I am a Remembrance Travel Tour Guide and Guild of Battle Guides Member.
There are no laid down rules in CGWC Cemeteries (unlike the US which publish
rules about dress etc) I think this is because...
1. Brits are expected to know how to behave. If you don't know what to do
you should feel a twinge of embarrassment.
2. We are a non prescriptive society. There are different ways of showing
respect and so no real rules are required to show you what to do.
Here are my observations based on:
1) Briefings I have heard or given
2) Examples of behaviour to which people have objected
3) Situations in which I would feel uncomfortable.
DEFINITELY OK
Visible displays of emotion e.g. Crying is OK
Respectful second of silence in front of the grave.
Religious or non religious ceremonies of commemoration
Laying objects in the cemetery - wreaths, photographs, poppies, stones etc
Guided tours and briefings
Photography
Write in the visitor's book
SOME PEOPLE WOULD OBJECT TO
Play acting and re-enactment in a cemetery. I would stop school children
playing war games and would not feel comfortable carrying out a re-enactment
within a cemetery itself.
Running around. I have had a compliant from a coach driver about children
running around and sitting on the steps of the Cross of sacrifice at Tyne
Cot. ( I disagreed, because this was a lovely party of children with
special educational needs some of whom couldn't sit still. )
Jumping across the flower borders (this runs the risk of damaging the plants
and causing extra work for the gardeners. Many guides, my self included get
cross about people not walking around.
Smoking (despite the fact that most of the dead were smokers)
People climbing up the steps leading up to the Cross of Remembrance at Tyne
Cot. Some people think that because they look like steps its OK -others get
very upset.
Small children playing - different tolerance levels and expectations of
behaviour.
Noise. Some people think that you should be quiet around the memorials and
cemeteries.
STRONG PROHIBITIONS / INJUNCTIONS
No litter
No sexual behaviour
No Graffiti
Political demonstrations.
No insults to races or nationalities buried in the graveyard.
No Spitting
No ball games
Urination - Ok in the field or hedge out side, but not inside.
Disrespectful treatment of the Cross of Sacrifice or Stone of Remembrance.
Writing in the cemetery register (I have never seen anything written on one)
Rude comments in the visitors book.
Some Jewish people will not enter a grave yard.
Some Muslims are very careful; about avoiding trading on where the bodies
are believed to be.
No picking the flowers
GREY AREAS
Picnicking. Some people do some don't.
Re-enactment outside the cemetery, but on the battlefield area.
Some people object to the idea of re-enactment on any battlefield. However,
I frequently carry out a re-enactment asking visitors to walk through the
attack from Sheffield Park to Queens Cemetary Serre. We talk through the
attack and role play what someone might have done and assign casualties in
proportion to the losses on the day. I have given the "Platoon commander" a
steel helment and deployed someone in the location of the German defenders
wearing a German helmet. The purpose of the re-enactment is to help
participants to get a better understanding of the reality of war, what
people did and why they might have done it. CGWC staff watched me take a
party of army recruits through this activity and approved of it.
Behaviour in parkland that is designated a War Grave but doesn't look like a
CGWC war grave. There are less inhibitions about play acting etc in
parkland preserved as battlefields such as Sheffield Park and on Hill 60
than in a specific cemetery.
Over reverential behaviour. Some people find exaggerated reverence as
inappropriate. When I hear someone talk of battlefields as holy places
sanctified in blood, I cringe. I know of at least one very experienced ex
officer guide to tells visitors that they should be happy and cheerful
-because that's what young soldiers are like and would identify with.
Behaviour may be defined by the social and cultural composition of the
visitors.
Frank Baldwin
Business Battlefields
www.businessbattlefields.com
Telephone +44 (0) 781 317 9668
-----Original Message-----
From: Dark/thanatourism research forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Ria Dunkley (Editor)
Sent: 14 October 2006 17:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Appropriate behaviour in British Cemeteries
Hello all,
I am looking for information concerning what is deemed to be appropriate
behaviour in cemeteries within British society. Particularly, I am looking
for information regarding showing respect. Does anyone know of anything that
might help?
If anyone has an ideas, I would be extremely grateful!
Best wishes
Ria
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