War Graves and Memorials

Supporting guides

• How Do I Search Commonwealth War Graves Records?
  Search the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's own site by name, service, unit and date, and use the service number to separate people with the same name. The Commission's record is the commemoration entry, so keep it distinct from the service file.
• How Do I Read a CWGC Entry?
  Read a CWGC entry as a commemoration record: name, rank, unit, date of death, cemetery or memorial, and grave reference where applicable. Additional family details, where shown, come from the commemoration process and should be checked against other sources.
• Cemetery or Memorial: What Is the Difference?
  A cemetery entry marks a known grave, while a memorial entry commemorates a person with no known grave. The distinction tells you about the burial position, not about the service, so do not read more into it than that.
• What If There Is No Known Grave?
  No known grave means the person is commemorated on a memorial rather than buried in a marked grave, which is common for losses at sea and for battlefield losses where a body was not recovered. The memorial entry is still a firm record of death and commemoration.
• How Do Local War Memorials Fit?
  Local war memorials record a community's commemoration, which may include people with a local connection rather than everyone who served from a place. A name on a memorial is a lead to the CWGC entry and the service record, not proof of service by itself.
• What If a Memorial Spelling Differs?
  Memorial spellings differ from record spellings because memorials were carved from lists supplied at the time. Treat a spelling difference as a variant to match by service number, unit and date, not as a different person.
• CWGC Entry or Service Record: Which Proves Service?
  The service record proves service; the CWGC entry proves death and commemoration. Both are needed for a full timeline, and neither replaces the other.
• How Reliable Are Family Details on a CWGC Entry?
  Family details on a CWGC entry reflect information supplied during commemoration and may be incomplete or out of date. Use them as leads for family research, and check them against civil and family records.
• How Do I Use CWGC Cemetery Photographs?
  Cemetery photographs show the commemoration as it stands, which helps place a grave or memorial panel. They do not add service detail, so pair any photograph with the CWGC entry and the service record.
• In What Order Should I Research a Commemoration?
  Work in this order: service record and casualty record, then CWGC entry, then cemetery or memorial details. That order keeps commemoration attached to the right person.
• What If a Person Is Not Listed by the CWGC?
  A person not listed by the Commission may fall outside its commemoration scope, may have died after the qualifying dates, or may be recorded under a variant. Check the Commission's scope and the service dates before concluding anything.