First World War heroes may be forgotten by millennials

AN ARMED forces charity has revealed its fears that the brave efforts of First World War soldiers may be forgotten after a survey revealed one in five millennials thought Britain fought it against France.

SSAFA – formerly the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – polled 2,000 British adults over some of the war’s pivotal moments.

It found that millennials were not aware who the British prime ministers were during the war, with nearly half (42 per cent) believing wrongly that Winston Churchill held office.

Less than half (45 per cent) knew that the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-hungarian throne, sparked the war, with six per cent believing it was the assassination of John F Kennedy, the US president who died nearly 50 years later.

The charity is now calling on the public to keep the nation’s history alive on the centenary of the end of the First World War, and encourage families to share their war stories with the younger generations.

Justine Baynes, director at SSAFA, said: “Millennials are the first generation who may not have known a family member who fought in the First World War so it’s not surprising that there may be a lack of knowledge about the war. The further we move away from the conflict, the more important it becomes to keep First World War stories of bravery and courage alive and commemorate those who gave up their lives for our country.”