Commonwealth Graves Commission releases annual report

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an organisation responsible for marking and maintaining the graves of members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two world wars. They build and maintain memorials for the dead whose graves are unknown and provide records of these 1.7 million burials and commemorations found in most countries throughout the world.

The report for 2009-2010 was published on November 11 and highlights a number of projects the commission has undertaken. This includes the reburial of 250 Australian and British Soldiers at Fromelles, in Northern France.

The report has said "Every year the former Western Front battlefields yield approximately 30 sets of human remains- tragic reminders of the cost of the terrible conflict that was the First World War."

They succesfully completed this task which involved uncovering, trying to identify and bury the dead with dignity . A dedication ceremony took place on July 19 2010.

The commission have also been addressing the global issue of climate change by conducting trials using drought-tolerant plants while still trying to maintain the cemetries "as peaceful gardens of repose."

A programme to re-engrave thousands of headstones continues.

Plans are being made in regard to the commemoration of the upcoming centenary of the First World War in 2014 as well as 100th anniversary of the organization's foundation in May 2017.

A new director has also been appointed and came into effect from October 1 this year. Alan Pateman-Jones has succeeded Richard Kellaway to oversee future projects the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will organise.

The Commission has sought to increase its online presence in the last 12 months with the use of video reports and utilising social network sites like Facebook, Twitter and Flicker. This is to keep the public informed of their work and future plans.