Not Forgotten

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 n extraoridnarily 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. The series ties in with Channel 4’s Lost Generation website where viewers are encouraged to search for their family name on the first ever database of Britain First World War memorials.