THE BASRA MEMORIAL
The Basra Memorial bears the names of more than 40,500 members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the operations in Mesopotamia from the autumn of 1914 to the end of August 1921 and whose graves are not known.
Until 1997 the Basra Memorial was located on the main quay of the naval dockyard at Maqil, on the west bank of the Shatt-al-Arab, about 8 kilometres north of Basra. Because of the sensitivity of the site, the Memorial was moved by presidential decree. The move, carried out by the authorities in Iraq, involved a considerable amount of manpower, transport costs and sheer engineering on their part, and the Memorial has been re-erected in its entirety. The Basra Memorial is now located 32 kilometres along the road to Nasiriyah, in the middle of what was a major battleground during the first Gulf War.
CWGC Basra Memorial
Click to view attachment
Whilst in Iraq this Easter, I had the privilege to visit the Basra War Memorial, I was lucky enough to take some photos, the only panels that I was able to picture were: The Wiltshire Regiment, Manchester Regiment Officers, Royal West Kent’s, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, Middlesex Regt, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry Junior Ranks, as time was tight.
I will happily Post any of the photos.
Tom
Full Version: BASRA MEMORIAL
Great War Forum > The War On Other Fronts > Away From The Western Front > Middle East & North Africa
Tom,
Post away, it's nice to see a memorial so rarely seen.
Post away, it's nice to see a memorial so rarely seen.
QUOTE (Anthony Bagshaw @ Jun 26 2006, 09:26 PM) 
Tom,
Post away, it's nice to see a memorial so rarely seen.
Post away, it's nice to see a memorial so rarely seen.
You will have to bare with me, i am not the best at making photos fit the size needed.
Click to view attachment
More to follow
Tom
Can anyone tell me please if there is a limit to the number of photos you can put into your post.
Thanks Tom
Thanks Tom
Tom
post #5 is Wiltshires isn't it?
If so have you a photo of the complete panel,please?
post #5 is Wiltshires isn't it?
If so have you a photo of the complete panel,please?
You can only use up to 100kb in each post.
QUOTE (Owen D @ Jun 26 2006, 11:07 PM)
Tom
post #5 is Wiltshires isn't it?
If so have you a photo of the complete panel,please?
post #5 is Wiltshires isn't it?
If so have you a photo of the complete panel,please?
Im affraid i only have the panel with Privates Charles C East through to Thomas David Yeo, in two photos.
My Serg may have the previous Wiltshire panel, i will try and contact him.
If you mail me your email address i will send the two photos i have of the panel.
Sorry i dont have all the Wilts.
tom
Mates
Just giving Tom a hand to get his great pix online. The pix are self explanatory.
Pic 1 of 5
Click to view attachment
Thanks Tom
Cheers
Bill
Just giving Tom a hand to get his great pix online. The pix are self explanatory.
Pic 1 of 5
Click to view attachment
Thanks Tom
Cheers
Bill
Thanks for that. Picture 4 shows the name of Joseph Tedbar Wimpenny from Holmfirth.
Tony.
Tony.
Thanks for the Wilts Panel.
Cheers.
Tom
(edit:10.45.)Thank You very much for the further photos by email.
Cheers.
Tom
(edit:10.45.)Thank You very much for the further photos by email.
Bill
did any one manage to get a photo of the Norfolk Regt panel - a bit sad to see these photos as my nan would have been very upset to see what had happened to her brothers memorial. Thanks for posting these pics as this the closest most of us will be for the foreseeable future
All The Best
Chris
did any one manage to get a photo of the Norfolk Regt panel - a bit sad to see these photos as my nan would have been very upset to see what had happened to her brothers memorial. Thanks for posting these pics as this the closest most of us will be for the foreseeable future
All The Best
Chris
QUOTE (ww1_dale_boys @ Jun 26 2006, 11:46 PM)
Im affraid i only have the panel with Privates Charles C East through to Thomas David Yeo, in two photos.
My Serg may have the previous Wiltshire panel, i will try and contact him.
If you mail me your email address i will send the two photos i have of the panel.
Sorry i dont have all the Wilts.
tom
My Serg may have the previous Wiltshire panel, i will try and contact him.
If you mail me your email address i will send the two photos i have of the panel.
Sorry i dont have all the Wilts.
tom
My mistake i did get all the Wiltshire Regiment.
