Galicia
They have been laid to rest in the British Naval Cemetery Vilagarcía de Arousa (Galicia)
Nov 1, 2016 - 1:11 PM
16 British citizens are resting in a portion of Britain in Vilagarcía
They have been laid to rest in the British Naval Cemetery Vilagarcía de Arousa (Galicia)
Nov 1, 2016 - 1:11 PM
A mere 1,500 square metres is overflowing with history. It was the Consul of the United Kingdom, Cameron Walker, resident in Carril (Galicia) who promoted, in 1910, the construction of the British Naval Cemetery at Rubiáns.
The presence of the British Navy in the sea of Arousa, where they took refuge in the winter, has a piece more in the annual cycle of the river since 1874. With all its consequences, deaths included, Walker decided to cremate the remains of his deceased compatriots in Vilagarcía, and transfer them to his own holy ground, constructed on a plot acquired expressly for his proposal, next to the municipal cemetery, Protestant land for protestant cadavers.
As so was born this corner of undeniable charm, despite the very low numbers of visitors. The episodic docking of one Royal Navy boat, whose crew would never forget to deposit a crown in memory of the 16 British citizens, thirteen solders and three civilians, who now rest in peace.
The scant number of visitors started during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, which saw Her Majesty’s Navy depart from these waters, remembering the tragedy in 1890 when 173 marines died on board HMS Serpent.
When Ramón Rebolo and Emérita Mouriño, who were maintaining the cemetery, retired in 2009, the keys to the sacred ground were placed in the custody of the Vilagarcía Town Hall. The gate made of iron forged in Alemparte, was opened again some days ago. The municipal works brigade went to make the cemetery ready for All Saints and All Souls day, by cleaning the stones and the old tombs. Alexander Linsay, Consul in Vigo since 1976, and his wife Irene Amadios, since 1991, have been caring for the sacred site.
Photo - www.lavozdegalicia.es
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The presence of the British Navy in the sea of Arousa, where they took refuge in the winter, has a piece more in the annual cycle of the river since 1874. With all its consequences, deaths included, Walker decided to cremate the remains of his deceased compatriots in Vilagarcía, and transfer them to his own holy ground, constructed on a plot acquired expressly for his proposal, next to the municipal cemetery, Protestant land for protestant cadavers.
Photo - www.lavozdegalicia.es
|
As so was born this corner of undeniable charm, despite the very low numbers of visitors. The episodic docking of one Royal Navy boat, whose crew would never forget to deposit a crown in memory of the 16 British citizens, thirteen solders and three civilians, who now rest in peace.
The scant number of visitors started during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, which saw Her Majesty’s Navy depart from these waters, remembering the tragedy in 1890 when 173 marines died on board HMS Serpent.
When Ramón Rebolo and Emérita Mouriño, who were maintaining the cemetery, retired in 2009, the keys to the sacred ground were placed in the custody of the Vilagarcía Town Hall. The gate made of iron forged in Alemparte, was opened again some days ago. The municipal works brigade went to make the cemetery ready for All Saints and All Souls day, by cleaning the stones and the old tombs. Alexander Linsay, Consul in Vigo since 1976, and his wife Irene Amadios, since 1991, have been caring for the sacred site.
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