Milton Keynes MP Ben Everitt is calling on local residents to come together and discover the World War heritage on their doorstep by taking part in War Graves Week.
The initiative from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) runs from 21st-28th May and aims to help share the remarkable stories of Commonwealth forces who died fighting in the First and Second World Wars.
War Graves Week encourages local residents to connect with their local history and recognise the skills, dedication and expertise of those CWGC staff who work to keep the memory of the fallen alive.
At CWGC.org, Milton Keynes residents can learn about the Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times project – the focus of this year’s War Graves Week. Alongside the front-line armed forces, the CWGC will be celebrating the value those who served during the World Wars brought to key sectors such as healthcare, logistics, infrastructure and communications, and the parallels wit today’s global Britain which they helped to create.
There are 21 locations across Milton Keynes North with CWGC war graves or memorials, commemorating over 60 individuals. The largest of these is Wolverton Cemetery with nine commemorations. You can find more by clicking here.
Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, said: “I’d encourage all my constituents in Milton Keynes to embrace War Graves Week. It’s a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with our local history and learn about the courageous ordinary people from our community who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
“Behind every name on a war grave or memorial in Milton Keynes is a human story waiting to be discovered and War Graves Week is the perfect opportunity to do just that.”
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is funded by six Member Governments and its work began with building, and now maintaining, cemeteries at 23,000 locations all over the world.