Skip to main content

War Graves, Russia

Volume 155: debated on Monday 26 June 1922

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

92.

asked the Secretary of State for War what action has been taken to mark permanently and organise the care of British soldiers' graves in Russia; whether he is aware that many isolated graves of British soldiers are situated along the banks of the Dwina and elsewhere, and unless immediate advantage is taken of the present summer conditions, the opportunity to take the necessary action will be lost; and whether he will state what was the total number of men lost in British expeditions to North Russia, and what proportion of these men are buried at base camps at Murmansk and Archangel?

The Imperial War Graves Commission have records of many isolated groups of graves on the Dwina and in other parts of North Russia, but under present conditions it is not feasible to erect memorials on graves in territories under direct control of the Soviet Government. Memorials have, however, been erected at Vladivostok and are being, or will be, erected in Finland, Esthonia, Latvia, Poland and other countries formerly forming part of the Russian Empire. Arrangements have also been made for the care of graves in different parts of the Caucasus. The number of deaths from all causes during the campaign in North Russia was 384 officers and other ranks. There are 79 graves at Archangel, 35 at Murmansk, and smaller numbers in many other places in those neighbourhoods.