Introducing the 2024 Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Thiepval Guides

Visiting the Thipeval Memorial this summer? Be sure to say hello to our amazing CWGF Guides working at this majestic memorial! Get to know them a little better below.

Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Guides

Young people with a passion for history, our Guides work at some of our most iconic sites in France and Belgium.

They welcome guests, share the incredible stories of those commemorated by Commonwealth War Graves, and help our visitors on their personal journeys of remembrance.

We’re excited to welcome a fresh wave of Guides to Thiepval this summer. Thiepval is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Memorial in the world, commemorating more than 72,000 missing First World War officers and enlisted men.

The Guides will be there to share with you the history of the memorial, our work in maintaining Thiepval, and the stories of those commemorated on its monumental name panels.

Introducing the Commonwealth War Graves Thiepval Guides

Image: CWGF Guide Esme Smith

First up is Esme Smith. Esme recently graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in history and is one of the Guide team working at Thiepval this summer.

Hi Esme. Thanks for talking to us. So, why did you want to work for Commonwealth War Graves?

My first visit to a Commonwealth War Graves cemetery was in September 2023, and I immediately fell in love with the organisation. I was amazed by the level of care which is put into every individual grave, through the gardener’s work along with the attention to detail on the headstones.

I have always been a keen historian, so the chance to talk about the war daily, and to help commemorate the missing, was too great an opportunity to miss.

That’s great to hear! What are you most looking forward to during your time with us?

Definitely meeting different people and hearing new stories every day.

Many of our visitors will be at Thiepval to see the names of family members on the memorial, so I am really looking forward to hearing the life stories behind those names, from the families who know them best.

It’s the stories of those in our care that are truly fascinating. Speaking of, do you have a personal connection to anyone commemorated by Commonwealth War Graves?

My great-great-grandfather, John William Guy, served with the Lancashire Fusiliers and is buried in Sucrerie Cemetery, just north of Thiepval. He was killed three months before the Armistice when my great-grandfather was only a few months old. Visiting his grave last year was really special.

That’s very touching, thank you for sharing. Finally, what were you doing before you joined us a Guide and do you have any plans for after?

I have just finished my history degree at Cambridge, so I was busy with a lot of dissertation writing and revising!

I have no immediate plans, but I’m definitely hoping to do something history-related!

Image: CWGF Guide Zoë Webster

Zoë Webster will be welcoming visitors to the Thiepval Memorial alongside her fellow guides this summer, having just completed an undergraduate history at Oxford.

Hey Zoë. Welcome aboard! What inspired you to work for Commonwealth War Graves?

I visited Ieper on a school trip in 2016 and laid a wreath on behalf of my class at the Menin Gate. 

This experience, and time spent visiting CWGC cemeteries and battlefields, left a real impression. I remember feeling overwhelmed by the scale of the conflict conveyed to us through the sheer size of the memorials.

History has always been one of my greatest interests and I am fascinated by how people now approach remembering and learning about the past. In addition, I wanted to take the opportunity to learn and share more about the First World War and the commission’s efforts.

Now, having learnt more about the work of commemoration, I appreciate the CWGC’s ongoing commitment to remembering and maintaining these historical sites. Its active efforts, over the course of more than a hundred years, have facilitated countless moments of connection, education, and reflection.

That’s lovely. What are you looking forward to most as a Guide?

Mostly, I am looking forward to learning stories about the individuals commemorated by the commission and reading about their different lives and service. 

I want to help visitors explore their personal connections to those commemorated here, and to hear the stories passed down within families.

Additionally, I am looking forward to taking the opportunity to learn more about the landscape and the geography of the area, in order to better understand the battle of the Somme.

Do you have a connection to anyone in our care?

Various members of my family served in the Air Force and the Army throughout the 20th century, none died in service during the wars and so are not commemorated by the CWGC. However, I like to look out for CWGC headstones when I am at home, to see how local people are commemorated.

And lastly, what were you up to before and what do you plan to do after?

I finished my undergraduate degree in History at the University of Oxford in 2023 and have been working various jobs and travelling in the year since, trying to have a gap year.

I would love to continue to work with history in some way! I want to work in the museums and heritage sector and develop a career in this field.

Image: CWGF Guide Katie Wilson

Katie Wilson joins Zoë and Esme at Thiepval where Commonwealth War Graves commemorate over 72,000 servicemen whose graves are not known.

Hey Katie. Thanks for talking to us. What made you want to become a CWGF Guide? What are you looking forward to most?

I grew up going to Commonwealth War Graves Commission sites, learning about, and understanding, who they represent and their continued aim of commemorating those who lost their lives during the war. 

As such I have always wanted to aid in their commemoration, and so when I saw the job I knew that I needed to apply.

I love looking at personal aspects of history, therefore I am most looking forward to learning personal stories and sharing those with others.

Sharing the stories is one of the best things about being a Guide. Do you have any personal stories of casualties in our care?

Although my Great-Granddad survived, not all those who he served with did. In 2017, my family and I were able to follow his regimental war diary and visit sites 100 years on from when he would have been there. 

And thanks to the work of the CWGC, 100 years after one of the men my Great-Grandfather served alongside was killed, we were able to visit his grave and pay our respects.

Finally, what were you doing before you became a Guide and do you have any plans for after?

Before this I volunteered with the National Trust as a visitor host and as a collection and care volunteer.

I am hoping to go on a gap year and then continue my study of history through an undergraduate degree at university.

So, if you’re visiting Thiepval or Tyne Cot this summer, be sure to say hello to Zoë, Esme, Alex and Katie. They’ll be on hand to help you discover more about our work and the stories of those we commemorate.

Want to support the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Guides Programme? Donate Today

The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Guides Programme gives young history lovers an opportunity to work for Commonwealth War Graves in France and Belgium.

They welcome visitors, share the incredible stories of those commemorated by Commonwealth War Graves, and help assist our guests on their journey of remembrance at important sites like Thiepval in Northern France and Tyne Cot, Belgium.

We’re passionate about preserving the memories of the Commonwealth’s war dead and interacting with young people to keep their stories alive. Our Guides help us in our core mission while becoming equipped with real-life skills to aid their personal development.

Our Guides Programme relies on your generosity. 

£100 could pay to fully train one of our Guides ready for their experience of working abroad so they are best able to welcome visitors, share the incredible stories of those we commemorate, and help assist visitors on their journey of remembrance.

Please donate to the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation today to keep projects like this going.