Welcome to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The Somme 110 – Our Work Continues For Evermore

The First Day of the Somme, 1 July 1916, remains the single blackest day in British military history. Over 57,000 casualties were taken by the British Army and Newfoundland troops on the first day, with more than 18,500 killed. This is still the largest loss of life experienced by the British Army on a single day.

Today, CWGC Somme cemeteries, memorials, and war graves on the Somme remind us of the sheer scale of loss of the battle. It’s our ongoing mission to maintain, care for, and protect these places, so the memories, lives, and stories of those lost are never forgotten.

Find out more about the 110 Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme

Register for the Royal British Legion commemorative event at Thiepval Memorial

WATCH OUR LATEST WEBINAR - CARING FOR OUR SITES: HEADSTONES

VIEW OUR CWGC DOCUMENTARY

Follow the work of the CWGC, see how we commemorate the fallen across the globe and how we engage current and future generations with their stories.

Our work in Kenya

CWGC has several advanced stage programmes in Kenya to commemorate soldiers, carriers, and porters from across the African continent who were not remembered because of unequal approaches to commemoration over one hundred years ago. The stories from this work are so potent they are best explained by this short film – as told by our Heritage Manager, Patrick Abungu who is a key part of our team in Nairobi, Kenya.

In this film Patrick explains his personal perspective and outlines the importance of finding closure through the research led, community-first approach CWGC is taking as our work continues. We will remember them.