Managing our remote sites in Africa and Asia - Our Work Continues

Our sites in our Africa and Asia Pacific Region cover a huge part of the globe, with cemeteries and memorials in areas as far-flung as Timbuctoo and Mogadishu. Here, the area's Regional Manager (West), Simon Fletcher, gives an update on some of the unique and interesting projects from the region.

As Regional Manager for the CWGC’s Africa and Asia Pacific Area (West) region, my role is very varied and often presents unusual challenges which can be very different to those faced by my colleagues in other parts of the world.

We’ve been unable to safely visit, or have not visited for many years, some of the countries I am responsible for. Some have faced immense challenges in recent years, particularly where there has been conflict or instability.

Part of my role is to gather information and look for opportunities to move a situation forward favourably. Such opportunities can be rare or infrequent and can vary – from new information coming to light, to a change in policy or a new stability in the region.

Iraq

I have never been to Iraq but the constant communication and managing our estate is a weekly if not daily feature of my workload. Officially the point of commemoration is the Roll of Honour in Head Office, but we are constantly working behind the scenes to improve the situation at all the CWGC sites in Iraq. At the more established end of our restoration work in Iraq are the cemeteries of Kut and Habbaniya where new headstones mark the graves.

Kut War Cemetery (left) and Habbaniya War Cemetery (right)

Whilst there are other cemeteries where we have only been able to secure the site perimeter and maintain the ground and any surviving memorials within.

Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery has always been a particular challenge for the CWGC but despite the prolonged conflict in the vicinity, I am pleased to say that many headstone markers remain intact and the cemetery is steadily maintained.

The CWGC has undertaken a basic survey of the headstone conditions at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery. There are of course hundreds of new headstones required but the replacements are in general not due to the ravages of war and conflict but simply an absence of the normal replacement schedules in the salt dominated ground of Iraq.

There are three sites where we have no current contractor involvement, namely Mosul War Cemetery, Ma’Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery and Amara War Cemetery. The CWGC has been working with the British Embassy to achieve a presence so that basic clearance, perimeter securing, and maintenance can occur and even here there are successes, as readers of our recent news item on the help we received at Mosul from the United Nations will know.

Mogadishu, Somalia

In 2018 an opportunity arose concerning Mogadishu War Cemetery in Somalia. The CWGC worked with officials and the late Mayor of Mogadishu whose vigour changed the prospects for the cemetery.

More recently, we received an offer of help from a British Policeman engaged in the training of the Mogadishu police department. He visited the cemetery and we are engaging with him and his contacts.

Photographs show the cemetery’s current poor condition, but with local support, and when the time is right, we will restore it.

Timbuktu, Mali

In the midst of a civil war in late 2020 we received an unlikely communication from a French Parachute unit who are engaged up country in Mali at Timbuktu. They cleaned the plot containing our two graves. A location challenging enough at the best of times let alone during a civil war.

Eagle eyed readers may have spotted one of the more unusual things about this site… that our casualties here are actually men of the Merchant Navy and yet they are buried hundreds of miles away from any sea – but that is a story for another time!

Iran

For the past 15 years, caring for our graves in Iran has also been challenging. Our cemetery in Tehran is part of the British Embassy compound and there have been occasions when the deteriorating diplomatic situation has impacted upon our work. Even getting a visa can take years!

The cemetery was in poor condition but has great potential. In late 2020, when a window of opportunity presented itself, we were able to contract a supervisor who has had a dramatic and positive impact on the site. A new maintenance contract is now in place and 2021 will see the cemetery coming along in leaps and bounds.

I hope this brief view into our operations in some of the more challenging regions of the world is an insight into how we manage our sites but also our determination to get the job done. It may take us a little longer, but we will never forget them.