This book is compiled from the records maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission of servicemen and women killed or missing since the start of the First World War in 1914. The book is divided into five sections that contain details of the location within the site where service personnel who were one of five or less of their particular service rank to lose their lives are commemorated. Every life lost as a result of military service is a tragedy for the family and friends of the individual, and this book does not seek to imply that those listed here are any more deserving of memory than those not selected. The CWGC lists 107,524 names of dead or missing United Kingdom Naval personnel who are remembered at locations worldwide. Of these 18,660 (17.4%) are listed on the Chatham Naval Memorial.