The Virtual Cemetery was created as part of the WW1 Centenary and was sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund. On the worst day in British military history (July 1st 1916) La Boisselle was the worst battlefield. It suffered the highest number of casualties (6,380), the highest number of soldiers killed (2,267) and of those killed the highest number of Unknown soldiers 85% (1,927).
From the personal information that we have left, school pupils from the North of England completed records for each soldier. Each record included a gravestone and the story of the part the soldier played in the battle at La Boisselle. The project was called “The Unknown Soldier” with the Un struck through to symbolise that their story is now known by another person. Please take a few minutes to look out on the battlefields and read a soldier’s story. The aim of the project was to have every soldier’s story read as an individual every year. You can download a story to your mobile and in doing so, extend remembrance throughout the year.
