RAF To Take Care Of Forgotten Graves

RAF To Take Care Of Forgotten Graves

Sergeant Steve Brown remembers passing by the cemetery one day, when the resting places of several servicemen were dispersed all across the yard and overgrown.

He went on to visit the place and to find out if they are registered with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and if there was any family interest at all.

He didn’t hesitate to ask for help and ensure that the 27 graves in Osney Cemetery, West Oxford were going to be taken care of and cleared up of all the weeds grown around them.

Teamed up with some Oxfordshire boys from RAF Benson – Lance Corporal Dean Millward, Private Pat Lockyer, Colonel Pat Bone and Lance Corporal Hem Thapa, they showed their respect to those who gave their life for the country, the thisisoxfordshire reports.

On Remembrance Sunday, while visiting the cemetery, they laid wreaths, they planted daffodils put personalized poppies on each one of the graves.

They also spread white stone chippings around the graves and snowdrops which were donated by Nims Plant Nursery.

The Mill Street cemetery has been there since an early 1848 but is now closed to burials.

The team has decided to keep up with the maintaining of the place, saying that they feel honoured to be doing this and that the boys deserve a proper final rest for their courage and for their service.

Lance Corporal Dean Millward said: “As the poem says, they gave their tomorrow for our today, and we should be eternally grateful to them all.”

Peter Francis, a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, praises the boys for their generosity and hopes the younger generations will take their example and understand the significance of these graves and how important it is for the Commission and for the whole community to show respect for all the sacrifices these men have made.

Among the names listed on The Roll Of Honour are: Private PL Goddard, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, June 1, 1940, age 20, Private J Trinder, Army Service Corps, October 22, 1915 and Private AJ Randall, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, June 21, 1916, age 20.

Ian Harvey

Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE