About this site...
When I was born in 1966, the Second World War had been over for more than 20 years. Still, as I grew up, it seemed a relatively recent event. There were plenty of war films about the Second World War, and my father and mother had been born before and during it. Their own fathers had served in it.
The First World War had ended in 1918, nearly fifty years before I was born. This seemed like ancient history to me when I was in my teens, and now, when we are in the midst of the centenary of the Great War, it seems even longer ago.
A wounded soldier on the field of battle Image from Library and Archives Canada.
And yet, interest in the Great War shows no sign of decreasing. In fact the opposite is true. More and more programmes, books and websites can be found relating to it, and interest is growing. The centenary is a part of this, but interest was growing well before this. I believe there are several reasons: the First World War clearly marks a divide between an older, more tranquil and perhaps more innocent way of life and the mechanised, mass production, modern global world that we inhabit today. It certainly shaped our world, including laying the ground for the Second World War.
In addition: -
- The First World War was the earliest conflict for which there is a large amount of imagery available, both still and moving images, unlike earlier conflicts
- The scale of the war was immense - unimaginable to us today. It is often said that almost every household in Britain was affected in some way - not quite true, perhaps, but it certainly touched most; just look at the names on your local war memorial
- An increasing interest in Family History means more people want to trace their roots - like Ian Hislop and many others on the BBC series "Who Do You Think You Are?"
- The veterans of the Great War have passed away one by one, and our last living link with the war is now gone. But the memory of what they did will not fade. In the words spoken every night at the Menin Gate in Ypres ring truer than ever: "We will remember them".
Photographs
All my own photographs published on the site are marked as such and are available to view at full size. If you wish to use them please mail me at Webmaster.
Please note that photos other than my own are credited, where the owner/photographer is known. Where possible, permission has been sought to use these images, and/or they are published in the belief that copyright has expired. If you believe you own copyright or have any other interest in an image on this site please e-mail me at Webmaster.