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BRITISH WAR MEMORIAL PROJECT
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dhubthaigh
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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Location: Blairgowrie, Perthshire

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:31 pm    Post subject: BRITISH WAR MEMORIAL PROJECT Reply with quote

I don't know if anyone else got this e-mail tonight;
Dear all
Some of you will be aware of the difficulties I have been having in getting the BWMP site updated with data going back to November last year and the displaying of images on the individuals casualty page. I am well aware that this has been causing many of you concern, as it has me, by the amount of correspondence on the subject. Many of you also know that my hands have been tied on this as I have no control over these aspects having no access to the main database.
My frustration has now come to a head where I can no longer be held responsible for the failure to get the data and images displayed and although I have devoted many hours to the Project over the past few years I feel that it is time for me to stand down as I can no longer work in this manner.
I had a meeting with Richard yesterday to try and resolve issues but there is no practical way forward. I did offer to run the project on my own along with the team that have supported me all this time but this was refused. Therefore, the only other option is for me to move on.
With a backlog of data going back nearly a year now and images going back further than that and with no sign of the site being updated I intend to donate a copy of the images to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. There is a possibility of them linking the images to the casualty page on their website and providing a request service from there but this has to be discussed. This proposal will prevent the efforts of you and I going to waste and protect the images. All along I have believed that this is where the archive should ultimately rest and this will start the process off.
With the backing of all but one of the current Co-ords, Regional reps and Pauline and Jim (who will continue to organise photographic tours but under a different name) it is my intention to maintain the impetus of collecting images for this purpose and would appreciate your support and understanding in this proposal.
It is still our intention to hold the meeting advertised in the last newsletter at Bletchley Park National Codes Centre, Milton Keynes, on 3rd November. Although it will be on a more informal basis, it will be an ideal opportunity to discuss the way forward for those volunteers wishing to help. In addition there will be an official guided tour of Bletchley Park with free time after lunch for volunteers to visit the extremely interesting museum. The cost will be about £15 per person. A Booking Form will be sent out in the next few weeks and we do hope that you will support the meeting, as you have done in the previous two years.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank those of you that have put in many hours taking pictures of the graves and memorials, all at a financial cost as well which will not be wasted if the proposals go ahead. If you wish to reply to me I would request that you use this new address steve@thewargravesproject.org.uk as my current war graves e mail address will probably be defunct within 24 hours.

Best wishes

Steve Rogers


I thought it was a great site, and well-run. Does anyone know whats going on here. Is this the death knell?
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apanderson
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Joined: 21 Dec 2006
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Location: Stirlingshire

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got the same letter Mark.

I don't have a clue what's going on either. I hope it's not the end - what will I do with myself!!

Joking aside, I know there have been problems of late and new images or updates haven't been added for long and weary but I was under the impression it was technical reasons rather than anything else - now I'm beginning to wonder.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what transpires. I'm just glad I kept copies of the thousands of photos I sent over the past few years, I'd hate to think they'd become the suject of a squabbling match!

Anne
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Adam Brown
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
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Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)

PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:49 am    Post subject: Re: BRITISH WAR MEMORIAL PROJECT Reply with quote

dhubthaigh wrote:
...Is this the death knell?


It looks like it since the BWMP website is no longer available.

ADam
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Adam Brown
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
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Location: Edinburgh (From Sutherland)

PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The BWMP website is no longer available for browsing so I think we can safely assume that it’s finished in its present format. From what has been posted above it looks like most of the co-ordinators have jumped ship too so whatever files are available up until September ’07 will be all that will ever go on the BWMP if it ever resurfaces

It also looks like Steve Rodgers is trying to set up a rival service linking up more directly with the CWGC and that mean’s it will probably only focus on gravestones / memorials relating to a CWGC database. The grand ideas of the BWMP for war memorials and private gravestone commemorations top be included will be forgotten about.

Perhaps the time has come for a purely Scottish version instead? Anne's recent post on three 'memorials' in Stirling (here) highlights the fact that they are probably not suitable for this war memorial forum, the old BWMP wouldn't have wanted them because they are pre-1914 and Steve Rodgers new site wouldn't want them because the men named are not in the CWGC database.

Would a Scottish war graves forum based on the format of this forum be worth starting up? It could take the place of the BWMP but offer more because it could also deal with graves before 1914 and after 1945 right up until the present.

It may not be practical but can anyone come up with any reasons why a war graves forum should or shouldn’t be started?

Adam
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It’s probably worth mentioning that a forum format would mean there would be no need for any local co-ordinators and no backlog of photos with one person to be uploaded, unlike the BWMP.

There is a search facility within a forum and if a transcription of a name is provided with each photograph then an individual’s grave can be searched for.

