Free tours will commence at Blacon Cemetery on Saturday 28 May as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) brings War Graves Week to Chester.

War Graves Week is an initiative aimed at encouraging people from 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 Chester and the skills, dedication and expertise of those CWGC staff and volunteers who work to keep their memory alive.

The free guided tour will take place at 2pm at Blacon Cemetery, and will give people in Chester the chance to discover the remarkable stories of the men and women of the Commonwealth forces that died in the Second World War who are buried in their community.

Not long after the outbreak of the Second World War, two large areas were set aside for the burial of service personnel in the newly established Blacon Cemetery. By the end of the war, more than 550 servicemen and women had been laid to rest there.

On the tours, Chester residents 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. To learn more about specific stories of those who served, and the parallels with today’s global Britain which they helped to create, please visit: www.cwgc.org/wargravesweek.

Sarah Moody, a Public Engagement Coordinator for the CWGC, said: "We’re delighted that the CWGC’s War Graves Week will be taking place in Chester. 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 Chester 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 Chester to join the tour to reconnect with their local history to learn about the courageous ordinary people from our community who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom."

The CWGC is encouraging the people of Chester to seek out the stories in their local area and book onto a free tour this War Graves Week. To book a tour, visit www.cwgc.org/tours.