Tom
Tom,
Will you be going back to take more photos? If so, could you please take one of the Royal North Lancs panel showing the name of Benjamin Grundy (he was killed when the Turks opened fire on the boat he was in was crossing the Shatt-al-Arab river. He was aged 21 and his body was never recovered).
Thanks,
Ivor
BTW, great photos, thanks.
Will you be going back to take more photos? If so, could you please take one of the Royal North Lancs panel showing the name of Benjamin Grundy (he was killed when the Turks opened fire on the boat he was in was crossing the Shatt-al-Arab river. He was aged 21 and his body was never recovered).
Thanks,
Ivor
BTW, great photos, thanks.
QUOTE (Ivor @ Jun 27 2006, 12:52 PM)
Tom,
Will you be going back to take more photos? If so, could you please take one of the Royal North Lancs panel showing the name of Benjamin Grundy (he was killed when the Turks opened fire on the boat he was in was crossing the Shatt-al-Arab river. He was aged 21 and his body was never recovered).
Thanks,
Ivor
BTW, great photos, thanks.
Will you be going back to take more photos? If so, could you please take one of the Royal North Lancs panel showing the name of Benjamin Grundy (he was killed when the Turks opened fire on the boat he was in was crossing the Shatt-al-Arab river. He was aged 21 and his body was never recovered).
Thanks,
Ivor
BTW, great photos, thanks.
Hi Ivor,
I am affraid six months in Iraq was long enough for me.
However I will email some buddies and find out if any other lads will be going back to the memorial, but i would not hold my breath.
In the mean time i will email the chaps that were on that patrol with me and find out if any of them got any photos.
Sorry
Tom
Well done Tom.
Roxy
(It's not often someone from Broxburn compliments someone from Armadale -
)
Roxy
(It's not often someone from Broxburn compliments someone from Armadale -
)
QUOTE (ww1_dale_boys @ Jun 27 2006, 05:30 PM)
Hi Ivor,
I am affraid six months in Iraq was long enough for me.
However I will email some buddies and find out if any other lads will be going back to the memorial, but i would not hold my breath.
In the mean time i will email the chaps that were on that patrol with me and find out if any of them got any photos.
Sorry
Tom
I am affraid six months in Iraq was long enough for me.
However I will email some buddies and find out if any other lads will be going back to the memorial, but i would not hold my breath.
In the mean time i will email the chaps that were on that patrol with me and find out if any of them got any photos.
Sorry
Tom
Tom,
I thought it might be a long shot but thanks anyway.
All the best,
Ivor
Tom Thanks again for photos.
Glad you made it home in one piece.
Good luck to your Mates still over there.
Tell 'em we're thinking of 'em.
O
Glad you made it home in one piece.
Good luck to your Mates still over there.
Tell 'em we're thinking of 'em.
O
Chris
G'day mate
I agree with your sentiments mate.
In the matter of the pix, my only role has been to help Tom rather than to steal his thunder. Tom is the brave man who did the tour, took the pix and has been generous enough to share them. He is the only one eligible for kudos.
Just on the note of tours, last month, my SIL was sent at short notice to Timor, along with a further 1,800 mates, to stabilise the country. The deployment of one man overseas has an impact not only on that person but on the families as well - we all do the tour. I understand Tom's sentiments expressed on this site. There will be few families who will disagree with him.
Cheers
Bill
G'day mate
QUOTE (chrisharley9 @ Jun 27 2006, 06:47 PM)
Bill
did any one manage to get a photo of the Norfolk Regt panel - a bit sad to see these photos as my nan would have been very upset to see what had happened to her brothers memorial. Thanks for posting these pics as this the closest most of us will be for the foreseeable future
did any one manage to get a photo of the Norfolk Regt panel - a bit sad to see these photos as my nan would have been very upset to see what had happened to her brothers memorial. Thanks for posting these pics as this the closest most of us will be for the foreseeable future
I agree with your sentiments mate.
In the matter of the pix, my only role has been to help Tom rather than to steal his thunder. Tom is the brave man who did the tour, took the pix and has been generous enough to share them. He is the only one eligible for kudos.
Just on the note of tours, last month, my SIL was sent at short notice to Timor, along with a further 1,800 mates, to stabilise the country. The deployment of one man overseas has an impact not only on that person but on the families as well - we all do the tour. I understand Tom's sentiments expressed on this site. There will be few families who will disagree with him.
