New project remembers ‘the forgotten front’

The Living Memory project remembers the “forgotten front” – the 300,000 war graves and commemorations here in the UK.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) in partnership with Big Ideas Company are asking the public in the British Isles to re-connect with the war dead buried in their own communities. Broadcaster Kirsty Wark, who lost her great-uncle at the end of the Great War, launched the campaign in Scotland earlier today.

Ms Wark explained that her great uncle James fought and survived the entire 141 days of the Battle of the Somme, only to die of Spanish Flu just days after the Armistice in 1918.

She told the BBC: “He had the most poignant letter in his kit bag, which the family now have, saying how much he looked forward to coming home,” she said. “Sadly, as we know, he never made it, but thanks to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, he is buried and remembered at the Ascq Communal Cemetery in France.”

Ms Wark is urging Scots to visit war graves – 2016 is the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and, as all the old soldiers have now faded away, memories of that huge conflict are growing dim. She has urged people to visit war graves and to reconnect with past generations – including those in more than 1,200 cemeteries across Scotland.

CWGC has 200 large sites in the UK, almost all in big city cemeteries and linked to the hospitals: the majority of these men either died of their wounds in hospital or (in 1918-19) died in the influenza epidemic. In total CWGC graves in the UK are located in over 12,000 locations. They must not be forgotten.

Mark the 141 days of the Somme centenary by joining the Living Memory Project and discover, explore and remember the CWGC war graves near you. It is easy to take part:

Get your FREE copy of the Living Memory Pack

Email livingmemory@cwgc.org for your copy of the Living Memory resource pack which helps you to find a local cemetery and is full of activities to remember those buried there.

Living Memory Online

Share news on your visit to your local war graves and what you have discovered either by emailing uslivingmemory@cwgc.org, posting on our Facebook Page or by tweeting us #LivingMemory

Support

The Living Memory team will be on hand to help you find a suitable date to mark your local connection with the Somme and find a local site near you. Email livingmemory@cwgc.org for more information.

Funding

You can apply for up to £200 in expenses to cover costs associated with taking an active part in the project this year – for more information email livingmemory@cwgc.org .