Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark is urging residents to discover the stories behind Scotland's 19,000 war graves.

The Scots journalist helped to launch the Living Memory project ahead of the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, in which her uncle fought for 141 days.

She joined forces with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) for the project, which encourages residents across Scotland to remember the people behind the thousands of graves and memorials from both world wars.

Everyone in the UK is thought to have at least one war grave three miles from their front door, and project organisers hope their history will be uncovered and remembered by those nearby.

Kirsty said: “I have a very personal connection with the Battle of the Somme, as my Great Uncle, James Wark, fought for the entire 141 days of the battle. "However, fighting during the Somme and for three years, he died from Spanish Flu just days after the Armistice in 1918.

“He had the most poignant letter in his kit bag, which the family now have, saying how much he looked forward to coming home.

"Sadly, as we know, he never made it, but thanks to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, he is buried and remembered at the Ascq Communal Cemetery in France."

She explained that those who fought during the Battle of the Somme "did so in some of the most horrendous conditions" and said: "We must never forget them, and instead remember these men by visiting their graves here in Scotland and finding out their stories.

“With more than 19,000 war graves in Scotland, I would encourage people to get together and explore their nearest war graves – find out about the person behind the headstone and remember them for the sacrifice they gave.”

CWGC staff have found more than 19,000 graves in 1200 locations across Scotland.

Many of those buried there either died in hospital from their injuries during WWI, or from the influenza pandemic that broke out afterwards.

Community groups interested in locating a war grave near where they live can apply for funding, which can also be put towards research and staging a commemorative event.

WGC Director of External Relations, Colin Kerr, said: "The overseas work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s is well known, but here in the UK, there is little awareness of the graves and memorials to be found in a more than 12,000 locations that commemorate more than 300,000 Commonwealth war dead of the two world wars.

"We believe this is wrong, and through the Living Memory Project aim to reconnect the British public to their commemorative heritage on their doorstep."

Any community group interested in taking part cancan register by emailing livingmemory@cwgc.org or visiting www.cwgc.org/livingmemory.