Stuart Anderson MP has said that the UK should lend its expertise to help Ukraine honour its war dead.
Ukraine is estimated to have lost about 100,000 troops since Putin's unjustified invasion in 2022. About 51,000 Ukrainians are reported missing, while over 40,000 civilians are expected dead or wounded.
When a Ukrainian soldier dies, they are normally taken to their home village for burial. If Ukraine had the option of using Portland Stone for gravestones, this would be even more personal.
Stuart's proposal stems from his own experience. His dad, Samuel, died when he was just eight years old. Samuel was a Corporal in the Special Air Service Regiment (22 SAS).
He is buried at St Martin's Church in Hereford, which is known around the world as the last resting place for SAS members.
Stuart has said that the government could also work with Ukraine on the construction of a national memorial. He has added that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission could also be enlisted to support the efforts.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission already maintains 23,000 cemeteries and memorials worldwide. The Commission also collaborates with governments and organisations in order to honour the fallen.
Stuart has written to the Defence Secretary John Healey MP in his role as de-facto Chair of the Commission.
National Memorial
Ukrainian soldiers who are buried in their home villages could also be remembered at a National Memorial. Both the gravestones at home and the National Memorial could be made using British-sourced Portland Stone.
Stuart has said this would stand as an eternal sign of Britain’s friendship and support for Ukraine. His dad's headstone is also made from Portland Stone.
This type of stone has been used in many iconic British buildings and monuments. This includes the Cenotaph in London’s Whitehall, which was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and unveiled to the public in 1920.
The Cenotaph honours British and Commonwealth servicemen and women who died in World War One. The simple, classical design features a stone structure with intricate carvings and is topped with a wreath.
Each year since 1921, the monarch has laid a wreath at the Cenotaph during the Remembrance Sunday Service.
This also includes the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire. The NMA was created to remember those who died on service since World War Two.
16,000 names are recorded on the Memorial, which was officially dedicated on 12th October 2007.
Ukraine Recovery
In November, the government confirmed additional funding to help protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage. An extra £200,000 in emergency funding is being provided to ancient manuscripts and historic buildings.
The grant is part of the UK’s International Cultural Heritage Protection Programme (ICHP). It is in addition to £1.45 million already committed for Ukrainian heritage protection between 2025 and 2029.
Through the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, Ministers have also pledged to counteract “cultural erasure.”
Stuart served for eight years in the Royal Green Jackets, now the Rifles (the local Shropshire regiment). In October 2025, he was appointed as UK representative on the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council.
The Council, which was created in 1998, promotes dialogue, cooperation, and stability across the region.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
“We should stand proudly united with Ukraine, which is on the frontline of protecting our democratic way of life. The UK should lend its expertise to help Ukraine honour its war dead. If Ukraine had the option of using Portland Stone for gravestones, this would be even more personal. My dad, Samuel, who was a Corporal in the Special Air Service Regiment, died when I was just eight years old. He is buried at St Martin's Church in Hereford, which is known around the world as the last resting place for the SAS. His headstone is made from Portland Stone. This type of stone has been used in many iconic British buildings and monuments. This includes the Cenotaph in London and the Armed Forces Memorial in Staffordshire, which I visited a few years ago. The UK Government could also work with Ukraine on the construction of a national memorial to commemorate the fallen. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which already maintains thousands of cemeteries and memorials worldwide, could also be enlisted to support these efforts. So, I have urged the Defence Secretary John Healey MP to support my proposal in his role as de-facto Chair of the Commission. Together, this would stand as an eternal sign of Britain’s friendship and support for Ukraine."
