Did You Know?

In March 1915, to avoid the unsanitary transportation of war casualties, the British government issued a ban on the exhumation and repatriation of Imperial soldiers, which was to be observed until the end of hostilities. After the illegal exhumation of an officer following pressures from wealthy family members, the ban was re-stated “on account of the difficulties of treating impartially the claims advanced by persons of different social standing”. The Sunday Express, added another a view on the matter: When wealthy persons … pay for the transport of
their war dead home to their family graves they should think first whether they are not rather dishonouring than honouring the dead by removing them from the great family of heroes. The war graves policy applied the principle which was to become the very core of the Imperial War Graves Commission: equality of treatment.

When the plan for military cemeteries in the area of conflict was announced the news sparked protests across the British Empire. What was at stake in these debates was the question of what constituted a decent handling and disposal of the bodies of soldiers, especially as many of them were volunteers and
conscripts as opposed to professional soldiers. But the official military cemeteries became the last resting place of those killed in battle abroad. And the graves in the UK of those who died after discharge from war service up to a certain date are also recognized as war graves. The policy was continued in World War Two. However, since the Falklands War repatriation has been adopted as the general policy.