WW1 Welsh Book of Remembrance

The Welsh Book of Remembrance from the First World War, a national treasure housed in Wales’ Temple of Peace in Cardiff, was digitised over 2014-18 and is now viewable / searchable online. The beautiful, leather bound Book of Remembrance contains on 1,205 pages of velum parchment – illuminated in gold leaf, fine ink and calligraphy – the names of nearly 40,000 “men and women of Welsh birth and parentage, and of all those belonging to the regiments of Wales, who gave their lives in the war 1914-1918.”

Researched and compiled by hand through the 1920s by 5 women working with renowned calligrapher Graily Hewitt of Lincoln’s Inn and the Gregynog Press, the book is the Roll of Honour to accompany the WW1 War Memorial in Cathays Park, Cardiff, opened by King Edward VII in 1928. Opposite Wales’ War Memorial, the Temple of Peace – opened in 1938 – was built to house the book, and in memory of those who had lost their lives, to ‘become a symbol of Wales’ determination to strive for justice and peace for future generations’. These words were spoken in 1938 by Minnie James, a mother from Merthyr Tydfil who had lost 3 sons in WW1, and opened the Temple of Peace on behalf of the war-bereaved mothers and widows of Wales and the world.

This People’s Collection account enables users to access, explore and download images of individual pages and regimental listings (which cannot be done from the searchable interface above). To explore the names, pages and regimental collections are listed in the order they appear in the Book of Remembrance itself:

In larger regiments such as the Royal Welch Fusiliers (which runs to 253 pages),

officers appear first
followed by battalions in numerical order
with soldiers’ names in alphabetical order.

These usually include their home town; please note, this can differ from other WW1 search databases (such as Commonwealth War Graves Commission) which often record place of birth and death.

Navy listings record the name of the ship they were serving on at time of passing.

Please note, some names have been found to be missing, particularly with advances of internet databases and research. As a national treasure, the book itself cannot be altered retrospectively. WCIA will happily publish and display within the crypt, any Hidden Histories of the fallen from World War One, as well as Conscientious Objectors, women, and Black & Minority Ethnic servicepeople whose stories have traditionally been excluded from military remembrance.

Useful Resources:

About Wales’ WW1 Book of Remembrance: https://www.wcia.org.uk/templetours/ww1-book-of-remembrance/

View / Search the digitised WW1 Book of Remembrance: https://www.library.wales/discover-learn/digital-exhibitions/manuscripts/modern-period/the-welsh-national-book-of-remembrance

Story behind creation of the WW1 Book of Remembrance: https://www.wcia.org.uk/blogs/war-and-peace/wwi-book-of-remembrance/

Wales’ Temple of Peace (including Temple Tours): https://www.wcia.org.uk/wales-temple-of-peace-health/

https://www.wcia.org.uk/wales-temple-of-peace-health/