Cemeteries in Bermuda
Military cemeteries all over the world pay silent but visible tribute to the price in human lives paid by members of HM Forces who as well as falling in battle, were victims of disease and other misfortunes.
The cemeteries in Bermuda are no exception and there among members of various other services, lie many members of The Queen’s Royal Regiment. An epidemic of yellow fever in 1864 accounted for a total of 52 fatalities among officers and other ranks of the 2nd Bn The Queen’s serving on the island and resulted in two commemorative obelisks being erected at Boaz Island and Ferry Point respectively. The former monument eventually became overgrown and was removed in 1980 to the military cemetery at Watford Island.
Varied memorials are to be found in Prospect cemetery among them being those to former Governor Lt Gen Sir Walter Kitchener (brother of Kitchener of Khartoum) who died in 1912, Police Commissioner George Duckett who was murdered in 1972 and Pte Lindsey of the East Yorkshire Regiment who died while gallantly trying to rescue a young boy from drowning in 1918.
137 Commonwealth War Graves are also to be found in various churchyards and cemeteries in Bermuda. The Queen’s, by reason of their frequent garrison duties in Bermuda, are represented in many of the island’s “places of final rest”.
A typical and fitting memorial to them is the one at Ferry Reach which reads:-
“In this graveyard constructed by the Soldiers of the 2nd Btn. 2nd Queens Royals lie the remains of the following N C Officers and Privates of that Regt who died at the Ferry Camp, Bermudas during the epidemic of Yellow Fever. AD1864 |
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Sergt. G. Chandler |
Sergt. H. Bonner |
Lce. Cpl. I. Dickson |
Cpl. R. Thacker |
Pte. S. Tomkinson |
Pte. J. Gorrell |
Pte. W. Gunstone |
Pte. H. Morrall |
Pte. W. Rolfe |
Pte. T. Clarke |
Pte. R. Williams |
Pte. J. Morley |
Pte. W. Pugsley |
Pte. J. Lester |
Pte. D. Smith |
Pte. F. Stone |
Pte. J Burns |
Pte. T. Sharp |
This monument was erected by the 2nd Battalion The Queen’s Regiment while stationed in Bermuda AD 1912-1914”. |
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