Recognising War Graves Week
Australians everywhere are being encouraged to visit or learn more about their local war cemetery, during War Graves Week.
War Graves Week is held annually to highlight the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), and the Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG) here in Australia.
The CWGC has cared for the war dead from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom for more than 105 years. The OAWG works on behalf of the CWGC in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to maintain war cemeteries, individual war graves and memorials for members of the Commonwealth forces who died during the First and Second World Wars.
More than 336,000 Australians who have lost their lives during war, or due to causes related to their war service, are commemorated here in Australia. Their final resting places are cared for in perpetuity by the OAWG.
Last month, on Anzac Day, thousands of Australians gathered in many local war cemeteries across the country to attend public commemorative services conducted by community groups and ex-service organisations.
As part of #WarGravesWeek we encourage Australians to continue to visit their local war cemetery or garden of remembrance to honour all those who gave their lives in the service of their nation.
To learn more about the 72 war cemeteries in Australia that are maintained by OAWG, visit https://www.dva.gov.au/wargraves
To learn more about War Graves Week, visit the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Sydney War Cemetery 1948 to current