Cheers
Bill
Having been in the army for 11 years I totally agree with your comments. Thank Tom for his efforts & the very best of luck
chris
chris
Tom
Click to view attachment
even though I was too late to get a photograph of the panel I wanted your efforts are honourable.
Lets pray that the memorial stays safe and the day comes when the memorial can be restored.
Bright Blessings
Sandra
Click to view attachment
even though I was too late to get a photograph of the panel I wanted your efforts are honourable.
Lets pray that the memorial stays safe and the day comes when the memorial can be restored.
Bright Blessings
Sandra
The memorial will not be restored.
CWGC has declared that it is no longer a fitting memorial to commemorate those inscribed there. The Commission will decide, at some future date, how best to commemorate these men. Temporarily, they are keeping a special register of the names available to view at Maidenhead.
They will wait some time before making a decision hoping that the in-country situation stabilises. This waiting period could be very long. They would hope to build a new memorial within the country itself.
Presumably, this decision was taken on the grounds that repair would cost more than new build and not be as satisfactory.
There are precedents when memorials to the missing have been replaced by CWGC with new ones due to political and war situations within a particular country.
CWGC has declared that it is no longer a fitting memorial to commemorate those inscribed there. The Commission will decide, at some future date, how best to commemorate these men. Temporarily, they are keeping a special register of the names available to view at Maidenhead.
They will wait some time before making a decision hoping that the in-country situation stabilises. This waiting period could be very long. They would hope to build a new memorial within the country itself.
Presumably, this decision was taken on the grounds that repair would cost more than new build and not be as satisfactory.
There are precedents when memorials to the missing have been replaced by CWGC with new ones due to political and war situations within a particular country.
Thank you Terry for providing that information about the Basra Memorial. I have a special interest in this monument because many local men from Ashford are commemorated on it (mainly 5th Buffs men).
Has anyone any photos of The Buffs panel??????
Thanks is also due to Tom for posting these excellent photos. Glad you made in home in one piece! Tell yer mates still over there that wer'e thinking of them all...
Neil
Has anyone any photos of The Buffs panel??????
Thanks is also due to Tom for posting these excellent photos. Glad you made in home in one piece! Tell yer mates still over there that wer'e thinking of them all...
Neil
Hopefully, a new memorial can be built in Iraq one day but who knows.... Another possibility is that a memorial could be built in the safer surroundings of Brookwood (only a supposition on my part).
The Aden Memorial had to be abandoned in the 1960s when independence and subsequent security problems descended on that country and a new one was built in Egypt. However, that was a much smaller structure.
CWGC is quite prepared to wait considerable time for local problems to stabilise as is evidenced by their long wait for the cemeteries in Lebanon to be restored - or those in former East Germany. Also, they have only just been able to erect the Baku Memorial in Azerbaijan commemorating those missing from the WW1 Caucasus operations. They are still patiently waiting to erect a new WW2 memorial in Sudan to commemorate local troops who died there.
Patience is definately a virtue when your given timescale is 'in perpetuity' !
The Aden Memorial had to be abandoned in the 1960s when independence and subsequent security problems descended on that country and a new one was built in Egypt. However, that was a much smaller structure.
CWGC is quite prepared to wait considerable time for local problems to stabilise as is evidenced by their long wait for the cemeteries in Lebanon to be restored - or those in former East Germany. Also, they have only just been able to erect the Baku Memorial in Azerbaijan commemorating those missing from the WW1 Caucasus operations. They are still patiently waiting to erect a new WW2 memorial in Sudan to commemorate local troops who died there.
Patience is definately a virtue when your given timescale is 'in perpetuity' !
Does anyone have a photo of the 14th Hussars' panel by any chance
I would love it in High Res if possible: to
hussars[symbol for at]which.net
Many thanks
I would love it in High Res if possible: to
hussars[symbol for at]which.net
Many thanks
QUOTE (ww1_dale_boys @ Jun 26 2006, 09:16 PM)
THE BASRA MEMORIAL
The Basra Memorial bears the names of more than 40,500 members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the operations in Mesopotamia from the autumn of 1914 to the end of August 1921 and whose graves are not known.
