The First World War
The First World War began in August 1914 and developed into a global conflict involving countries and territories across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific. Millions served on land, at sea and in the air, while people throughout the British Empire provided personnel, materials, food and financial support.
British and Commonwealth forces fought in campaigns including the Western Front, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, Palestine and East Africa. Service personnel came from Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, the Caribbean and many other parts of the Empire.
The scale of the loss was unprecedented. Approximately 886,000 British military personnel died, while the Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemorates approximately 1.1 million First World War dead from Britain and the wider Commonwealth. The Commonwealth total includes the British figure and should not be added to it. The National Archives and UK Parliament provide the British figure.
Behind every total was an individual life. The names carved into memorials throughout the UK represent people from almost every town, village, workplace, school and congregation. Recording these names accurately helps preserve the connection between those who died and the communities from which they came.
The Second World War
he Second World War began for Britain on 3 September 1939 following Germany’s invasion of Poland. It became the largest conflict in history, extending across Europe, North Africa, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, Asia and the Pacific.
British and Commonwealth personnel served in campaigns including the Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Atlantic, North Africa, Italy, Normandy, Burma and the war against Japan. They served in the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, Merchant Navy and forces raised throughout the Commonwealth and British Empire.
Approximately 384,000 members of the British Armed Forces were killed during the conflict. Across Britain and the wider Commonwealth, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemorates more than 580,000 Second World War casualties worldwide. As with the First World War figures, the Commonwealth total includes British personnel rather than being an additional number. UK Parliament and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission provide these figures.
Following the war, thousands of existing memorials were adapted and new memorials were constructed. The addition of Second World War names showed that remembrance was not fixed in the past; it continued to reflect the experiences and losses of each community.
Service and Remembrance Since 1945
British Armed Forces personnel have continued to serve in conflicts, peacekeeping missions and military operations around the world since the end of the Second World War. These have included Palestine, Malaya, Korea, the Suez Crisis, Cyprus, Borneo, Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Gulf, the Balkans, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Iraq and more recent operations in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
According to the latest Ministry of Defence figures, 7,201 UK Armed Forces personnel died as a result of operations in medal-earning theatres between 3 September 1945 and 28 February 2026. This includes deaths caused by hostile action as well as accidents, illness and other causes connected with those operations. The figure does not include every person who has died while serving.
The Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum records more than 16,000 names, including personnel killed on duty, those who died in operational theatres and those targeted by terrorists. New names continue to be considered and added. Ministry of Defence statistics and the National Memorial Arboretum provide the current figures.
Across the UK, post-war losses are also remembered through regimental monuments, dedicated plaques, gardens and additions to older community memorials. Recording them ensures that those who died during more recent service are remembered alongside earlier generations.
Statistical note: casualty totals can vary between sources because organisations use different qualifying dates and definitions. Some figures include deaths from wounds or illness, while others relate specifically to combat or qualifying operational service.