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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: bertyoung on Monday 02 June 14 17:39 BST (UK)

Title: Why were crew members buried in different cemeteries?
Post by: bertyoung on Monday 02 June 14 17:39 BST (UK)

Whilst researching the airman buried in Haverhill cemetery I have noticed that not all of the airmen from a crashed aircraft were buried in the same cemetery, is there a reason for this?
Thanks

Title: Re: Why were crew members buried in different cemeteries?
Post by: Spikey68 on Monday 02 June 14 17:47 BST (UK)

If airmen died in the UK then their next of kin were allowed to have them brought "home" for burial.

Title: Re: Why were crew members buried in different cemeteries?
Post by: bertyoung on Monday 02 June 14 18:50 BST (UK)

I can understand that for British airmen but what about Canadians, Australians ect. there seems to be no logic as to their final resting places.

Title: Re: Why were crew members buried in different cemeteries?
Post by: sharki on Monday 02 June 14 22:38 BST (UK)

There may be a number of reasons for this Bert.
1. A crew member may have been injured in the crash and taken to hospital where he subsequently died. He would then have been buried in the nearest cemetery to that hospital.
2. Ambulances attending the crash may have been from different districts. The bodies would then have been taken to mortuaries relevant to the ambulance district and then on to the appropriate cemetery.
3. Bale-outs may have come down in different areas and not survived the landing.
4. Some cemeteries were earmarked for service burials, serving quite a wide area.
There are probably as many other reasons as you may think of, including the one supplied by Spikey, but I am not aware of any hard and fast rulings on the matter. Other Rootschatters may be able to help further.

Title: Re: Why were crew members buried in different cemeteries?
Post by: bertyoung on Tuesday 03 June 14 08:03 BST (UK)

Thank you both for your help.