Explore our East Region

Hi, I’m Mac and I am the Public Engagement Coordinator for the East Region. My interest in the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission began when I was involved in the burial of a missing Battle of Britain pilot in 1995. At the time I was serving on the Royal Air Force Ceremonial unit (The Queens Colour Squadron), there were other occasions when such burials occurred around the world. I became intrigued by the stories of those whom we remember through the CWGC.

After 39 years as a regular I left the RAF in 2022 and was able to join the Commission as the Public Engagement Coordinator for the east of England. Of course, this area has a high concentration of former RAF Stations, so I am naturally interested in those. However, there are a wealth of other fascinating sites across the region, including those which remember our Naval History and of course the individual graves in small churchyards which often link those casualties to their families.

Keeping the stories alive and meeting people who are also passionate about our history, especially the two World Wars which have had such an impact on our society is incredibly rewarding. 

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Hi, I’m Chris and I am the Regional manager for the Commissions work across the East of England. In total my team work at nearly 2,500 locations, caring for almost 25,000 grave markers across the East and East Central Regions. Many of our sites across the East of England have strong connections to the RAF due to the large number of air bases in the area during the Second World War and it’s not uncommon today to see the Red Arrows training overhead while at work in Lincolnshire.

I joined CWGC as a stonemason in 1991 and have never looked back. I was originally based in the UK but within a few years I had the amazing opportunity to work all over the world, including at sites in Italy, Malta and Tunisia before joining the spiritual heartland of the Commission in western Europe.

There have been many memorable occasions that remind me how honoured I am to work for the Commission. These include the recovery of the remains of a Spitfire pilot in Italy, now buried in Ravenna Cemetery. We were shown where his aircraft had crashed by an older Italian gentleman who remembered seeing the crash when he was a child. If you are ever in North East Italy do drop in on Ravenna Cemetery and visit the grave of Flight Lieutenant Douglas Leitch of 72 Squadron, who died in March 1945, aged 27. 

But there have been some very emotional and moving occasions right here in the East region. One that stands out now was during a visit to Scottow Cemetery, in Norfolk. It’s a small plot set down a small country road in an incredibly peaceful rural spot. I met an older gentleman there who had travelled all the way from Australia to visit the grave of his father for the first time. It made all the years of caring for that grave very meaningful and I still pause at the grave every time I visit Scottow Cemetery and remember.

We look after lots of different sites across the East Region. Cambridge City Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 1,000 servicemen and women, while the Lowestoft Memorial commemorates 2,400 service personnel of the Royal Naval Patrol Service, but we also tend graves in isolated locations and most of the sites we work at have only one or two war graves. Big or small, they are all important.  

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Hi, I’m Richard and I’m the Regional Operations Coordinator for the Commissions work across the East of England. My job is to plan the work relating to the upkeep of our war graves across the East and East Central Regions, including horticultural renovations and maintenance, as well as headstone cleaning, replumbing and replacements. 

It might sound strange but one of the biggest challenges we face in the East Region is the lack of rainfall. East Anglia is said to be the driest region in the country – with Norfolk listed as the driest county – and we are now developing planting schemes and turf seed that can better cope with the drought conditions we are more commonly experiencing. If you visit our sites across the East region don’t be surprised to see succulent-type plants and Mediterranean species.

I have some great memories of working for the Commission across the East of England. It might sound strange but one of the best parts of my role is seeing renovation work on cemeteries completed. These tasks are not only enjoyable to work on but are also greatly appreciated by members of the public and families of the fallen, many of whom regularly visit our sites and several who are visiting for the first time. It can be quite humbling to hear stories from family members about their loved one's wartime endeavours.

It is the satisfaction gained from being able to maintain the high standards that the fallen and the families of the fallen deserve, combined with the knowledge that our work is greatly admired throughout the world that I love most about the job. 

To get in touch with the regional operations team, please: 

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