Vandals destroy soldiers' graves on 75th D-Day anniversary

Vandalised grave of Arthur Sheard, which was destroyed on the anniversary of the D-Day landings this week. Picture: Hirst Wood Regeneration Group

Detectives are investigating after callous vandals smashed the gravestones of soldiers at a West Yorkshire burial ground.

The vandalism occurred between Wednesday and Thursday as the world commemorated those who died for our freedom 75 years on from the D-Day landings.

Criminals smashed the headstones on several plots at a Commonwealth Graves Commission, which had been provided in remembrance of the 75th anniversary, at Hirst Wood burial ground in Shipley, Bradford.

One of the targeted graves was of Arthur Sheard, a WWI driver from Saltaire who died in May 1918 at Morton Banks Military Hospital in Keighley. Mr Hirst's four-year-old daughter Hilda died the next day of an illness and the two were tragically buried together at the plot at Hirst Wood.

Vandals targeted military graves at Hirst Wood Burial Ground in Shipley.

A spokeswoman for the Hirst Wood Regeneration Group said: "Sad to report that a number of gravestones in Hirst Wood Cemetery have been smashed.

"It is mainly the Commonwealth War Grave Commission stones, including that of Arthur Sheard who was buried at the same time as his four year old daughter Hilda, who died two days after him.

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"It is impossible to understand the callous thoughtlessness of those who did this. Do they boast to their friends and relations that they managed to smash gravestones? What possible satisfaction can they get from such a mindless act?