Just before half term a group of students led by Mrs Pretsell, Assistant Headteacher at Amery Hill School, joined former Curtis Museum Curator, and a retired staff member of Amery Hill School, Mr Tony Cross in the cemetery opposite the rear of the school.

For many of the past 25 years a small group of volunteers from the school have helped the local historian give the Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC) headstones a scrub in advance of Remembrance Day and place a small Cross of Remembrance by them. But why there are war graves in Alton?

Despite the fighting taking place mostly overseas in both conflicts of the 20^th century, the CWGC looks after 160,000 headstones around the UK, including a few in Alton.

There were many training areas and military hospitals in the UK during both wars. Training accidents and medical issues also took their toll. UK hospitals also cared for the wounded after their evacuation from European battlefields. Those that passed away during their hospital stay would be buried nearby. Interestingly, there was a Red Cross Hospital in the Assembly Rooms during The Great War.

Britain in WW2 was well known for the battles played out above its skies. Airfields were dotted around the country to protect against enemy air raids and provide bases for missions over Europe. Some casualties were able to be returned to their next of kin for burial locally.

Within both sections of Alton Cemetery there are eight burials relating to WWI and 14 associated with WW2. In addition, there is a private memorial chosen by one WW2 family and several family headstones of both wars that include family members lost overseas.

Three family headstones included the small bronze memorial plaque issued to families who had lost members after WW1, although only one is still in place.

Mounted on the low wall of the Crematorium Memorial area at the top of the cemetery are two small plaques. One commemorates two women from the town who died in SE Asia during WW2, whilst the other remembers the four civilians who died due to enemy bombs falling on Alton in March 1941.