RUTH Jones, the Member of Parliament for Newport West and Islwyn, has paid tribute to “past and present” casualties of war as part of her work around Remembrance Sunday.

The Welsh Labour MP met with members of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on a special visit to St Woolos Cemetery in Newport.

Founded by a royal charter during the First World War, the Commission (CWGC) works on behalf of Commonwealth governments to commemorate those who died in or as a result of conflict.

The CWGC looks after cemeteries, memorials and records in more than 150 countries and territories across the world including Australia, Canada and India, as well as the UK, where they have more than 2,000 volunteers.

They maintain 1.1 million headstones, commemorating service men who lost their lives as young as 14 and as old as 91.

As the first-ever MP for Newport West and Islwyn, Mrs Jones has thanked the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for “keeping memories alive” for the communities she represents, stretching from Argoed to Allt-yr-yn.

She has attended the launch of the Gwent Poppy Appeal and Remembrance service at St Tudor’s Church in Blackwood and planted a stake in the Constituency Garden of Remembrance at Parliament.

This year, she is also commemorating the “innocent victims” of ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.

Ruth Jones MP said: “I want to thank the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for keeping these important memories alive for the communities I represent.

“Each and every year, we remember the real human cost of war – not just those who lost their lives, but those who lost somebody close to them or had their lives irreversibly changed.

“Only by remembering the sacrifices involved do we stand a chance of repeating those fatal mistakes. This year, I am also thinking of the many, many innocent victims in Gaza and Ukraine. We will remember them all – past and present.”

Gareth Crossman, head of government relations and public affairs at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said: “It is great to see parliamentarians are engaging with the important work we do and connecting with the stories of local servicemen and women buried in their communities.

“We have loved hearing their own stories and links with both world wars, and during this period of Remembrance we would encourage everyone to discover and add their own stories to our online story bank, For Evermore.”

To discover the CWGC’s stories of the fallen from the two world wars, or add your own, please visit: www.cwgc.org/stories