Country
United Kingdom
Locality
Lancashire
Identified Casualties
89
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Historical Information
During the two world wars, the United Kingdom became an island fortress used for training troops and launching land, sea and air operations around the globe. There are more than 170,000 Commonwealth war graves in the United Kingdom, many being those of servicemen and women killed on active service, or who later succumbed to wounds. Others died in training accidents, or because of sickness or disease. The graves, many of them privately owned and marked by private memorials, will be found in more than 12,000 cemeteries and churchyards. Nelson Cemetery contains 38 First World War burials and 20 from the Second World War. In addition, a single special memorial commemorates 30 casualties buried in Great Marsden (St John) Churchyard where their graves could no longer be maintained and the original headstone of one casualty buried in Brierfield (Providence) Old Congregational Chapelyard has been re-erected in this cemetery. In all, there are now 66 First World War casualties commemorated in Nelson Cemetery and 23 from the Second World War.