Cliveden War Cemetery was built in the grounds of Cliveden House in Taplow Berkshire and contains 40 World War I burials and 2 World War II burials. The burials are predominately Canadian.
At the out break of World war I, Waldorf Astor, the owner of Cliveden at that time, offered the use of some of the grounds to the Canadian Red Cross for the building of the HRH Duchess of Connaught Hospital.
Waldorf Astor gave up the use of his Italian Sunken Garden to be used as a burial ground for the men who were treated at the hospital, but did not survive their injuries. The Bucks Herald reported on 12th April 1919-
"Sir Robert Borden, Canada's Premier, came down to Cliveden, near Taplow to perform the ceremony of unveiling a Canadian Red Cross memorial. It is a female feature representative of Life, and bears an inscription beginning with the words, 'The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God.' In the Italian Garden in Cliveden is the cemetery in which are interred the bodies of the heroes of the war who died in the Canadian Hospital adjoining. In four years no less that 24,000 patients passed through this hospital, provided by Major and Mrs. Astor in their beautiful grounds close to the Thames, one of the most charming spots in the most lovely reach of that river."
At the end of the hostilities the HRH Duchess of Connaught Hospital was dismantled.
At the outbreak of World War II the Astors again offered the use of the land for the rent of one shilling a year to the Canadian Red Cross and the Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital was built. After the war the hospital was donated to the UK to use as a general hospital and research centre. Sadly in 1985 the hospital closed and remained empty and derelict until 2006 when the buildings were demolished to make way for a housing estate. A large part of Maidenhead and Taplow's history was lost.
This post is dedicated to those brave men and women who gave their lives so that we could live ours.
So sad that they made it to safety, but didn't survive. Looks a peaceful place to be buried.
ReplyDeleteIt is very peaceful. It must have been dreadful for families to have their loved ones buried so far.
DeleteGreat little report I must visit the place myself.
ReplyDeleteCliveden itself is a fantastic place to visit. Very photogenic. As well as the war cemetery there is also a pet cemetery, but that is harder to find.
DeleteI see you have included a Pvt John Choce from Hamilton - I looked him up and find it sad that there was no record of anything about his private life, all was unknown. It seems many of these men died alone overseas and almost everything about died with them.
ReplyDeleteI only uploaded a small selection of the memoriual stones. However I have uploaded all of the them to the Beneath Thy Feet Facebook page if you're interested at viewing the rest.
DeleteDue to them being from overseas I was unable to do any research on them. It's so sad that these brave men fought for our freedom and we know so little about them.