Campaign to clean up graves of war heroes

Dudley North MP Ian Austin said he was concerned about the number of graves inaccessible at All Saints Church graveyard due to overgrowth.

At least 19 war graves are thought to be at the graveyard, which has more than 1,000 graves in total. Mr Austin said it was unacceptable that the graveyard, along Gospel End Street, had been allowed to deteriorate and called for action.

He went on: "It's terrible that the graveyard has been left to deteriorate into this condition. You can barely access parts of the site and there is damage to some areas.

"I think the council should take responsibility for this and clear the area. Graves here mark the lives of people who fought and died for this country, but have been neglected and I don't think this is good enough."

Local campaigner Damian Corfield added: "I want to see this cleared up and I will work hard to see that it is done. Seeing the site as it is must be distressing for relatives and friends visiting the graves."

Mr Austin visited the site alongside Damian Corfield on Friday to assess its condition. They had received complaints from local residents about the state of the site prior to their visit.

The MP proposed the site could be cleared as part of community service. "I will be contacting the youth offending team at Dudley Council," he added. "For the youth offenders it will be a tremendous project."

The war dead who are buried at All Saints churchyard had served in both local regiments and much further afield. There are 19 graves listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, but not all are accessible at the site.

And it has been estimated there are more than 60 graves of servicemen at the graveyard, dating back to at least 1888. Among those buried with a CWGC grave is Private James Jeffreys Walker, who died on March 11, 1918, aged 26. Although he was the son of parents from Coseley, he served in the First Battalion Auckland Regiment, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.