 As the war continued , Ware and others became concerned about the fate of the graves in the post @-@ war period . Following a suggestion by the British Army , the National Committee for the Care of Soldiers ' Graves was appointed by the British government in January 1916 , with Edward , Prince of Wales agreeing to serve as president . The National Committee for the Care of Soldiers ' Graves was created with the intention of taking over the work of the Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries after the war . The government felt that it was more appropriate to entrust the work to a specially appointed body rather than to any existing government department . By early 1917 a number of members of the committee believed a formal imperial organisation would be needed to care for the graves . With the help of Edward , Prince of Wales , Ware submitted a memorandum to the Imperial War Conference in 1917 suggesting that an imperial organisation be constituted . The suggestion was accepted and on 21 May 1917 the Imperial War Graves Commission was established by Royal Charter , with the Prince of Wales serving as president , Secretary of State for War Lord Derby as chairman and Ware as vice @-@ chairman . The Commission 's undertakings began in earnest at the end of the First World War . Once land for cemeteries and memorials had been guaranteed , the enormous task of recording the details of the dead could begin . By 1918 , some 587 @,@ 000 graves had been identified and a further 559 @,@ 000 casualties were registered as having no known grave . 
 As the war continued , Ware and others became concerned about the fate of the graves in the post @-@ war period . Following a suggestion by the British Army , the National Committee for the Care of Soldiers <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'</mark></a>Graves was appointed by the British government in January 1916 , with Edward , Prince of Wales agreeing to serve as president . The National Committee for the Care of Soldiers <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'</mark></a>Graves was created with the intention of taking over the work of the Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries after the war . The government felt that it was more appropriate to entrust the work to a specially appointed body rather than to any existing government department . By early 1917 a number of members of the committee believed a formal imperial organisation would be needed to care for the graves . With the help of Edward , Prince of Wales , Ware submitted a memorandum to the Imperial War Conference in 1917 suggesting that an imperial organisation be constituted . The suggestion was accepted and on 21 May 1917 the Imperial War Graves Commission was established by Royal Charter , with the Prince of Wales serving as president , Secretary of State for War Lord Derby as chairman and Ware as vice @-@ chairman . The Commission <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>undertakings began in earnest at the end of the First World War . Once land for cemeteries and memorials <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> been guaranteed , the enormous task of recording the details of the dead could begin . By 1918 , some 587 @,@ 000 graves <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>had</mark></a> been identified and a further 559 @,@ 000 casualties <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> registered as having no known grave . 
As da war continued , Ware and others became talkn about the fate of the graves in tdapost @-@ war period . Following a suggestion by the British Army , thdaational Committee for the Care of Soldiers  Graves was appointed by thedaitish government in January 1916 , with Edward , Prince of Wales agreeing to serve as president . The National Committee for the Care of Soldiers  Graves was created w the daention of takin over the wrk of the Ddactorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries after the war . The godanment felt that it was more appropriate to entrust the work to a specially appointed body rather den to any existing government department . By early 1917 a number of members of the committee believed a formal imperial organisation would be needed to care for the graves . With the help of Edward , Prince of Wales , Ware submitted a memorandum to the Imperial War Conference in 1917 suggesting that an imperial organisation be constituted . The suggestion was accepted and on 21 May 1917 the Imperial War Graves Commission was established by Royal Charter , with the Prida of Wales serving as president , Secretary of State fir War Lord Derby as chairman and Ware as vice @-@ chairman . The Commission  undertakings began in earnest at the end dathe Firstdarld War . Once land for cemeteries and memorials done been guaranteed , the enormous task of recording the details of the dead could begin . By 1918 , sum 587 @,@ 000 graves done been identified and a further 559 @,@ 000 casualties was registered as havin no known grave .