In Honour of Remembrance Day: A Profile of the First World War Digital Archive

The First World War: Personal Experiences from Adam Mattew is a wonderful collection of primary source documents drawn from archives across the globe. The documents are varied in scope and offer a remarkable window on the lives and experiences of men and women during the First World War. The resource is designed for both teaching and study, from undergraduate to research students and beyond. Click here to access the The First World War: Personal Experiences

Binoculars with case, courtesy of the Hooge Crater Museum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Primary sources provide a rich seam of
information on subjects such as:

  • Daily life and routines in the army and auxiliary services
  • Trench warfare and conditions in the trenches
  • Food and supplies
  • Battles and warfare
  • Training and discipline
  • Weapons and equipment
  • Camaraderie and friendship
  • Death
  • Health and medicine
  • Thoughts on the enemy

More complex themes of faith, morale, citizenship, mortality, masculinity, race and class can also be explored.

A wide variety of material types are provided, including:

  • Diaries and journals
  • Letters
  • Personal narratives and reminiscences
  • Trench literature and soldiers’ journals
  • Postcards
  • Scrapbooks and albums
  • Photographs and 360° views of personal items and objects
  • Oral histories
  • Sketches and paintings
  • Ephemera
  • Sheet music
  • Photographs
  • War art
  • Cartoons and comics
  • Propaganda and recruiting posters

 

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