More than one million British people lost their lives during the First World War; My Family At War examines just eight stories.

In the first episode, Dan Snow and Natalie Cassidy take two very different journeys to discover what role their families played in the Great War.

Dan Snow retraces the footsteps of his great grandfather, Sir Thomas D’Oyly Snow, who was a General during the First World War. It is an uncomfortable journey for Dan, who is fully aware of how many died due to the mistakes and poor decision-making of the Generals.

The old adage reminds us how the First World War was fought by lions but led by donkeys. Dan goes in search of whether his great grandpa’s poor leadership could have contributed to the demise of so many.

Dan admits: “It was very moving making it. And I was on the verge of tears standing in the graveyards of Northern France – thinking about what happened and the mistakes he made. He was a really old man trying to do the right thing but making these huge mistakes.”

Natalie Cassidy meanwhile, makes her way to East London to find out what the women in her family were doing on the Home Front, while the men went off to fight. It’s an enlightening time for Natalie, who discovers her great grandmother’s house was bombed during the First World War.

“I feel My Family At War has connected me to my own history says Natalie. I’ve now got personal memories. It is like I have been on a journey. It is wonderful understanding your family and their experiences. Knowing where you have come from is very important.”

This programme is part of 1918-2008 – Ninety Years Of Remembrance, a special season of programmes on the BBC marking the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

Monday 3 November
10.35-11.15pm BBC ONE