The burial of the Unknown Warrior is one of the most solemn and symbolic acts of remembrance in modern history. It serves not just as a tribute to one unidentified service member, but as a collective memorial to all those who died in war without recognition or known graves. This powerful gesture originated in the aftermath of World War I, a conflict that saw unprecedented casualties and mass anonymity in death.

The idea was first proposed by Reverend David Railton, a British Army chaplain who had seen a grave marked "An Unknown British Soldier" during his service in France. Deeply moved, he suggested a national tomb for an unidentified soldier to represent the many who were never found or identified. His proposal was embraced by the British government, and the plan took shape in 1920 (Imperial War Museums, n.d.).

On November 11, 1920, the second anniversary of the Armistice, the body of an unidentified British soldier was interred at Westminster Abbey in London. The remains had been exhumed from a battlefield in France and brought to Britain in a specially made coffin. The ceremony was attended by King George V, members of the Royal Family, military officials, and grieving families. As the coffin was lowered into the tomb, tens of thousands watched in reverent silence. The Unknown Warrior, as he is now known, was laid to rest amid the tombs of kings and poets, elevating the common soldier to a place of national honor (Westminster Abbey, n.d.).

The coffin was made of oak from Hampton Court and was adorned with a medieval Crusader’s sword and an iron shield inscribed:
"A British Warrior who fell in the Great War 1914–1918 for King and Country."

Across the Atlantic, the United States adopted a similar practice. In 1921, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was established at Arlington National Cemetery. Like its British counterpart, it honored an unidentified serviceman whose identity had been lost in the chaos of war. Over time, the American tomb was expanded to include Unknowns from later conflicts, including World War II, the Korean War, and initially the Vietnam War—though the Vietnam unknown was later identified and reburied (Arlington National Cemetery, n.d.).

The concept of the Unknown Soldier has since spread globally, with many nations establishing similar memorials, including France’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, and Australia’s at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Each serves as a focal point for national mourning, remembrance, and unity.

The British tomb of the Unknown Warrior remains a site of deep national reverence. It is the only grave in Westminster Abbey where it is forbidden to walk across. Even members of the Royal Family have laid their wedding bouquets on the tomb in tribute, including Queen Elizabeth II and the Princess of Wales, Catherine Middleton.

In an era of increasing digital identification and forensic technology, the idea of a truly "unknown" soldier may seem outdated—but its symbolism remains potent. The Unknown Warrior does not speak for one individual, but for millions who gave their lives and whose names may never be known. The tomb stands not just as a reminder of sacrifice but as a call to remember the human cost of war.

Sources:

Imperial War Museums. “The Unknown Warrior.” iwm.org.uk. https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-story-of-the-unknown-warrior

Westminster Abbey. “Grave of the Unknown Warrior.” Westminster abbey.org. https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/unknown-warrior

Arlington National Cemetery. “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.” arlingtoncemetery.mil. https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier