Stones That Tell A Story

I just love headstones that tell a story and I certainly found several during an assignment in Gibraltar. I visited the Trafalgar Cemetery which was used for burials between 1798 and 1814. Despite its name, only two of those buried within died of wounds received during the battle. A sign records that those killed at Trafalgar were buried at sea.

Originally known as the Southport Ditch Cemetery, most of the those buried died in three Yellow Fever epidemics in 1804, 1813 and 1814. Among others buried in the cemetery are those  who died of wounds from other Napoleonic War sea battles - the Battle of Algeciras (1801) and the actions at Cadiz (1810) and Malaga (1812).

Two websites give more information about the cemetery and can be found HERE and HERE.

Trafalgar Cemetery

Back in the dark old days, well, about twenty years ago, I used to carry two cameras with me - one loaded with Kodachrome 200 slide film and the other with Ilford XP1 Black and White film. Oh, how much easier life is now that digital photograph is the norm! Anyway, I digress. As the last boxes were packed today, I glimpsed a photo-negative storage folder and had a look to see what I could find. Here are some of the results.

About twenty years ago, I had an assignment in Gibraltar and took the opportunity to look round some of the cemeteries and memorials on the island.

As the sign suggests, the Trafalgar Cemetery contains the remains of some who died of wounds at Gibraltar after Nelson's great victory in October 1805.

Just how unlucky can you be? This memorial commemorates the lives of Lieutenants Thomas Worth and  John Buckland of the Royal Marine Artillery who were killed by the same shot in November 1810!

The grave of Captain Thomas Norman of the Royal Marine Corps, late of HMS Mars who died in the Naval Hospital after several weeks of suffering from the effects of his wounds received at Trafalgar.

Not that far away, above a very long drop, is this memorial stone set into a wall. Let this be a lesson to everyone who stands close to the edges of cliffs and looks over!