“Stand alone” graves mystery at Crookes (1942 Beighton rail disaster).

[Janus]

The “mystery” was brought to the attention of our walking group yesterday. Detailed information was provided by walk leader and local historian Chris Hobbs, during a themed walk around Crookes.

 

Within the cemetery are two victims of the 1942 (troop train) Beighton rail disaster. Two graves are together. Nothing unusual about that. However, the pair of white headstones are the only graves in an area of ground with no other graves near them, and so conspicuous by their position. It is almost as though there was a planned purpose or intention for some other “occurrence” to take place at some later stage that never materialised. But, 70 years later they remain as "isolated" as the day they were erected.

 

Can anyone provide information relating to this obscure arrangement?

 

Further reading about the railway accident here, (quite long).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/32/a4045132.shtml

Edited October 12, 2014 by Janus

[Annie Bynnol]

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site these two men were buried 'jointly'. Both married and from the South East. So like most of the dead their bodies were not repatriated.

 

However there are over thirty other CWGC graves for servicemen and women spread across the site most of whom are from or have Sheffield links presumably in plots decided on by their family.

 

Their injuries might have been so severe as to be indistinguishable.

Perhaps this area was designated for mass burials of this type but never used.