Our work continues - A surprising find at Runnymede

The work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission continues. In this series of articles, we will share weekly updates of what our dedicated global teams have been up to recently.

This week we’re looking how projects in the UK and Austria highlight the importance we now place on conservation.

A surprising find at Runnymede

The Runnymede Air Forces Memorial is one of our most visited sites in the UK. Yet despite its prominence we learned something new about the site during the latest work to conserve the memorial’s intricately painted and gilded ceilings.

During investigations at the start of the project it was found that some of the finer details on the cloister ceilings had been lost to time. It’s believed these stars surrounding the heraldic shields had been mistakenly covered around the 1970s.

Pre-work investigations revealed these hidden original features

Today we hold ourselves to extremely high conservation standards and with the help of expert restorers, are currently reinstating this original feature.

This delicate work is a reminder of why today we undertake so much research before any conservation project, to ensure we never detract from the historic monuments in our care.

The gilded stars restored to their original design

Runnymede commemorates more than 20,000 men and women from the air forces who went missing in the skies of northern Europe. Among them is Noor Inayat-Khan, whose life and contribution to the British war effort can be explored in our digital exhibition, available on our website, or using any smart phone or tablet when you visit the memorial.

Find out about Noor Inayat-Khan

Our only war cemetery in Austria

Work has finished to restore our only war cemetery in Austria. Klagenfurt War Cemetery, one of the last sites to be completed in Europe after the Second World War, has seen some its main features suffer from weathering over time.

During a six-month project the cemetery’s key features were cleaned and repaired, using carefully sourced materials. From plastering and grouting to drainpipes and stone insets, each element was fixed using materials to match the originals – such as Botticino marble on the Cross of Sacrifice and distinctive red bricks rich in iron for the walls and pillars.

To prevent future water damage of the entrance building new downpipes were installed to match the structure’s distinctive copper roof.

The site is one of the few open spaces in a now built-up part of the city and has been given additional protection by the local authorities who have designated the cemetery a monument for its historical importance.

The repairs also involved gilded lettering and the intricate metalwork of Klagenfurt’s boundaries.