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No. 416 #CWGCAtoZ Alsager (Christ Church) Churchyard, England https://bit.ly/3dp6RAn contains 6 #FWW and 2 #SWW @CWGC war graves. The way families chose to mark their loved one's grave could have ongoing repercussions for the @CWGC which could take years to resolve. 1/11
The relatives of Private B.J. Marklew, who died in October 1919, originally refused to have a @CWGC headstone erected. In 1960, with the grave still unmarked, the @CWGC contacted Private Marklew's daughter to ask whether they could now erect a headstone on his grave. 2/11
She declined the offer, saying "I feel that after so many years have passed, that the erection of a headstone is not really necessary". While @CWGC respected her wishes, they decided that they had to find a way to commemorate Private Marklew. 3/11
In the end, and following approval given at the 551st Commission meeting held in December 1982, a special memorial headstone was erected to him within the churchyard (but not on his actual grave) on 21st February 1984. 4/11
The grave of Air Mechanic 2nd Class Arthur Thomas Davies, who died in March 1918, conversely had always been marked with a @CWGC headstone, although it's installation on the grave created problems for the @CWGC later on. 5/11
After the headstone had been erected, Arthur's family kerbed the grave with marble surrounds, and then infilled the grave with concrete. During a routine inspection by @CWGC in 1980, it was noted that the headstone itself had deteriorated and needed replacing. 6/11
However, any attempts to remove the existing headstone could cause damage to the grave covering. The @CWGC contacted Arthur's sister, and it was agreed that the headstone would be cut off at the base, and a new headstone erected at the head of the grave, outside the kerbs. 7/11
Once the work was completed, Arthur's sister visited his grave, and took the time to write to the @CWGC to say how pleased she was with the work, commenting that "had my parents been alive to see it they would have been very pleased and proud" 8/11
Marine John Hanahoe's grave is marked with a private memorial, but the decision by the family to do so seems in some ways to have been a matter of chance. In January 1946, @CWGC received a letter from Margaret Hanahoe, John's sister, requesting a Commission headstone. 9/11
Just 5 days later a 2nd letter arrived from Margaret, saying that she had made private arrangements to erect a headstone on her brothers grave. She apologised for any inconvenience caused - "at times I feel as if I really don't know what I am doing or saying" 10/11