Until 1997 the Basra Memorial was located on the main quay of the naval dockyard at Maqil, on the west bank of the Shatt-al-Arab, about 8 kilometres north of Basra. Because of the sensitivity of the site, the Memorial was moved by presidential decree. The move, carried out by the authorities in Iraq, involved a considerable amount of manpower, transport costs and sheer engineering on their part, and the Memorial has been re-erected in its entirety. The Basra Memorial is now located 32 kilometres along the road to Nasiriyah, in the middle of what was a major battleground during the first Gulf War.
CWGC Basra Memorial
Click to view attachment
Whilst in Iraq this Easter, I had the privilege to visit the Basra War Memorial, I was lucky enough to take some photos, the only panels that I was able to picture were: The Wiltshire Regiment, Manchester Regiment Officers, Royal West Kent's, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, Middlesex Regt, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry Junior Ranks, as time was tight.
I will happily Post any of the photos.
Tom
The Basra Memorial bears the names of more than 40,500 members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the operations in Mesopotamia from the autumn of 1914 to the end of August 1921 and whose graves are not known.
Until 1997 the Basra Memorial was located on the main quay of the naval dockyard at Maqil, on the west bank of the Shatt-al-Arab, about 8 kilometres north of Basra. Because of the sensitivity of the site, the Memorial was moved by presidential decree. The move, carried out by the authorities in Iraq, involved a considerable amount of manpower, transport costs and sheer engineering on their part, and the Memorial has been re-erected in its entirety. The Basra Memorial is now located 32 kilometres along the road to Nasiriyah, in the middle of what was a major battleground during the first Gulf War.
CWGC Basra Memorial
Click to view attachment
Whilst in Iraq this Easter, I had the privilege to visit the Basra War Memorial, I was lucky enough to take some photos, the only panels that I was able to picture were: The Wiltshire Regiment, Manchester Regiment Officers, Royal West Kent's, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, Middlesex Regt, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry Junior Ranks, as time was tight.
I will happily Post any of the photos.
Tom
Tom,
I was delighted to see your post as I did not expect to get any views of the Basra Memorial. I have a Royal Field Artillery man commemorated at Basra. Could you send me a copy of the general view of the memorial (column and panels)? If you could e-mail me on chris.anne1@ukonline.co.uk I will let you have my address.
Many thanks and welcome back!
Regards,
Chris.
QUOTE (Sharpshooter @ Jul 5 2008, 04:44 PM)
Tom,
I was delighted to see your post as I did not expect to get any views of the Basra Memorial. I have a Royal Field Artillery man commemorated at Basra. Could you send me a copy of the general view of the memorial (column and panels)? If you could e-mail me on chris.anne1@ukonline.co.uk I will let you have my address.
Many thanks and welcome back!
Regards,
Chris.
I was delighted to see your post as I did not expect to get any views of the Basra Memorial. I have a Royal Field Artillery man commemorated at Basra. Could you send me a copy of the general view of the memorial (column and panels)? If you could e-mail me on chris.anne1@ukonline.co.uk I will let you have my address.
Many thanks and welcome back!
Regards,
Chris.
Chris a few photos I took this month (sep 2009) of the approach to the Basrah memorial.
Paul
Chris,
The approach to the memorial from the rear.
Paul
The approach to the memorial from the rear.
Paul
Chris,
Not very exciting I would agree but the photos do show the area is generally clean and the memorial is not totally falling down.
Paul
PS I have got a picture of the field Artillery panel but two of my mates are stood in front of it so not all the complete panel can be seen. If you want a copy let me know.
Not very exciting I would agree but the photos do show the area is generally clean and the memorial is not totally falling down.
Paul
PS I have got a picture of the field Artillery panel but two of my mates are stood in front of it so not all the complete panel can be seen. If you want a copy let me know.
A part of the front of the Basrah memorial.
Paul
Paul
The centre of the Basrah war memorial.
Paul
Paul
last one.
Paul
Paul
wilkie,
Thanks for those updated photos they are much appreciated.
Ivor
Thanks for those updated photos they are much appreciated.
Ivor
While the wife's away just wasting time looking at the Forum as she'd see it. Amazed to find E T Harding of the Ox and Bucks, as will his great-nephew who I've just sent a copy of the panel to. Also Harry Wells (erroneously recorded by the CWGC as Wills) both from my home village. Many thanks.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.