From: lpagnani@juno.com <lpagnani@juno.com> To: tree.tops@virgin.net <tree.tops@virgin.net> Cc: TREETOPS-NEWS-L@rootsweb.com <TREETOPS-NEWS-L@rootsweb.com> Date: 15 May, 2002 16:43 Subject: Re: [TREETOPS-NEWS] CEMETERIES I'm not sure if I am thinking of the same cemetery as Renee mentioned, but there is a very special cemetery in NC.  It is on the island of Ocracoke and the story behind it is wonderful.  I came upon it quite by accident while wandering around this small island.  There was a gentleman there putting flowers on the graves and he asked if I knew the story?  It seems that the islanders often were able to see and hear evidence of sea battles taking place off their shore during WWII.  After one such episode, the bodies of (I believe) four British seamen were washed up the island.  The islanders were not able to identify the men, but recognized them as British sailors by their uniforms.  The buried them together in a special plot of land.  After the war, all of the men were eventually identified, and although the British government would have borne the expense of moving the remains back to Britain, none of the surviving families wanted them disturbed.  As a special part of the July 4th celebration during the US bi-centennial year, this small plot of land was actually deeded over to the British government in a special ceremony attended by both US and British dignitaries.  The purpose of this gesture was to ensure that these brave lads would rest "at home", in English soil.  I found this so touching and still cannot recount the story without tearing up.  I have been back to visit several times and it is always a moving experience.  Linda Michigan, USA 

here is one web site about the cemetery http://www.ocracoke-nc.com/cemetery/ ===== Dan Clark County Coordinator Crisp and Dooly Counties in Georgia and Herefordshire in England http://www.rootsweb.com/~gacrisp http://www.rootsweb.com/~gadooly http://www.rootsweb.com/~enghwr __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience http://launch.yahoo.com