5 replies to this topic

[HERITAGE PLUS]

The MOD's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), is trying to locate the relatives of seven British Service personnel buried in Malaysia.

The personnel are all buried in Seremban Christian Cemetery, or St Mark's Church Burial Ground, Seremban.  Their interment dates range from June 1914 to May 1954.

The Ministry of Defence would like to speak with relatives of those listed below to advise them of plans for the maintenance and renovation of the graves.  The passage of time and absence of detailed information means previous attempts to trace the relatives have proved unsuccessful.

The personnel are:
Captain T N DUNMAN: Royal Engineers. Died 19 June 1914. (No further details)
Captain William George WHITNEY (380153) of Ontario, Canada: Highland Light Infantry. Died 28 March 1949.
Warrant Officer (CSM) George GALLAGHER (2921819) of Barony, Glasgow: Queens Own Cameron Highlanders. Died 06 May 1935.
Sergeant H G WEEKS (23953516): Royal Welch Regt. Died 28 July 1930. (No further details)
Private Raymond William FISHER (22890762) of Eltham, London: The Queens Royal Regiment. Died 18 May 1954.
Gunner John Hawley GIBSON (14451614) of Churchdown, Gloucester: Royal Artillery. Died 21 December 1949.
Gunner John Patrick HAYES (22150187) of Canton, Cardiff: Royal Artillery. Died 31 January 1950.

Ian Wilkins, from the JCCC, said:
"The MoD is responsible for the maintenance of non-war graves whenever a member of the armed forces receives a service funeral and the grave is marked by a headstone supplied at public expense.
"The Department remains committed to the maintenance of such graves and this appeal is being made in the hope that we can locate and personally speak to relatives of the named servicemen to brief them on the work we intend carrying out at Seremban.  Attempts to contact the next of kin at their last known address have so far proved unsuccessful."

So if you know the whereabouts of any surviving relative, or are yourself related to the deceased, please contact:
Linda Blackwell or Dave Hodgson
Graves & Memorials
Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency
Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre
Building 182
Royal Air Force Innsworth
Gloucester GL3 1HW
01452 712612 Ext 6304 / 6063
Email: memgravso3.jccc@innsworth.afpaa.mod.uk

All information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

[Terry Denham]

CWGC has been contracted by MoD to care for the Non-World War Graves in Malaysia and the names have been added daily to CWGC's database over the past few weeks (not available on their website).

Those at Seremban Christian Cemetery have already been added and those at the other location will probably follow.

None of the names have any NOK info attached.

Other cemeteries added so far are...

Kluang Gurkha Cemetery
Terendak Military Cemetery
Seremban Gurkha Cemetery
Kuala Lumpur (Cheras Road) Christian Cemetery
Suvla Lines Gurkha Cemetery
Batu Gajah Christian Cemetery

[Greenwoodman]

Not related to any of them HP, but a coincidence to relate. Pte Fisher died while I was with my dad in what was then Malaya. In fact, above my computer hangs a photogaph of my dad with his Federation Signal Troop, The Malay Regiment, Port Dickson 22nd April 1954, just over three weeks prior to Raymond Fisher's death. My dad used to take me to the barbers in Seremban.

Although I have no memory of Raymond Fisher's death, I do remember my school closing at RAF Wahn in the late 50s, while the staff attended the funeral of a Canberra? pilot. The CWGC must look after a huge number of non-World War graves. Service in the Armed Forces held and holds its own risks without declared wars being under way, both for servicemen and their families.

[Terry Denham]

The CWGC must look after a huge number of non-World War graves.

CWGC currently has 24,154 Non-World War Graves in its care - and the number is rising.

[geoff501]

CWGC currently has 24,154 Non-World War Graves in its care

and also some World War graves of other nationals - on both sides.
my question is, is there any reason why all these records are not accessible
from their website? just curious since the records are there. Is there seen to be no demand for this information by the public or does it fall outside their obligation?

[Terry Denham]

The information is available from CWGC if you ask for it. They will provide the data in written form or on disk just as they do for Commonwealth War Graves data (and at the same cost).

CWGC is not responsible for these graves under their Royal Charter and there is no obligation to provide lists of names nor do they have authority to spend their money on doing so. They actually list these names for their own administrative purposes.

The MoD, foreign governments and other organisations remain responsible for the graves but they contract CWGC to take care of maintenance - only. This 'agency work' by CWGC is permitted under their Charter.

I have access to this data supplied by CWGC if you ever need any info.

As a matter of interest, they also have 36,466 Foreign National War Graves in their care.