HRH The Princess Royal inaugurates new Brookwood 1914-1918 Memorial

Our major new Brookwood 1914-1918 memorial has been inaugurated by our President, HRH The Princess Royal, marking a significant moment in the continuing evolution of First World War commemoration more than a century after the Armistice.

Located at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom, the new memorial commemorates 400 First World War service personnel from the UK and Ireland whose graves were never formally found. 

Many of those commemorated died after returning home from military service, often from wounds, illness, or trauma linked to their wartime experience. For decades, their contribution was not fully recognised.

The structure provides space for a further 800 names, allowing for additional casualties identified through the CWGC’s continuing research, to be inscribed and commemorated on the memorial in the years ahead.

Designed by Studio Wignall & Moore, with landscape design from Tom Stuart-Smith, the site has been shaped around themes of sky, stone and landscape, bringing together architecture, horticulture and history in a natural environment that invites tranquillity.

Our Director General, Claire Horton CBE, said: “We are profoundly honoured to welcome our President, HRH The Princess Royal, to unveil this remarkable new place of commemoration today. This reimagined memorial gives voice to those who were once not commemorated, brought to light through the continuing research. Its thoughtful design reflects how remembrance must evolve, creating a space that speaks not only of history, but of humanity, reflection, and the enduring stories behind every name engraved here.

“For many, memorials to the missing are most closely associated with the battlefields of Europe. Yet here at Brookwood, we have created something truly exceptional, a powerful and contemplative space in the United Kingdom, where visitors can return time and again to remember, to reflect, and to deepen their understanding of those honoured here.”

About the new Brookwood 1914-1918 memorial 

At the centre of the site are 31 Portland stone stelae arranged in a subtle celestial formation inspired by the brightest visible stars above Brookwood Cemetery as the Armistice was signed on 11th November 1918. Benches throughout the landscape have also been aligned with the winter sunlight on Armistice Day, reinforcing the cemetery’s connection to time, memory and place.

Long-term landscape stewardship and sustainable design

Plantings of wildflowers, pollinator friendly species and resilient meadow and heathland varieties have been deliberately selected for their ability to thrive in a low-nutrient, low-pH conditions, with minimal intervention and without long-term irrigation, using water resources more efficiently

More than 400 trees are planted on the site, tree planting is vital to strengthen biodiversity and improve climate resilience.

The landscape has been conceived as a living and evolving space – encouraging biodiversity, supporting wildlife and providing a peaceful setting for generations to come.

Principal Architect, Bradley Moore from Studio Wignall & Moore, said:

“The design sought to establish a memorial that feels contemplative, enduring and deeply connected to its setting. The celestial arrangement of the stones is intentionally subtle – offering another layer of meaning within a wider composition of stone, sky and landscape.

“We wanted the site to feel reflective rather than monumental; somewhere visitors could pause, spend time and reconnect with individual stories of loss and commemoration.”