Brookwood memorial unveiled as more WW1 names emerge

The memorial has been designed so more names can be added

A memorial to commemorate the fallen of WW1 as their names continue to emerge including many who died later of their wounds, has been unveiled in Surrey.

The Duke of Kent inaugurated the new design earlier at Brookwood Military Cemetery.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) said many of the missing names related to those who had died away from the battlefield.

Many died after they were discharged as unfit for further active service.

'Missing from records'

CWGC historian Dr Glyn Prysor said about half a million people were missing after the war.

Memorials were built to commemorate people known to have died or whose bodies or graves could not be found.

But thousands of people were also brought back to the UK for medical treatment, he added.

And he said it became clear over the years that some of their names were missing from official records made during and shortly after the conflict.

"It became very obvious we needed to build a brand new memorial to ensure all of those people wouldn't be forgotten and their names would be remembered in the same way," he said.

Each case is being looked at by the CWGC, families, historians and volunteers who formed In From the Cold - a project to research and identify all service personnel missing from official records who died during both world wars.

As additional cases are accepted, names will be added to the new Brookwood 1914-1918 memorial.

Currently, the memorial has just over 260 names, but it has been designed so more can be added.

Brevet Colonel Arthur Moorhead served as an army doctor for 23 years

Action in France

Brevet Colonel Arthur Moorhead is one of the men whose names are already listed on the memorial.

He was born in Mauritius in 1872, went to school in Edinburgh and qualified as a doctor in 1893.

His family said they always knew he served as an Indian Army Medical Officer.

But research by the CWGC found he served as an army doctor for 23 years up to his death in 1916, and during his career he was promoted to Surgeon Captain, then Major, and later Lieutenant Colonel.

Col Moorhead, who saw action in France in 1914 and commanded a field ambulance, was invalided home in December 1915, and died aged 44 three months later.