South African War Graves Project
SAWGP Overview:
The goal of the South Africa War Graves Project is to archive photographs of every single South African & Rhodesian war grave from the 2nd Anglo-Boer War, Bambatha Rebellion, WW1, Rand Revolt, WW2, Korea, Freedom Struggle, Angola-Border War, Non World War and Police to present day.
The photos will either be in the format of a picture of a headstone or a name on a memorial. They will eventually be made freely available to the family and friends of deceased service personnel and to school groups, veterans groups and MOTH shell-holes through the SAWGP website.
Most of the families and friends of South Africa's war dead will never get a chance to visit the graves of these fallen service personnel due to the distances and expenses involved with such a journey. The SAWGP archive of photos will amount to an online South African National War Cemetery and hopefully be able to close a missing chapter in many peoples’ lives by supplying them a photo of the last resting place of a loved one.
Future generations will hopefully be able to learn from this archive, remember and never forget. SAWGP hopes to one day complete this work and donate it to the National Archives of South Africa and / or the South Africa National Defence Force. In so doing they will help to preserve the history of South Africa’s human cost during these struggles for freedom or against tyranny.
The South Africa War Graves Project currently has no official status with the government of South Africa or any of its agencies. It is a non-political project and only acts on behalf of remembrance.
The project is run by unpaid volunteers and is funded by donations to cover project equipment and expenses. To contribute please visit the SAWGP website.
Current Project Status:
26,804 South African & Rhodesian war graves (known to date) and 21,000+ War graves or names on memorials have been photographed.
The goal of the South Africa War Graves Project is to archive photographs of every single South African & Rhodesian war grave from the 2nd Anglo-Boer War, Bambatha Rebellion, WW1, Rand Revolt, WW2, Korea, Freedom Struggle, Angola-Border War, Non World War and Police to present day.
The photos will either be in the format of a picture of a headstone or a name on a memorial. They will eventually be made freely available to the family and friends of deceased service personnel and to school groups, veterans groups and MOTH shell-holes through the SAWGP website.
Most of the families and friends of South Africa's war dead will never get a chance to visit the graves of these fallen service personnel due to the distances and expenses involved with such a journey. The SAWGP archive of photos will amount to an online South African National War Cemetery and hopefully be able to close a missing chapter in many peoples’ lives by supplying them a photo of the last resting place of a loved one.
Future generations will hopefully be able to learn from this archive, remember and never forget. SAWGP hopes to one day complete this work and donate it to the National Archives of South Africa and / or the South Africa National Defence Force. In so doing they will help to preserve the history of South Africa’s human cost during these struggles for freedom or against tyranny.
The South Africa War Graves Project currently has no official status with the government of South Africa or any of its agencies. It is a non-political project and only acts on behalf of remembrance.
The project is run by unpaid volunteers and is funded by donations to cover project equipment and expenses. To contribute please visit the SAWGP website.
Current Project Status:
26,804 South African & Rhodesian war graves (known to date) and 21,000+ War graves or names on memorials have been photographed.
Project Director:
Ralph McLean is the Project Director of the South Africa War Graves Project. He is 34 and lives in Canada, currently in The Pas, Manitoba. By trade he is an IT professional and a military and police antique dealer. Ralph first started helping out the Maple Leaf Legacy Project and as a result of nearly three years of globe trotting came home with a collection of 60 - 80,000 war graves and names on memorials photographed for all projects to date.
Ralph McLean is the Project Director of the South Africa War Graves Project. He is 34 and lives in Canada, currently in The Pas, Manitoba. By trade he is an IT professional and a military and police antique dealer. Ralph first started helping out the Maple Leaf Legacy Project and as a result of nearly three years of globe trotting came home with a collection of 60 - 80,000 war graves and names on memorials photographed for all projects to date.
We would like to thank South African War Graves Project for supplying extensive information pertaining to KIA and missing crew members. The details are incorporated in our "Crews" page.
Please visit the the SAWGP Website
Please visit the the SAWGP Website
