Most Brits do not even know if they’d a relative who was a First World War hero
As Britain comes together to honour those who fell during World War One, it has been revealed that many Brits are completely unaware they may have their own connection to the war
Almost a third of people do not know if they have a relative who served in the First World War, a poll has found. Researchers discovered 29 per cent of people are unsure if members of their family took part in the Great War.
Fourteen per cent said they have no idea if they have a relative who fought in World War One. Meanwhile, 15 per cent of respondents said they think they have a relative who served but could not be certain.
The poll was released on the eve of Remembrance Day on Tuesday (November 11), marked to commemorate the end of the First World War, that ran from 1914 to 1918. The research also found 27 per cent were certain they had a direct relative who fought, such as a parent, grandparent or great grandparent, and 13 per cent had a distant relative such as an uncle, great uncle or cousin.
But of those who do know if late relatives served 63% said they know “little to nothing” about them. Another 31 per cent were certain they do not have a relative who fought in the war.
The Ancestry website Findmypast asked 2,000 UK adults if they have relatives who served in WW1 to come up with the findings. It has launched a picture gallery on its website called “Faces of the Fallen” featuring 3,500 images of soldiers who were killed, wounded or went missing in the war and which is free to access until November 13.
Historian, author and Celebrity Traitors star David Olusoga said: “This new data suggests that over time, the personal links that connect us to the people who lived, fought, and sacrificed in wartime slowly fade. When a third of people no longer know their own family’s role in the First World War, we risk losing not just individual stories, but our understanding of the effects that the war had on the nation.
“It’s imperative that we continue to remember these lost family members by uncovering and understanding their experiences — and records and photographs are an ideal place to start.” Researchers also found nearly half of Brits – 45 per cent — would like to find out if they have a relative who fought in the war.
Another 55 per cent said they would like to see photos of relatives who served and learn more about their lives. A further 53 per cent said they would like to find out about how the war affected their family.
And 57 per cent said they would feel more emotionally connected to a wartime ancestor if they had a picture of them. Relics of the First World War continue to be spotted even today, as old trinkets continue to be unearthed calling for Brits to head to the frontline and fight for Britain.
However, some elements of the war have caused chaos and confusion, including old disused shells that were deployed over the course of the war. One man was forced to go to hospital, however, for his own connection to the Great War.
An 88-year-old man was taken to the emergency department in the French city of Toulon after he was revealed to have inserted a shell that had been produced during the war up his bum. As a result, a bomb squad had to be called to the hospital, resulting in patients having to be temporarily evacuated.
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