This week, the National Archives announced plans to digitise 1.5 million pages of First World War diaries, with 300,000 completed so far. Marking the centenary, the public record office is making these resources available to a global audience for the very first time with the hope of building a more authentic picture of life in the trenches.
As a history graduate, this is a revelation. With clear memories of travelling from Cardiff to Kew in order to complete last minute research, this required a lot of time and money that I didn’t really have. Being able to view documents like these at the click of a mouse not only helps preserve the increasingly weathered diaries, but it makes wartime education that much more accessible, not just to students but to anyone interested in these events. After all, firsthand accounts, such as letters and diaries, are crucial in understanding history – not only do they allow the reader to make their own assumptions and interpretations about historical events, but they are much more interesting to read than a subjective textbook.
Speculation and interest about both World Wars remains high, however with the death of the last known WWI soldier in 2009, all first-hand recollection has gone. While remembrance is at the forefront of British consciousness, largely thanks to the upcoming centenary celebrations and annual Poppy appeal, many are concerned that the Great War risks losing its clarity.
With half of young people in Britain (shockingly) unable to name the years the First World War started and ended, it’s clear that awareness can still be raised. Maybe pushing these primary records into the digital age will help future generations better understand the significance of our grandfathers’ sacrifices.
You can view the first batch of digitised diaries here: http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/first-world-war/
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