Could You Help Put a Name to a Face?

One of the most exciting things about military history is that there are always new stories waiting to be discovered.  Sometimes, those discoveries don’t come from an archive or a museum store.  They come from families, communities, and the memories passed down through generations.

UNTOLD: Stories of the Irish in the British Army has recently launched Familiar Faces, a public identification project that invites people to help uncover the identities of individuals featured in photographs from the museum’s collection.

As an accredited museum, UNTOLD explores the stories of Irish men and women who served in the British Army, and their families, over the last 350 years. Through its collections, archives and oral histories, the museum works to preserve and share this often overlooked aspect of Irish history.

The Familiar Faces project focuses on photographs of soldiers whose names and stories have been lost over time.  By sharing these images online, the museum hopes that someone may recognise a relative, a family surname, a familiar face, or even a story that has been handed down through generations.

For those with Irish family connections, military ancestors, or an interest in military and family history, this is a wonderful opportunity to contribute directly to the historical record.  A single comment, family photograph or recollection could help identify an individual and reconnect them with their story.

The museum will be sharing photographs regularly through its social media channels, and members of the public are encouraged to follow the project and keep a watchful eye out for familiar faces.

If you think you can help, you can contact the museum directly at:

[email protected] – quoting the photograph reference number.

To follow the project and learn more about the museum’s work, visit: www.irishuntold.com

You can also sign up for the UNTOLD newsletter through the museum’s website and follow its social media channels to receive future Familiar Faces updates as they are released.

After all, history is often a collective effort, and somewhere in a family album, a box of photographs, or a treasured memory, the missing piece of the puzzle may already exist.

Perhaps the next familiar face will be one from your own family history…