THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION

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The Commonwealth War Graves Commission was founded by Royal Charter in 1917 and works on behalf of the governments of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and South Africa to commemorate and remember more than 1.7 million service personnel who lost their lives in both of the World Wars. Around the globe, Commonwealth War Graves are cared for by these nations who share the cost of the maintenance of the graves  and the work of the Commission, proportionate to the number of their graves.

During the Great War of 1914-18, a Government decision was made that no service personnel would be repatriated to their country of origin.  This was not a decision that went down lightly with the relatives of those killed in action.  This rule continued to be in place for World War II.  ​​The commission is currently responsible for more than 23,000 separate burial sites across the Commonwealth. ​

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STONEFALL CEMETERY 

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With the entrance located on Forest Lane, just off the A661 to the east of the town of Harrogate, Stonefall Commonwealth War Graves cemetery is the largest in the north of England with 1,013 burials, most of those being aviators who died in the north of England during World War II.  Many of them died during training exercises around Yorkshire, others on return from operational missions.  Among those young aviators are 665 Canadians, 97 Australians and 23 New Zealanders.  The cemetery is maintained, as in other CWGC cemeteries, by an army of committed volunteers who also conduct tours of these cemeteries.  ​With the kind hosting of the CWGC and the incredibly valued help of Public Engagement Officer Elizabeth Smith who looks after the North Yorkshire area for the CWGC, the ANZAC ceremony functions each year and is now a major feature on the Harrogate calendar. 

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