Blogs from the Front

Outline – Blogs from the Front

‘Blogs from the Front’ forms part of ‘Trench’. Together they will act as a collection of Family, Social and Military History research, stories, ideas and interpretations for the Great War and the British soldier who fought it. Any blog or data regarding the soldier, his unit or the history of The Great War will form part of this research. This is not only a platform for the Soldier’s history, his photos and maps, but also an aid to improving all our perceptions of WW1. During this ongoing research and in unison to sharing the returns and results with you.

At present, ‘Blogs from the Front’ platform is divided into a number of categories or areas of interest, that hopefully will help you identify and create a story for your own Tommy ATKINS.

‘Private Blogs’ – Soldiers

‘Private Blogs’ is the platform arranged to illustrate the common soldier of the First World War… Tommy ATKINS. We may all have a distant relative hidden somewhere in our families past; may be a great Uncle or a Great Great Grandfather. In the first instance, the research into my own Grandparents; including locations, timelines, War Office forms, abbreviations, problems and my own conclusions, etc. These men are Private Leonard LABAND, Leicestershire Regiment and Private George W. SIBLEY, Lancashire Fusiliers.

‘Captains Blogs’ – Divisions

‘Captains Blogs’ will provide some basic concepts of that illustrate the types of Battalions Tommy ATKINS may have served and how were they organised, e.g. there Brigades and Divisions. In the first instance, I will look into the Battalion that is closest to home, i.e. 4th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. To view more regarding this category, click the image or link.

‘Major Blogs’ – Battles

‘Major Blogs’ is the platform to learn and develop an understanding of some of the Battles of WW1. The idea is to go beyond just the facts and figures of a Battle. These stories of Battle can integrate details of the Soldier as well as some photographs and maps. In the first instance, some of the Battles on the Western front will be reviewed, e.g. The Somme, Passchendaele or the Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, Hooge or Messines. Note, the intention is to create, a short ‘layman’s’ history of the Battles of the First World War, however the order will not be chronological.

‘General Blogs’ – Various

‘General Blogs’ is the platform that identifies, in a little more detail, concepts and stories about the First World War. This concept could relate to anything… As the ideas discussed here may not necessarily conform to the concepts of ‘Private’, ‘Captains’ or ‘Major’ Blogs. They would also contain themes and discussion regarding a specific War Office Army form, e.g. AF B.2079 or an important and recognised person of the period, e.g. Kitchener. Also containing more detail regarding World War 1 Soldiers.