Lewis Brown, media officer at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, introduces its online project allowing us to commemorate those who died in the world wars
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC; cwgc.org) is encouraging everyone to dig out and dust off their old shoeboxes, bags in the attic and forgotten keepsakes to rediscover stories of loved ones who fought and died in the world wars.
As we move further away from the centenaries of the First World War and with the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings rapidly approaching, we want to bring stories of the fallen into the light – before they are lost forever.
And to gather all of those important stories yet to be told, the CWGC has created the website For Evermore: Stories of the Fallen (cwgc.org/stories).
Whether photographs, videos or memories of something passed down through the generations – if it relates to someone we commemorate (men and women who served with British or Commonwealth forces and died in either of the world war periods) then we’d love you to get involved.
All of the material uploaded to For Evermore will sit alongside – but, crucially, not change in any way – our official records of the servicemen and women that we commemorate.
When the site went live in October 2023 Claire Horton, the commission’s director general, commented, “The launch of For Evermore marks an incredibly important milestone in the CWGC’s mission. For Evermore will provide an opportunity for future generations to connect with their own history and learn more about those who served during the world wars.”
Enduring Tribute
She continued, “By collating these stories in what will become the definitive resource of the stories of those who died in the world wars, we have created an enduring tribute to the men and women from across the Commonwealth who gave their lives, and we ensure that they will never be forgotten.”
More than 2,000 stories have already been submitted since our new online platform launched, and hundreds of thousands of people have visited the website from countries around the world including France, Australia, the USA, Canada, Belgium and South Africa.
The array of stories we have received has been both extraordinarily diverse and profoundly captivating. Each narrative brings its own unique perspective, painting a vivid picture of the past. For Brian Pritchard, of Chester, Cheshire, For Evermore was an invaluable opportunity for him to reflect and collate all of the memories
