| 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. During both wars, Gosport was
a significant sea port and Naval depot, with many government factories and
installations based there, as well as the Haslar Naval Hospital. No 5
Squadron Royal Flying Corps were based at Gosport just before the outbreak
of the First World War and during the Second World War the town acted as
base to No 17 Group Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy Light Coastal
Forces. Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery, which was attached to the Naval
Hospital of 2,000 beds, contains 761 First World War graves. Most are
scattered throughout the cemetery, but the 42 officers and men of HM
Submarine L55 whose bodies were brought back from the Baltic in 1928 lie
together in a collective grave. The Second World War graves number 611, 36
of them unidentified. A number of the graves are scattered throughout the
cemetery, but the majority lie together in one or other or five groups,
the largest of which contains more than 350 burials, the smallest
25. |