The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established by Royal Charter in 1917, has a number of responsibilities:
- Marking and maintaining the graves of members of the forces of Commonwealth countries who died in both World War One (WWI) and WWII.
- Maintaining memorials to the dead whose bodies have no known grave.
- Providing records and registers of these burials and commemorations.
In total the Commission is responsible for 1.7 million graves and memorials throughout the world.
Finding a WW1 Grave or Memorial
The information held by the CWGC can be very useful for people researching their family history (genealogy) or simply trying to find out more about the recipient of a First World War medal. The details provided by the CWGC can help to locate the actual grave within a cemetery or the name commemorated on a WW1 memorial if you're planning to make a visit.
“Debt of Honour Register” Online
You can search the “Debt of Honour Register ” online for all 1.7 million deaths of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two world wars.
The information you will be provided with from the register will be:
- name
- initial(s)
- nationality
- rank
- regiment/service
- date of death
- service number
- casualty type
- reference for the grave or place of commemoration as a Plot, Row and Grave reference
- historical details about the cemetery or memorial
- where to find the cemetery or memorial.
Additional information which may be included on the Register, if it has been recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, may be the person's military unit (at the time of death), age, and next of kin with an address.
By way of example, the details on the “Debt of Honour Register” for Corporal Thomas Henry Parker are as follows:
| Name: | PARKER, THOMAS HENRY |
|---|---|
| Initials: | T H |
| Nationality: | United Kingdom |
| Rank: | Corporal |
| Regiment/Service: | Royal Welsh Fusiliers |
| Unit Text: | 2nd Bn. |
| Age: | 26 |
| Date of Death: | 06/11/1916 |
| Service No: | 36892 |
| Additional information: | Son of Henry and Fanny E. Parker, of 11, Burnt Hill Lane, Rugeley, Staffordshire. |
| Casualty Type: | Commonwealth War Dead |
| Grave/Memorial Reference: | 1.A.1. |
| Cemetery: | LONDON CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, LONGUEVAL |
If you only know the surname of the person you are looking for, and it is a common name, you may find that there is a very long list of names to search through. If you can narrow down the search by providing any details to the “Debt of Honour Register” search box options it will help your search considerably. These details are:
- War (First or Second World War)
- Year of Death
- Force (Army, Air Force, Navy, Merchant Navy, Civilian)
- Nationality
To look up a casualty on the online “Debt of Honour Register” go to
Commonwealth War Graves Commission “Debt of Honour Register” Grave Location Enquiries by Post, Telephone or Email
Records are held at the Commission's Head Office in Maidenhead. If you cannot find the information you require from an online search of the “Debt of Honour Register”, you can make an enquiry by post, telephone or email. Generally, traces for a grave will be free for immediate relatives, but others may have to pay a small fee for this service. Contact details for the CWGC are given below.
CWGC Area Offices
Area offices with responsibility for maintaining the graves of British and Commonwealth forces who died on the battlefields of Belgium and France can be visited. The offices hold a set of registers for the cemeteries and memorials.
Northern Europe Area: Ieper (Ypres)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Elverdingsestraat 82, B - 8900 Ieper, Belgium
Telephone +32 (0)57 20 01 18; Fax +32 (0)57 21 80 14
France Area: Beaurains (near Arras)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Rue Angèle Richard, 62217 Beaurains, France
Telephone +33 (0)3 21 21 77 00; Fax +33 (0)3 21 21 77 10
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Publications
- Video 'A Debt of Honour': A 47 minute film charting the history of the Commission. Commentary by Michael Palin. PAL/VHS format.
- Memorial and Memory: A 23 minute video aimed primarily for educational use in schools. PAL/VHS format. Single copies provided free of charge to schools.
- The Unending Vigil - The History of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission by Philip Longworth.
- Cemetery and Memorial Registers
- Information Sheets: A series of free information sheets illustrating aspects of its work and major cemeteries and memorials.
- Recipients of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Medals (121 page book)
- Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour
- Computer Database Printed Reports
- Road Atlas: Cemeteries and Memorials in Belgium and Northern France. A new compact road atlas covering the areas of the densest population of war cemeteries in Belgium and northern France including Normandy. The Michelin road maps in the 1:200 000 scale series are overprinted to show the location of each Commonwealth cemetery and memorial.
For information on publications available from the Commission, prices and methods of payment visit:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Publications
Contact Information
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Head Office, 2 Marlow Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7DX
Telephone +44 (0)1628 634221
Fax +44 (0)1628 771208
Copyright Joanna Legg & Graham Parker © 2000 All rights reserved. Last updated June 23, 2009