Middle East War Cemeteries

MIDDLE EAST WAR CEMETERIES - The Imperial War Graves Commission has appointed M. J. Hubert Worthington as their principal architect for North Africa and Egypt, and he is shortly going to these areas to advise on the planning and construction of the cemeteries containing graves of the present war. Mr. Worthington is a member of the Royal Fine Art Commission and a vice-president of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He is senior partner in the Manchester firm of Thomas Worthington and Sons and was formerly Professor of Architecture in the Royal College of Art. South Kensington. and lecturer in town-planning at Manchester University. He is advisory architect for the re-planning and re-building of the ruined sections of the Inner Temple. His work Includes buildings at Merton College and New College Library, Oxford. and the remodelling of the Old Bodleian and Radcliffe camera. His Manchester buildings include the New Dental Hospital and recent additions to the Royal Infirmary. Mr. 'Worthington served during the last war with the Manchester Regiment and was severely wounded. [Manchester Guardian 16 July 1943 page 3]

WAR GRAVES IN NORTH AFRICA - Proposals for the creation of seven war cemeteries between Alexandria and Tripoli and ten in Tunisia and Algeria have been made to the Imperial War Graves Commission by Mr. J. Hubert Worthington. their principal architect for North Africa. The proposals are being carefully examined, states the Commission's annual report to-day.  The choice oi sites has been made with due regard to their military association, environment, and ease of access and maintenance.  Mr. Worthington. the Manchester architect, recently completed a 3,000-mile tour during which he inspected areas extending from Cairo to Algiers.  He is a member of the Royal Fine Art Commission and a vice-president of the RIBA. and served in the last war.  During the past year the Commission began arrangements to take over the permanent maintenance and construction of the graves of several East African campaigns, the Western Desert, Libya, Tunisia. and Algeria.  Colonel R. H. Hoffman (South Africa) is in charge of-the whole area.  The Commission has also appointed Lieutenant Colonel Sir Herbert Ellissen as adviser on post-war organisation and reconstruction and Professor E. J. Salisbury. Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew. and Professor of Botany at London University, as horticultural adviser. Members of the forces take a great interest in the war cemeteries in Palestine, states the report, and continue to visit them, particularly at Jerusalem and Gaza, In very large numbers. Many are seeking the graves of relatives who fell in the 1914-18 war.  In the United Kingdom, where there are already 41,000 graves. shortage of labour and difficulties of transport have prevented the erection of head- stones during hostilities, but the Commission are marking graves with a wooden cross. Over 1,000 Service graves and many others have already been marked with crosses.  The Commission has adopted the same type of headstone as for last-war graves. and relatives are being provided with forms to indicate personal details and their wishes regarding a personal inscription to be engraved on the headstone. [Manchester Guardians 26 January 1944 page 3]