Tangmere RAF & Luftwaffe graves

Passed by again today. Well, it wasn’t trying to snow and I just thought…Why not?
Sign says that services will be held in the community centre (might have said that last time – I have no recollection) and the fences and notices affixed to them are most disheartening, giving the impression that the renovations won’t be completed for several months (but then thats how the money flows…).
Anyway, I attach a picture incase no-one knows what a no entry sign looks like outside a church…

Flood.

I think that given the fact that this isn’t urgent, we’ll wait until the work is completed.

Despite what the Rector says, the site IS obviously out of bounds. If you guys can monitor the situation from time to time, and let me know when either of you can get on site, I will hopefully know by then which graves I need photos of. One will certainly be an ‘unknown’ German buried there, or so I’m told.

It’s a pity no one on here has any photos from a previous visit to the churchyard.

Geoff.

I’ll try to take a look for myself as soon as I can, and see how things are.

mike

Just seen Flood’s reply; perhaps the rector was being tactful, and really meant ‘stay away’ 🙂

Thats as maybe – but the fences across the entrances with NO ENTRY did not give the impression that you could enter at your own risk… Plus there were signs about not letting kids play on building sites so – to me – entering the grave yard would be rather giving the wrong impression.
If I am passing I will have another look (if the weather is better, of course!). Are you after anything/anyone in particular?

Flood.

Got a reply today from the Rector of Tangmere Church, which goes as follows

‘Dear Mr. Kennell,

Thank you for your email.

It is hoped that work on repairing the roof and the spire at St. Andrew’s Church will commence at the beginning of April. There are at the moment still a number of tiles on the roof which may be loose so it might be unwise to enter the site until these have been attended to. I will, however, keep you informed.

Colin Fowler
Rector’

He doesn’t say you can’t go to the churchyard, but as it isn’t urgent, I will leave it up to you if you run the risk of a tile on your nut, or wait until the work is completed.

Geoff.

Thanks for the info Flood:(

Macky42 – I’ve emailed the Rector re access to the graves & will let you all know what reply I get.

Geoff.

Its has to be a big renovation – never seen a church so fenced-in without being demolished. Believe this was the one which suffered a lightning strike and suffered a lot of damage to its spire recently.

Flood.

OK I’ll check now and then if VP wishes.

Sorry people – I was passing there this morning (while it was sleeting, in fact) with an hour to spare and stopped off at the church; it is under restoration and whole site is only opened for services.
The main entrance and footpath entrance were blocked off – so unless you are going anywhere near it on a Sunday morning/afternoon or during a funeral in the next month or so…

Flood.

ok

macky42,

Thanks for that. In the case of the photos of the individual headstones, I find it best to take two shots of each one, from a 45 degree angle left & right. That way, you should get one shot where the angle of the sun shows up the engraved lettering best.

Anyone who has photographed a CWGC headstone will know how the lettering doesn’t show up too well unless the sun is at the right angle.

It may be best to put the images on a CD-ROM, if there are too many to email. Let me know when you’ve taken the photos & I’ll PM you my address or email address.

Cheers

Geoff.

I live not far away (Ford), if I’ve got until April or May I can surely find some time to go over there.

ps. I’m not a pro photographer, I’ve just got a Fuji pocket digicam.