Findmypast launches groundbreaking new war memorial research tool
New Military Lives tool uses machine learning to connect war memorial names with millions of historical records, revealing the family, community and life stories behind those commemorated
- Findmypast’s free new Military Lives tool links war memorial records to millions of records including census returns, military records and newspaper archives
- Reveals hidden connections between individuals on the same memorial, including family relationships, neighbours, workplaces and shared military service
- Genealogists invited to test the tool, uncover stories from their local memorials and share their discoveries with Findmypast
- First release covers more than 65,000 fallen servicemen commemorated on 9,000 memorials across the UK, with further iterations planned
- Genealogy community given exclusive early access from 28 October, a full week ahead of public launch
Findmypast has launched a new Military Lives experience for Remembrance, a pioneering research tool designed to reveal the rich life stories hidden behind Britain's war memorials.
Launching on 28 October, Military Lives represents a new way of exploring both military and local history. By combining memorial inscriptions with millions of historical records and newspaper articles, the tool enables researchers to move beyond names and dates to uncover the people, families and communities behind those remembered.
What makes Military Lives particularly valuable for genealogists is its ability to reveal unexpected connections between people named on the same memorial. Researchers can explore links between relatives, neighbours, colleagues, school friends and comrades-in-arms, helping to build a fuller picture of communities affected by war.
The project marks the first time large-scale machine learning has been used to connect the UK's war memorial data with Findmypast's extensive historical record collections, creating detailed profiles and relationship networks for those commemorated.
The long-term initiative currently covers more than 65,000 individuals named on 9,000 memorials across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with plans to expand significantly over time.
Jen Baldwin, Research Specialist at Findmypast, said:
"Military Lives is unlike anything we've built before. Military research is most rewarding and special when we move beyond names and dates to understand the person, their family, and the community they left behind. That’s what makes this tool is so valuable to researchers.
“We’d love the support of the genealogy community to get involved early to experiment with the site and free tools on offer, and find forgotten local characters and new perspectives on familiar places.”
As part of the project, historian David Olusoga used Military Lives to explore stories from a memorial close to his home in Bristol, uncovering the story of James "Jimmy" Friend. What began as a single inscription revealed the story of a rugby player, dockyard engineer, publican's son and one of the first volunteers for Bristol's Own ‘Pals’ Battalion.
Military Lives was designed to make these kinds of discoveries possible at scale, helping researchers move seamlessly between memorial records, census entries, military documents and newspaper reports to build richer biographies of those commemorated.
Findmypast is inviting genealogists, local historians and family history enthusiasts to put Military Lives through its paces during the preview period.
- Researchers are encouraged to:
- Explore their local war memorials
- Investigate individuals and communities connected to places they know
- Test the relationship mapping and record-linking features
- Share surprising discoveries, unusual stories and feedback with the Findmypast team
- Help shape the future development of the project
Military Lives will become freely available to the public in time for Remembrance Day, but family historians will be the first to experience this new approach to researching Britain's wartime past.
Preview access available from 10am on 28 October at: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/discover/world-war-i/memorials