Project aims

The aim of IWM’s War Memorials Register is to compile an accurate and comprehensive list of the UK’s War Memorials. We currently hold records for over 90,000 memorials in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

War memorials form an important part of the UK's cultural heritage and reflect the changing face of commemoration as well as artistic, social, local, family, military and international history. The Register includes memorials to members of the armed forces, civilians and animals from all wars and to those who died in service.

Our goals are

• To record the art and architecture of War Memorials. 
• To allow family members, friends and researchers to easily locate where service people and all those affected by conflict are commemorated.

The War Memorials project began in 1988 by IWM Director General Alan Borg. Pre-dating the rise in interest in family history, he wanted to record the art and architecture of war memorial design. In line with the centenary of the First World War, IWM began adding names to our records from 2013 onwards, to help researchers identify and find out more about the fallen. 

Enabling volunteers and members of the public to contribute images of War Memorials is key to achieving our aims. So is making sure our list of names and memorials is accessible and searchable.

 

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