A touching new memorial is set to open to honor the ‘forgotten heroes’ of World War One. This memorial will pay tribute to numerous individuals who perished in the United Kingdom and Ireland without a known final resting place. Through the efforts of the ‘In From The Cold’ project and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemorations team, 400 individuals have been identified for remembrance.
Princess Anne will reveal the new memorial on Tuesday, commemorating individuals like nurse Margaret Elizabeth Bramfitt, a member of the Voluntary Aid Detachment. Margaret, born in Sunderland in 1883, became a dedicated nurse after volunteering for the British Red Cross in 1918. She tirelessly served in various hospitals before tragically succumbing to a gastric ulcer in Lichfield.
The memorial will initially honor 400 service personnel, with space for up to 1,200 names. The memorial stelae are already in position, with plans for a surrounding woodland landscape to create an inspiring and pleasant space. Among those remembered will be Serjeant David Anderson McIntosh, who enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1914 and received the Military Medal for his bravery before succumbing to injuries in 1919.
The impact of the First World War extended beyond the battlefield, with many UK and Ireland service members facing challenges upon their return. The new Brookwood 1914-1918 memorial in Surrey aims to restore their stories to public memory and recognition. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission remains dedicated to ensuring the commemoration of all individuals who served the British Empire during the World Wars.
