Aldershot Military Cemetery. 

 

The cemetery was created in the 1850s during the construction of Aldershot military camp by the Royal Engineers, with the first burials thought to date from around 1855. The first recoded gravestone dates from 1864. The cemetery is run by the Ministry of Defence, with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission looking after the graves of the casualties of the two World Wars. 

 

Over 200 years later, there are now over 17,000 service personnel, of nine different nations, interred here. There are 692 graves from the First World War, with dates ranging from 1914 to 1921.  There are 129 graves from the Second World War. There are separate plots for the First and Second World Wars, and for the Falklands War (1982)

 

Falklands War 1982

 

In common with military tradition, some of the casualties from the Falklands War were buried close to where they fell; for example Lieutenant Colonel 'H' Jones VC was buried in accordance with his wishes, close to where he fell whilst leading 2nd Bn The Parachute Regiment (2Para) in action at Goose Green, in the action for which he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. 

 

In contrast, Sergeant Ian MacKay VC of 3Para, who was posthumously awarded the VC for his actions during the Battle of Mount Longdon, was repatriated to the UK and buried in Aldershot. 

Biography Sgt Ian John McKay VC 3 Para
Memorial tablet to the soldiers f the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces and attached ranks killed in the Falklands War 1983
The Falklands graves
Sergeant Ian John McKay VC, 3rd Bn The Parachute Regiment (3 Para)