Our War, Their Story

sepia image of soldier writing at a desk
Creating lasting legacies from world war 1

Our War Their Story was a commemorative learning project gathering accounts of those who lived and served during WW1, by members of the local community to create lasting memories of this period through retelling unique, unheard stories of those important to them,  creating a final account of lived wartime experience.

We supported a small group of families and individuals to research and learn more about a person or person(s) special to them or who they have a connection with, to preserve their wartime story to pass on to future generations.

With a team of volunteers who gained skills and knowledge to support this research by taking part in a programme of workshops led by professional experts, we researched and traced personal WW1 journeys to help participants create digital journals, handmade books and films of their chosen person’s unique story.

To celebrate the achievements of those who were part of ‘Our War, Their Story’, On Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July we held a special exhibition of the previously unheard accounts of those who fought, lived and died during WW1. 

This display included a series of unique wartime stories, pictures and research materials by those who were part of the ‘Our War’ project, designed to protect and preserve personal heritage and history that would otherwise be lost to time. 

In addition, we screened a short film that was written, edited and produced by a member of our research group, dedicated to the memory of the Chinese Labour Corps who also paid the ultimate sacrifice. 

A special memorial screening took place at 11.30am on Sunday 14th, where there was also chance to meet the participants of the project.

Included in the special exhibtion were free research guides and resources to help anyone wanting to start researching their families past and we also encouraged those with thier own artefacts, family photos and verbal stories to visit so we could share information and learn more from other local community members.  .

Entry was free thanks to funding from the National Lottery Players.

Learning Resources

An important part of this project was to understand and test ways to research and better learn how to trace and uncover personal histories and heritages, specifically of those affected by the Great War.

Please find below a list of resources, research tools and learning materials that we have found particularly useful during the project. Our hope is that this will be a helpful guide for anyone wanting to start their own journey of discovery about their families wartime past. 

Organisations and websites

If you are beginning your research journey,  these organisations and websites are good places to start 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The CWGC ensures those who died in service, or as a result of conflict, are commemorated so that they, and the human cost of war, are remembered for ever. A good place to start is by visiting the commonwealth war graves commission website and then search on local Roll of Honour for starting points. Particularly useful for locations and specific war memorials.

These guides below are a good resource to understand how to use the site and are useful to help understand other research possibilities specific to categories such as nationality, service or gender. They have links to lots of other sites that can be useful, depending on what you are looking for.

How to Research guides: First World War (cwgc.org)

Find war dead | War graves search | CWGC

The National Archives

Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU.

If a service record still exists, you will hopefully find it here. The archives can be accessed on line or in person at Kew. For more information on how to access their records see the online resources section for research guides and explanatory webinars. 

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Gateways to the First world War

Gateways to the First World War was a centre for public engagement during the Great War centenary. Although the project has come to an end, their website has a wealth of advice and access to materials, plus signposting to other resources and forms of support.

https://www.gatewaysfww.org.uk/

Online resources

The National Archives hold extensive historic records which can be accessed via their website and also in person at their site at Kew, in London. The following guides have been supplied by Dr Will Butler, Head of Military Records at the NA which help explain how to use and navigate around the Archives extensive records. 

 

The following links are useful guides to help you research British Military Records covering the armed forces, medals and WW1 operations.

Research guides: British military gallantry medals

Research guides: British military campaign and service medals

Research guides: officer royal flying corps

 Research guides: British army operations first world war

Research guides: British army officers after 1913

 Research guides: British army soldiers of the first world war

Free Downloadable Toolkits

These free downloadable resources have been compiled with the help of Sarah Nathaniel from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, DR Will Butler from the National Archives and Professor of Modern British History, Mark Connelly. 

WW1 digital resource toolkit that includes all links, websites and guides covered in the project to help you start or expand your WW1 research:

Hierarchy of British Army Diagram:

Research Guide to help study and aid WW1 research compiled as part of Gateways to WW1 centre for public engagement, which ran over the centenary of the First World War:

A guide to creating your own story

If you have a collection of research or memorabilia, letters or photos that you would like to compile into your own book or journal please take a look at the examples below by 4 project participants who compiled stories from their research and show different ways you can present your findings. 

George Wyver

Alfred Charles Goulding

Fredrick Bambridge

Richard Harman

If you would like more information on what to include in your journal or book and how to bring this together using images, diagrams and how to structure your research please click on The Guide to Creating Your Own Story link

This guide is based on the wartime story of Albert Daniels, the inspiration for this project. If you would like to read the fascinating account that is 'Berts Story' please click here

Project highlights

A visit from a Professor of Modern British History 

In November, Professor Mark Connolly from the University of Kent, joined our volunteer research team. Mark who has broad interests in modern military history and warfare, culture and society presented an in depth and fascinating look at how to start researching military history, covering the political preparations for WW1, conscription, battalions, regiments, deployment, rank and file and intelligence as well as a detailed look at the British Army Hierarchy.

Understanding Bert's Story

Our War was inspired by ‘One Man's War’, a digital account of Bert Daniels and his wartime experience created by Bert's Great-Nephew Alex Hare and his father. As an experienced bookmaker and workshop leader Alex gave an inspiriting and heartfelt presentation about how he and his father undertook the research surrounding his great Uncle Bert and how they transformed this into a full and detailed account of Berts life in the form of a digital book and talked though how to undertake a research project to achieve an outcome similar to his.

A trip to Whitstable Museum

The team from Whitstable Community Museum put together artifacts, information sheets and information panels detailing how Whitstable and the surrounding areas were affected during the great war, giving great details about Battalions stationed in the town, local enlistment and attestations, war defences, military hospitals and social changes within the town. 

We looked at newspaper records, examples of munitions, maps, and local documents to give context to how the town adapted to the wartime conditions. We also discussed the civic war memorial and those whose names were included and those whose were missing and why. 

A call from the National Archives

We were very lucky to spend some time talking over conference call to Dr William Butler, the head of modern collections at the National Archives in Kew.

It was incredibly useful to hear first hand how the archives are funded, what can be found in the archives, how to access information both in person and using their online research tools (both free and paid for) and tips to navigate the online catalogues. 

Will also answered some specific and personal questions to help with some particularly tricky queries about individual research journeys. 

Learning a new skill 

As part of the project there will be opportunity to transfer all the research material into digital documents, but we also wanted to provide a way to create physical book or journal to hold special memories, letters and photographs. Both researchers and participants had a lovely morning learning how to make hardback books from scratch, led by Alex Hare and by the end of the session everyone not only had a beautiful fabric covered book ready to add to but also the skills to make more at home if they wished.