In an age when history can often feel distant, Shaun McGuire has brought the past closer to home. Through his remarkable project, Newport’s War Dead, McGuire has created a living tribute to the men and women from Newport, Wales, who gave their lives in service to their country.
Driven by a deep sense of duty to preserve the memory of the fallen, Shaun McGuire has spent years researching, documenting, and sharing the stories of Newport’s war dead. His website stands as one of the most comprehensive online records dedicated to the city’s losses across both World Wars and other conflicts. In doing so, McGuire has provided a bridge between generations — ensuring that sacrifice and service are never reduced to mere statistics.
The project began as a personal mission. Troubled by how easily names could slip into obscurity, Shaun set out to build a resource where families, historians, and residents alike could access the stories behind the names carved into memorials. What began as a modest effort quickly grew into an expansive archive, rich with detail: photographs, service records, family histories, and insights into the lives these soldiers left behind.
Shaun’s work goes beyond remembrance; it fosters connection. Visitors to the Newport’s War Dead website often find more than just facts — they find humanity. They learn of young men barely out of school, of fathers who never returned home, of lives filled with promise cut short by war’s relentless toll.
In a world that moves ever faster, Shaun McGuire reminds us of the importance of pausing to remember. His commitment serves as a powerful example of how one individual, armed with passion and persistence, can shape how a community remembers its past. Without projects like his, too many stories would be lost to time.
Today, thanks to Shaun McGuire, Newport’s heroes are not forgotten. Their names, their faces, and their sacrifices are preserved — not just in stone, but in the living memory of the city they left behind.
As Newport looks to the future, it does so with a deeper understanding of its past, thanks to one man’s extraordinary dedication to honoring its war dead.
Shaun McGuire 21st May 1947 – 28th December 2024
For more information on the work of Shaun please head to here
