied for leave to attend when in accordance with practice the body' was exhumed preparatory to burial in the Australian cemetery. The relative complains that obstacles were placed in his way, but finally by British intervention he saw the grave opened. It then transpired that the grave contained six British soldiers and no Australian. The mistake was obviously due to faulty German records. May 28. Sir Thomas Mackenzie (High Commissioner for New Zealand) has returned after visiting soldiers' graves at Tidworth, Codford, Netley, Brockenhurst, Brookwood, and Walton. He states that generally they are all well kept, and are now in readiness to be taken over by the commission, which will probably delegate the task of caring for the 'graves to local associations of ladies, of which some have been already formed, notably at Brockenhurst and Walton, where the flowers are tended daily. A memorial stone erected at Tidworth records the names of those buried there. The cemetery is laid out in terraces, and the graves are coyered with broken marble.