Last week, Dr Kieran Mullan MP joined a representative from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Dave Hatherell, on a guided tour of Bexhill Cemetery to honour the memory of the servicemen and women laid to rest in the constituency.
The visit highlighted the Commission’s ongoing work to commemorate 1.7 million Commonwealth servicemen and women across 23,000 locations across the globe. They maintain 1.1 million headstones, several of which are in Bexhill Cemetery.
During the visit, Dave shared the stories of several extraordinary servicemen and women, including Nancy Crowhurst, who served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, Alfred Reynolds, who served with the Canadian Army and tragically died of Spanish Flu on the eve of emigrating to Canada to start a new life with his wife, and Herbert Gray, son of the local Mayor, who ran away to enlist. Dave also shared the stories of Albert Press and Leonard Cooper, both merchant seamen from Hull whose unmarked graves lay undiscovered for a century until recently identified by the Commission.
Speaking about the visit, Kieran said “It is humbling to stand among these graves and reflect on the courage and sacrifice of individuals like Nancy and Herbert. The Commission, and the hard work of its dedicated volunteers like Dave, ensures their stories live on and we must continue to honour their memories for generations to come.”
When asked about the visit, Dave said “It was a pleasure to take our MP on a tour of the war graves at Bexhill Cemetery. As well as describing selected personal grave stories, the background to the Commission was conveyed along with its continuing effort to facilitate the commemoration of members of our armed forces that have died in service.”
The visit was a powerful reminder of the enduring legacy of sacrifice and service and of the Commission’s commitment to preserving the memory of those who gave their lives.
For more information about the Commission’s work, visit https://www.cwgc.org/
