4 days ago
Commonwealth war graves in Ayrshire tidied up by volunteer
Commonwealth war graves in Mauchline Cemetery had been taken over by a crop of daisies which are believed to have been planted by a well-intentioned member of the public
Commonwealth war graves in Ayrshire have been tidied up by a community volunteer.
Four graves at Mauchline Cemetery have been brought back life after an unruly crop of daisies took hold.
A volunteer from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) got to work recently to remove the flowers which are believed to have been planted by a well-intentioned member of the public.
Although the CWGC welcomes a number of non-permanent acts of remembrance at gravesides such as fresh flowers and wreaths, they ask that nothing permanent be added as "it impacts our ability to maintain the graves and headstone borders".
Commemorated by the graves are Rifleman Lindsay Maxwell, Lieutenant Reginald John Coombes, Able Seaman Lewis MacDonald of the Canadian Merchant Navy and Polish soldier Wladyslaw Dawidowski.
The four men each served during World War 2 and died in service between 1941 and 1946.
Rifleman Maxwell, a member of 13th Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), died February 20, 1941. His age is unknown.
Able Seaman MacDonald was assigned to the SS St Malo of the Canadian Merchant Navy and died aged 24 on June 22, 1941.
Lieutenant Coombes, Pioneer Corps, died aged 53 on June 22, 1943.
Szeregowiec (Polish for Private) Dawidowski was on of many Polish soldiers who were stationed in Scotland during the war and died aged 21 on April 1, 1946.
He is one of two Polish soldiers buried in Mauchline along with Porucznik (Polish for Lieutenant) Karol Dilling,
A spokesperson for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission said: "We're grateful for this being brought to our attention. It shows people care about what we do and why we do it, in caring for graves of the fallen.
"We inspected the cemetery last week and pruned some of the plant life. No further action is planned from us."
Mauchline Cemetery is cared for by East Ayrshire Council but the memorial headstones and the war graves are maintained by the CWGC.
