Category Archives: Research

The 7th East Surreys at Cambrai

Posted on November 30, 2014 by ww1geek

Postcards were produced in abundance during the First World War and can provide a fascinating insight into the men who served. Many were studio pictures of individuals or groups of soldiers, and capture a brief moment of their lives; for … Continue reading →

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Sutton war memorial

Posted on August 12, 2014 by ww1geek

The war memorials in the London Borough of Sutton have recently benefited from a deep clean in preparation for the centenary. Sutton’s memorial in particular was in dire need of attention, its location overlooking the busy A232 making it a … Continue reading →

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Reflections of a Rifleman – Part 1

Posted on June 9, 2014 by ww1geek

Whilst trawling the local paper for information about Carshalton in the First World War, I came across an article published in March 1918 titled ‘Reflections of a Rifleman.’ It was written by Lance Corporal Joseph Fowler, C Company, 1/18th London … Continue reading →

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Lives of the First World War – First Impressions

Posted on March 28, 2014 by ww1geek

Over the past few days I have been trying out the beta of the Lives of the First World War database. This ambitious idea, being led by the IWM, is one of the flagship projects of the centenary. It will … Continue reading →

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Christmas Day casualties

Posted on December 23, 2013 by ww1geek

Earlier this year I accompanied a school group on their trip to Ypres, led by Steve Garnett of Gesta. The first stop on the salient was Essex Farm Cemetery, where John McCrae wrote his famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. After … Continue reading →

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A Great War Sniper

Posted on November 7, 2013 by ww1geek

This photograph from my collection shows a Sergeant from The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Helpfully it is signed by the soldier ‘Yours truly Sgt. J. Wyeth’. However on searching the First World War service records and medal index cards … Continue reading →

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From Yeoman to Tunneller

Posted on May 20, 2013 by ww1geek

My final post on the MacDuff family’s war experiences focuses on Donald MacDuff. Son of Peter and younger brother of William, Donald had a very interesting army career. On the face of it his war record seems quite strange; he … Continue reading →

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