The Graves of the Fallen

Rudyard Kipling wrote this account of the work of the Imperial War Graves Commission at the Commission's request. Originally an article was published in The Times in 1919 by Rudyard Kipling carrying the Commission's proposal to a broader audience and describing what the graves would look like. The article titled War Graves: Work of Imperial Commission: Mr. Kipling's Survey was quickly republished as an illustrated leaflet, Graves of the Fallen. It was planned to reduce the impact of Kenyon's report as it included illustrations of cemeteries with grown trees and shrubs, contrasting the bleak landscapes depicted in published battlefield photos. There was an instantaneous public uproar following the publication of the reports, specifically about the decision not to repatriate the bodies of the dead. The Imperial War Graves Commission (IWGC) was the British institution that dealt with burying and honoring First World War dead and missing fighters. Today it is responsible for graveyards and memorials of both World Wars in more than 150 countries. Its name was changed to the 'Commonwealth War Graves Commission' in 1960.