The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) will be bringing ‘War Graves Week’ to Bangor and offering free tours at Glanadda Cemetery on 21 May.
War Graves Week is an initiative aimed at encouraging people from the local community to come together and discover the World War heritage on their doorstep – learning about the stories of those commemorated by the CWGC in Bangor and the skills, dedication and expertise of those CWGC staff and volunteers who work to keep their memory alive.
The free guided tour will take place at 11am at Glanadda Cemetery and will give people in Bangor the chance to discover the remarkable stories of the men and women of the Commonwealth forces that died in the First and Second World Wars who are buried in their community.
More than 70 casualties from the First and Second World Wars are buried at Glanadda. The tour will share the stories of those who came from around the world, from Australia, Canada and West Africa. Soldiers, sailors, airmen, merchant seaman and even a Wesleyan chaplain are buried at Glanadda Cemetery.
The tour will be led by local resident, Adrian Hughes, who is a volunteer for the CWGC.
Director General of the CWGC, Claire Horton, said: “Behind every name on a war grave or memorial in Bangor is a human story waiting to be discovered and War Graves Week is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
“As world leaders in commemoration, our mission is to ensure those who died in service, or as a result of conflict, are commemorated so that they, and the human cost of war, are remembered forever.”
The CWGC is encouraging the people of Bangor to seek out the stories in their local area and book onto a free tour this War Graves Week. To book a tour, visit www.cwgc.org/wargravesweek
