04 November 2026
CWG Chat- The Headstone Directives Detectives
Join us for our CWG Chat - The Headstone Directives Detectives at 12:00 (GMT) on Wednesday, November 4 2026.
A look inside the work of the Commemorations team at the CWGC.
The wonderful world of headstones is quite complex. It can involve a lot of research, investigation, and often rewriting headstone policy.
“Headstone directives” refers to a very large document that holds years of decisions surrounding headstone policy. It is used as a reference point whenever headstone-related work is to be completed.
Join Katie Palmer and Sean Phillips from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commemoration Team as they explain the plethora of different aspects of commemoration at the CWGC:
- Why headstones are formatted the way they are
- Regiment badge code
- Different nationalities/religions
- Joint headstones
- Types of headstones
- Headstone orders for ceremonies
- Materials (explanation of Drawing Office involvement)
- Unusual headstones
- Personal inscriptions
This talk is open to all members of the public. We please ask for a donation of your choice to cover our costs. Reserve your place today.
Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Members: Please see your latest digital newsletter, or email supporters@cwgc.org to register!
Talk information
- Time & Date: 12:00 (GMT), Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
Registrations will close at 12:30 (GMT), Tuesday, 3 November 2026. - Where: Online via Zoom
- Duration: 45 minutes with 15-minute Q&A
- Cost: We please ask for a donation of your choice to go towards our costs. Any proceeds will go directly to the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation
A Zoom link will be sent the week commencing 2 November 2026. Please check your email inboxes, including junk and spam, for the invitation.
This talk is open to all members of the public. We please ask for a donation of your choice to cover our costs. Hit the button now to reserve your place.
Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Members: Please see your latest digital newsletter, or email supporters@cwgc.org to register!
Guest Speaker - Katie Palmer
Katie is a Records Officer in the Commemorations team, working across several different case work strands, including records research and headstone orders. She has worked at the Commission for nearly 8 years and has experience across various departments, including Customer Services, the Foundation, and Marketing.
Katie has a BA in History of Art and an MA in Contemporary History, specialising in Holocaust Memory and refugee schemes. She also works for Holocaust Charity Generation2Generation, which tells the stories of Holocaust victims through the second and third generations.
Guest Speaker - Sean Phillips
Sean works in the Commemorations Team as a Support Coordinator. His key responsibilities include processing headstone orders, conducting historical research, and supporting the Commemorations department with their casework.
Sean has had a unique journey on his way to working at the Commission. After graduating from the University of Kent with a First Class in History and Politics (during which he completed his dissertation on First World War Commemoration), Sean had a brief stint in the finance sector, working at a global fintech company specialising in international payments and foreign exchange.
However, he returned to his passion for history and commemoration and has worked at the CWGC for the last 2 years.
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