Free guided tours will be on offer at Falmouth Cemetery as part of War Graves Week.

The initiative from Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is aiming to encourage the local community to come together and discover the World War heritage on their doorstep – learning about the stories of those commemorated by the CWGC in Falmouth and the skills, dedication, and expertise of those CWGC staff and volunteers who work to keep their memory alive.

The free guided tours will take place each day on Wednesday 25th May at 6pm and again Saturday 28th May at 10:30am at the cemetery on Pennance Road and will give people in the area the chance to discover the remarkable stories of the men and women of the Commonwealth forces that died in both the First and Second World Wars who are buried in their community. 

War Graves Week provides a unique chance for the people of Cornwall to reconnect with their local history.

More than 220 casualties from both World Wars are buried at Falmouth Cemetery, one of the largest concentrations of War Graves in Cornwall.

On the tours, people will learn about the Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times project – the focus of this year's War Graves Week. Alongside the front-line armed forces, the CWGC will be celebrating the value those who served during the World Wars brought to key sectors such as healthcare, logistics, infrastructure, and communications.

The tours will be led by local resident, Rocky Salmon, who is a volunteer speaker and tour guide for the CWGC. 

Rocky said:

"We're delighted that the CWGC's War Graves Week will be taking place in Falmouth. For us at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, remembrance and the sharing and caring for World War heritage is a daily duty. Behind every name on a war grave or memorial in so many cemeteries in Britain is a human story waiting to be discovered and War Graves Week is the perfect opportunity to do just that.

"I'd encourage everyone in Falmouth and the local area to join one of the tours to reconnect with their local history to learn about the courageous ordinary people from our community who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom."

Click here to book your spot.