"War Graves"

As an estate manager I was delighted to come upon a book by Philip Longworth entitled "The Unending Vigil - The History of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission". In 270 pages or so he gives a comprehensive account of the origins and development of the world-wide estate from its early days to the mid-1980s. From 1915 Fabian Ware's Red Cross unit took the first steps towards what are the principles, policies, procedures and practices of the present day Commission, ie circa 1980.

As a study of a time continuum of horticulture and war grave architecture in different situations and there are many lessons to be learned. Instances include:

• dealing with plantings in very different geological locations and endeavouring at the same time to reflect both: a) what might now be called a "house style", and b) a reflection of the "homeland" of the deceased (which was not always the United Kingdom);
• tackling the preservation of headstones, walls, buildings and monuments from the ravages of very different (for example) climates and subsoils;
• handling many very different national "tenurial" and other legal nuances, ie of the states where the war graves are situated;
• progressing established but changing principles and practices in times of changing geo-political multi-circumstances; and
• endeavouring to grapple with the Treasury in times of international currency wobbles and changing fortunes of the economy of the United Kingdom and virtually every economy of the world.

For me the book raised many questions of horticulture, architecture, construction management, "business" management and so on. Space did not provide all the answers but gave limited insights and a sense of wonderment that there is more to tell about "The Unending Virgil". Upto 1985 at least the Commonwealth War Graves Commission acquits superbly well.

Some 84 black and white illustrations (between pp 131-132) display the dignity and stature of the sites where lay more than 1.7 milllion servicemen and women from the British Isles and other Commonwealth countries.

First published by Pen & Sword in 1963 and revised and updated in 1985 -it was reprinted by Leo Cooper 2003 ISBN1 84415 003 6