Help us to tell the stories of millions of men and women

The Imperial War Museum was founded in 1917 ‘not as a monument to military glory’, but to record the 'toil and sacrifice’ of everyone who had served in uniform or worked on the home front during the First World War.

Now, in the digital age, we can work together to achieve that vision by creating the permanent digital memorial. More than 7.6 million men and women from across Britain and the Commonwealth contributed to the First World War – help ensure that they are not forgotten and that their stories are properly told and saved for future generations.

You can make a contribution to the site until 18 March 2019 - in the final year of the project, we need your help to build rich, full Life Stories for as many individuals as possible.

 

View our 3 minute film to find out more

As we enter the final year of the project, we need your help to build rich, full Life Stories for as many individuals as possible.
The Imperial War Museum was founded in 1917 ‘not as a monument to military glory’, but to record the 'toil and sacrifice’ of everyone who had served in uniform or worked on the home front during the First World War.

Now, in the digital age, we can work together to achieve that vision by creating the permanent digital memorial. More than 7.6 million men and women from across Britain and the Commonwealth contributed to the First World War – help ensure that they are not forgotten and that their stories are properly told and saved for future generations.

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Remember a Life Story

We are creating a Life Story for every man and woman who made a contribution during the First World War, whether they died during the war or survived the conflict. We are asking you to ‘Remember’ them.

By using the ‘Remember’ button on each Life Story, you can mark the individuals that you wish to commemorate. It is also a way to bookmark the Life Stories that you're interested in so that you can return to them easily. You could Remember a relative, a name on your local war memorial or somebody that used to play for your local football team. And you can Remember as many people as you wish.

Get tips on finding your First World War connection

is a way to mark the individuals you are commemorating.

It is also a way to bookmark the Life Stories you're interested in so that you can return to them easily later
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Upload your images

Do you have precious family mementoes that you could share? If you have:

  • Photos of your First World War connection
  • Certificates, documents or letters
  • Pictures of medals or personal items

upload them to your First World War connection’s Life Story, so they can reveal more about their story and be saved for future generations.

View Life Stories with images uploaded

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Tell their story in their words

With your help, we can add a personal perspective to a Life Story and go beyond the facts of medals and service records. Share a story about your First World War connection, such as:

  • A diary entry
  • A story passed down through the family

View stories on Billie Tickle's Life Story

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Piece together their Life Story

So that we pass on a rich and accurate legacy to future generations, the permanent digital memorial is based on evidence. So, before you can add a fact to a Life Story, we ask that you first find and share the evidence that proves it.

We offer 3 ways of connecting evidence to a Life Story:

  • Upload an image
  • External references – have you already found information about your First World War connection on another website, in a book or in official documents? Tell everyone else where to find it too
  • Official Records - search through 487 million digitised and transcribed military and genealogy records including service files and census returns. Search them for free all in one place and then subscribe to view as many as you wish

View our guide adding to a Life Story

Follow our short Guide to searching official records

you wish
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Reunite them with friends and comrades

At the heart of Lives of the First World War are the Life Stories of more than 7.6 million individuals. These people did not live, work and die alone; they shared experiences before, during and after the war. They may have been a member of a battalion, part of a family, a worker at a factory, a player on a football team or one of those commemorated on a village memorial.

Communities are a way for you to group together the Life Stories of individuals you’re interested in. Everyone can view Communities and as a special feature, Friends of Lives of the First World War (subscribers) can also create and manage their own Communities.

Find out more about Communities

At the heart of Lives of the First World War are the life stories of more than 8 million individuals. These people did not live, work and die alone; they shared experiences before, during and after the war. They may have been part of a battalion or unit, part of a family, a worker at a factory, a player on a football team or one of those commemorated on a village memorial.

Communities are a way to bring together the Life Stories of individuals connected to each other, and you can create and populate your own communities by grouping together the Life Stories you’re interested in. Communities are a special feature, permanently visible to everyone on the site, and Friends of Lives of the First World War (subscribers) can also create and manage their own Communities.

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Tell Your Friends

Show your friends and family who you’re Remembering. Share your First World War connection so others can also pay their respects to the men and women you care about.

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Start remembering their lives, today.

Help IWM piece together the Life Stories of over 8 million men and women from across Britain and the Commonwealth who served in uniform and worked on the home front during the First World War.

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