Myers MM

John James

Company Sergeant Major

619

Not Jewish

Roman Catholic

His name is not on the Historic Obelisk in Melbourne General Cemetery. John attested that he was Roman Catholic. Son of John MYERS and Rebecca Ellen née TUOHILL of Police Station, Northcote. The grave was originally wrongly marked with a Magen David and has now been changed to a Cross. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) form “Comprehensive Report (A) of Headstone Inscriptions” under religious emblem has “Jewish” recorded then it is stuck through with “Cross” typed in red above. It is unknown why “Jewish” was originally in this column. On the CWGC form “Comprehensive Reports (B) Headstone Personal Inscriptions” has the request of Mrs R E Myers, Police Station, Northcote, Victoria, “Faithful Unto Death”, to be inscribed on the headstone. There have been other cases of non Jews having a Magen David on the headstone, and when I have contacted CWGC about the error, they have cited “This case has been rejected on the basis that, at the time, relatives were contacted and it is supported through a full register entry, the headstone schedule and the presence of a personal inscription. Therefore, this case is now closed, and no further action can be taken in this regard.” Given that CWGC changed the religious emblem for this casualty for reasons unknown, even though it did have a personal inscription, how do they justify not looking at my in-depth research which has been ruled on by an Orthodox Rabbi and taking the findings into consideration? School: Marist Brothers College, Bendigo. There was no minyan or notices in Jewish publications in Victoria. There is no evidence that he was Jewish. Rabbi’s decision: Ruled to not be Jewish. Therefore not to be on the list for future memorials.