Old Front Line
WW1 Podcast with Paul Reed
Caring For The Silent Cities
In this special edition, we’re joined by Jon Gedling, Director of Estates for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, to discuss the challenges and responsibilities involved in caring for First World War cemeteries in Belgium and France. We explore the history behind making these cemeteries permanent after the Great War, how maintenance practices have evolved, and the background to the so-called “black spot” issue. Jon explains what recent investigations have revealed, how the CWGC is addressing the problem, what the future might hold, and how visitors to the Western Front battlefields can support the Commission’s work.
If you want to report an issue in a cemetery you have visited you can contact the CWGC.
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6 Comments on “Caring For The Silent Cities”
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Great chat…..Would it be possible to do a follow up on the ‘trend’ of putting stones on the top of ‘non Jewish’ headstones which causes damage and I believe the CWGC are not happy as it damages the headstone……
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Good question Niall, I’ll add it to the QnAs.
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Nice to hear a balanced take on this issue. Personally I think the CWGC are doing a great job in not always easy circumstance – people ought to think a bit about the scale of the task before criticising!
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Thanks!
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Great to hear about the excellent work of the CWGC, especially the families who have been looking after the cemeteries for generations. Also kudos to the long serving staff at CWGC HQ.
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Thanks, Stephen.
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