Adam
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There’s another project out there called the International Wargraves Photography Project. (Wargraves is all one word). It’s part of a findagrave website.

http://www.findagrave.com/iwpp

According to an old post on the Great War Forum it looks like the IWPP was set up by someone who got told exactly where to go with 40,000 war grave photos by the BWMP.

They aren’t restricting themselves to the world wars either and it’s up to an individual to post their own images.

I haven’t had a good chance to look into what it involves. Does anyone know of this project? I think I’d still like to see a purely Scottish project like this forum though.

Strangely I can’t find any mention of the problems with the BWMP on the GWF. I’m very surprised about that. Is it confined to the hidden bit for the privileged? I’m surprised that a forum with nearly 20,000 members interested in the Great War hasn’t had at least one person mentioning it.

Adam
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spoons



Joined: 09 Jan 2007
Posts: 4991
Location: St John's Town of Dalry

PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have photos of a couple of hundred war graves and mentions on family gravestones that I would like to do something useful with. I would be very happy to post them on such a forum and would even consider hunting out any special requests in Dumfries and Galloway.

I also have a few church memorials to military men that don't come under the description of war memorials (because they died in their beds at a grand old age, that sort of thing). Would there be a place for them on the new forum as well?

\Paul
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Adam Brown
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spoons wrote:
I also have a few church memorials to military men that don't come under the description of war memorials (because they died in their beds at a grand old age, that sort of thing). Would there be a place for them on the new forum as well?

\Paul


I'd hope so. Perhaps war graves would be too restrictive a description for something that could cover any gravestone with a military, naval or air force connection. It's a handy title for a forum though.

I don't know if we'd want to include merchant seamen lost at sea in peacetime?

Adam
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apanderson
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Joined: 21 Dec 2006
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Location: Stirlingshire

PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think that would be a great idea - I'd be happy to contribute! Very Happy

I've lost count of the number of 'Military' graves/memorials I've found and photographed which don't fit the WW1/WW2 criteria. Also, like 'spoons' I've found lots of oldies who probably died in their beds of old age or others who died 'on service' but not in a war.

I don't think it should matter whether they died last week or died a few hundred years ago - as long as they have a grave/memorial in Scotland.

Anne
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dhubthaigh
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Adam Brown wrote:

Strangely I can’t find any mention of the problems with the BWMP on the GWF. I’m very surprised about that. Is it confined to the hidden bit for the privileged? I’m surprised that a forum with nearly 20,000 members interested in the Great War hasn’t had at least one person mentioning it.
Adam


Bizarre! To be honest I can't quite get my head round the total collapse of the project - incredible!

Anyway re. graves I've got some locally that I could put on although I admit these cemeteries are in no way complete.

I won't commit to actively pursuing this in the near future - its hugely time consuming. I do know that this type of work is a standard practice for local history groups indexing the graves in their areas but whether they photograph I don't know. This would perhaps need co-ordinated and perhaps contact with groups to see what they have done and lighten the load.
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Roxy
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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Location: Elgin, Moray

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's not in the hidden bit on the GWF - at least not that I've seen.

My impression is that Steve (and others) intends to continue (in one form or another) with the project. He has asked that volunteers consider sending any photos that they may still have been in the process of obtaining for the website.

I will probably send off my current piccies and wait until the dust settles: I am still convinced that this is a worthwhile project - regardless of who/how it's run.

Roxy
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Remembering my ggf, Pte Thomas Roberts, 10 SR, killed 25 Sep 15 at Loos.
Also remembering Flt Lt Al Squires and CXX/3 killed 2 Sep 06 in Afghanistan.
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DerekR
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Location: Hawick, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Roxy wrote:
It's not in the hidden bit on the GWF - at least not that I've seen.

Roxy,
There's a hidden bit there?
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Time but th' impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear.
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Roxy
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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Location: Elgin, Moray

PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Derek,

I think that Adam was refering to 'Skindles'; the area of the GWF for members with more than 300 posts.

Roxy
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Remembering my ggf, Pte Thomas Roberts, 10 SR, killed 25 Sep 15 at Loos.
Also remembering Flt Lt Al Squires and CXX/3 killed 2 Sep 06 in Afghanistan.
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Roxy
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is now something on the GWF. Not much, I admit but there may be something of consequence soon Confused

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=82918

Roxy
_________________
Remembering my ggf, Pte Thomas Roberts, 10 SR, killed 25 Sep 15 at Loos.
Also remembering Flt Lt Al Squires and CXX/3 killed 2 Sep 06 in Afghanistan.
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David McNay
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Location: Lanarkshire, Scotland

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There has been a lot of speculation on this subject, and about three separate threads on this forum.

I also notice a few "war graves" people registering, from both the International "find a grave!" project and from some of the other countries projects.

PErhaps Steve Rogers or some of the other War Graves folk involved in all this could perhaps register here and maybe make a post explaining exactly what the situation is. That might stop all the speculation. But for now their silence is quite noticeable.
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