Image result for WW1 orginal grave markers

During The Great War the fallen had their graves marked with simple inscribed wooden crosses. In the early 1920’s the Imperial War Graves Commission (now the Commonwealth WGC) after a programme of concentration, when outlying graves, allied graves in German battlefield cemeteries and the like were reinterred in IWGC cemeteries, set about replacing these markers with the now familiar Portland headstones.

In a number of instances the original wood markers were returned to families in the UK, some families went on pilgrimages to the Western Front (and other places) to retrieve them. The majority were placed in local churches, or church halls and some in private collections. Given that remains were not returned to the UK but buried where they fell, having something tangible close by must have been a great comfort to families who lost a loved one.

 Almost 100 years later these markers still survive. The Returned is a project that a number of amateur historians are undertaking to record for posterity these surviving markers. Results of our work can be found on the internet at http://thereturned.co.uk.

 May I make an appeal to members of the congregation at St John’s to let us know of any that they know either in their own locality or elsewhere so that we can survey them? I can be contacted by email at scott@noble-scotland.co.uk or write to me at the following address:

Scott Galloway: 6A St Andrew Street, Alyth, Perthshire, PH11 8AT

Welcome

St John the Evangelist, Dumfries, is a parish of the Scottish Episcopal Church also serving Methodist parishioners locally.

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You can donate to St John’s by credit or debit card by following these links.

Notices

Contemporary Service

The Contemporary Service is at 6pm, on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, followed by refreshments in the hall.

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St John's Church

3 days 10 hours ago

Everyone is very welcome to come along to the Advent Carol service at St John's Church, Newall Terrace, Dumfries, this Sunday, 10th December at 6pm. This service will conclude the

St John's Church

6 days 4 hours ago

Sunday 3rd December is our Eucharistic service in the church at 11:00 am. Do join us- be great to welcome you! Please note NO choral evensong tonight. Carols for advent

St John's Church

1 week 6 days ago

Sunday 26th November is our Christ the King Sunday Service . This is an Eucharistic service in the church at 11:00 am. Do join us- be great to welcome you!

St John's Church

2 weeks 3 days ago

Come along and join us this Sunday evening at 6pm. Be great to welcome you!