Taking some of Britain’s 37,500 World War One memorials as a starting point, Ian Hislop explores the ways in which all of British society was transformed by the “war to end all wars”.
There's a memorial to the dead of the First World War in almost every British village, town and city – with almost a million names. We walk past them everyday but probably only notice them once a year on Remembrance Sunday. Not Forgotten has tracked down descendants of some of the men listed on those memorials and the result is an extraordinarily intimate take on history.
This genealogical connection between the past and present brings the soldiers’ stories to life and highlights the impact that the war had on British society. By asking descendants to imagine what the horrific experience of the war was like for their relatives, Ian discovers how the shattering experience of the war changed Britain for good. Some of these descendants will visit their relative’s memorial or hometowns for the first time. Some will know all about their ancestor’s story but for others it may be the first time they’ve even been told they have a connection to the First World War.
Not Forgotten– Class
Not Forgotten – Commemoration
Not Forgotten – Survivors
Not Forgotten – Women
