World War One

For local history or community groups, schools or individuals interested in researching the First World War, the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre has a wide range of of collections charting Wiltshire’s involvement in the 1914-18 war.

The Wiltshire and Swindon Archive and Local Studies collections at the History Centre hold material that will help you uncover the personal, military and home front stories of those involved in the war.

On this page you will find links to various tools and resources:

Research resources
School resources
Events, Activities and news
Guidance for project activities and funding
Links

We also worked with the Wiltshire First World War Steering Group to create a ‘how to’ guide for those wanting to create digital records of First World War memorabilia, images and stories; giving tips on digital photography, oral history and all those tricky issues around copyright and formats. You can download these as a pdf or word file:

WW1 Digitisation Guide pdf version

WW1 Digitisation Guide word version

Sample spreadsheet for recording digitisation pdf version

Resources

Our archives contain an amazing range of collections inluding:

• Soldiers’ diaries, notes and sketches and service books
• Letters from soldiers
• Military records including field service books, maps and a casualty charts (Please note: we are not the main source for military records. Visit the National Archives and Regimental museums)
• Local military recruitment tribunals
• Photographs, such as regimental albums, postcards and portraits.
• Records for military camps in Wiltshire
• Hospital records
• Printed ephemera such as posters, leaflets and booklets on home-front issues
• Local newspapers
• Rolls of honour
• Resources for family history to discover more about your First World War ancestors, such as census returns, parish registers, school records
• Free internet access to a range of online resources

To view a pdf of a detailed list of research resources click on World War 1 Research Material

Resources and activities for Schools and Teachers

Our First World War resource pack provides a range of classroom resources aimed at KS2 and KS3. For more information about other resource packs and workshops please see our Heritage Education Service pages

Events, Activities and latest news

We have created a blog for the heritage community in Wiltshire for major commemorative activities. It aims to share ideas, news and events; and enable community organisations and individuals to network with each other. The current focus is on First World War commemorative activities. Go to: Heritage in Wiltshire Blog

Guidance for project activities and funding

Some community groups may wish to know more about how they organise activities, network with other groups, or secure grant funding for activities.

Colleagues in the Heritage and Arts teams that work from the History Centre are involved in a Wiltshire-wide steering group Commemorating Wiltshire’s Great War and will be happy to provide information on this and related activities, both locally and nationally.

See what other groups are doing by looking on the Heritage in Wiltshire Blog

We also have experts who can advise on a range of grant funding that may be available and in some circumstances can provide support in writing funding applications.

You may also want to visit the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Links

WW1 – Heritage in Wiltshire Blog

Imperial War Museum

National Archives

Commonwealth War Graves Commission