Our Work Continues – restoring the world’s smallest CWGC cemetery

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

From regular maintenance to specialist repairs and daily horticulture, we rely on a wealth of knowledge, skill and expertise to preserve our unique sites in every climate imaginable.

Setbacks on the island

Restoration of the world’s smallest CWGC cemetery has been completed after months of stop-start setbacks. Late in 2019 Hurricane Dorian struck Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, USA, destroying local infrastructure and damaging the CWGC’s four-grave plot on the island.

Repairs couldn’t take place immediately as essential supplies for the islanders rightfully took priority. Once it was safe for our local contractor to start removing damaged trees and fixing up the cemetery’s boundaries, they had to down tools due to the Covid-19 lockdown and return to the mainland.

As work resumed this summer, the project took another blow when a tropical storm washed away all the recent work to level the ground.

Thanks to the determined efforts of our local contacts, this small and remote cemetery – the final resting place of four Commonwealth seamen – is now restored to its proper condition.

Ocracoke before

Ocracoke after

Looking after our people

We are always seeking to equip our people with the tools and facilities they need to carry on with the fantastic work they do.

At Kumasi Public Cemetery, in Ghana, we’ve recently completed installation of a new all-in-one base for our local caretaker, Richard Piikou.

Designing something secure to withstand the soaring summer temperatures and complement the historic setting, was no easy feat. Our team carefully tweaked the design of a prefabricated unit to help it keep cool in the heat and allow for an easy install, alongside new fencing around the cemetery entrance.

Now Richard can turn up to work every morning safe in the knowledge that he has everything he needs, right where he needs it.

CWGC’s plot at Kumasi Public Cemetery with new base site being installed, back left.

Our caretaker for Kumasi Public Cemetery, Richard Piikou. This plot uses gravel as local conditions make turf hard to maintain to our high standards. The flowering shrubs add visual interest to the site.

Monsoon repairs

The weather provides us with constant challenges around the world. In Bangladesh, the annual monsoons this summer have caused damage to one of the shelter buildings at Maynamati War Cemetery after felling this Delonix regia tree.

While there has been significant damage to the building’s roof, the rest of the cemetery was unaffected and no headstones were damaged.

The tree will shortly be removed and inspections will take place to assess repairs. Delonix regia, sometimes known as a flame tree, has bright scarlet flowers that come out in the dry season, and is commonly found in our sites across Asia and Africa.