It is a general misconception that graves of men awarded the Victoria Cross are looked after and protected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Only those VC's that were killed on the battlefields during the First and Second World Wars are commemorated either with a grave or a memorial.

The CWGC also looks after the graves of seven other VC recipients including Lieutenant Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones and Sergeant Ian McKay, both killed in the Falklands and Corporal Bryan Budd, who lost his life in Afghanistan.

The responsibility for the upkeep of graves belonging to VC recipients, who died in other conflicts or of old age, lies with their relatives.

Many of these burial plots have fallen into disrepair and suffer from neglect. Families and relatives have dwindled or died out and sometimes the descendants are unaware that they exist, or they simply cannot afford to maintain them.

In some cases the burial rights have expired completely meaning families do not have a legal right to replace headstones.

We do not get any funding from the govt or any other organisation, we rely solely on the support and generosity of the public.

It is a general misconception that graves of men awarded the Victoria Cross are looked after and protected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Only those VC's that were killed on the battlefields during the First and Second World Wars are commemorated either with a grave or a memorial.

The CWGC also looks after the graves of seven other VC recipients including Lieutenant Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones and Sergeant Ian McKay, both killed in the Falklands and Corporal Bryan Budd, who lost his life in Afghanistan.

The responsibility for the upkeep of graves belonging to VC recipients, who died in other conflicts or of old age, lies with their relatives.

Many of these burial plots have fallen into disrepair and suffer from neglect. Families and relatives have dwindled or died out and sometimes the descendants are unaware that they exist, or they simply cannot afford to maintain them.

In some cases the burial rights have expired completely meaning families do not have a legal right to replace headstones.

We do not get any funding from the govt or any other organisation, we rely solely on the support and generosity of the public.