Grave of an Unknown Soldier from the Northumberland Fusiliers buried in A.I.F. Burial Ground The Imperial War Graves Commission was incorporated in May 1917 and became responsible for the task of marking and recording the graves of casualties killed or who died from wounds on the battlefields of the First World War, now extended to those who died in later conflicts, and for the commemorative memorials for those whose bodies could not be identified or were never found at all. Original wooden crosses were replaced by headstones and on these was engraved factual information, name, rank, number, decorations (V.C., M.C., D.S.O. etc) regiment or corps and date of death. At the top was engraved the regimental or corps badge. Next-of-kin were contacted and asked if they wished the Christian cross to be replaced, for example by the Star of David, or excluded, the age of the casualty if they wished this to be added and a “personal inscription” of which there are many examples on this site. On the headstone of every grave containing an unidentified body, as here, is inscribed “A Soldier of the Great War” and “Known unto God.” But in this case as in many others it was possible to identify the regiment; other examples show a rank or nationality. http://www.ww1wargraves.co.uk/ww1_cemeteries/ww1_cemetery_a.asp
