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Veterans Issues
Remembrance
Remembrance
Introduction
Cenotaph
Remembrance
Unknown Warrior
The Royal British Legion
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Service casualty branches
Memorials
Biographies
Commemorative booklets
The Ministry of Defence's Policy on War Memorials
Introduction I Policy I Maintenance I Disposal I Inventory I War
Memorials Trust I English Heritage I
The Public Monuments and Sculpture Association
Disposal of War Memorials
Concern for the condition, maintenance and future of war memorials
has increased significantly in recent years, particularly since the celebrations
to mark the 50th anniversary of VE and VJ Day in 1995. There were reports
in the national press concerning the disposal of war memorials where churches,
memorial halls and other buildings have been closed or redeveloped. These
memorials, which have on occasion been sold to scrap yards and architectural
salvage yards, have tended to be rolls of honour, plaques or marble slabs
attached to churches and other buildings, rather than the traditional public
war memorial. Under the Disused Burial Grounds (Amendment) Act 1981 and the
Pastoral Measure 1983, if a disused Church of England church or churchyard,
or a disused non-conformist burial site is made the subject of a redundancy
scheme, relatives of those commemorated or buried there, or the CWGC, must
be given the opportunity to make alternative arrangements for any war memorials
on that site. Neither the local authorities nor the church are, however,
compelled to arrange a suitable resting-place, to which the memorial can
be transferred. In such cases, details of the memorial to be removed, including
a copy of the inscription, as well as the date and manner of disposal are
to be lodged with the local council and copied to the Registrar General.
War memorials in Scotland are not covered by any similar legislation. Responsibility
for matters dealing with disposal of war memorials from disused churches
or burial grounds belonging to a church within England rests with the Home
Office. There is no central government responsibility for the disposal of
war memorials from other locations e.g. memorial halls.
