77 replies to this topic

[seany]

I'm with you on this - if you want any help, usually of the clumsy, uncoordinated but willing variety.

Chris_Baker, on 28 June 2011 - 01:51 PM, said:

Here's my thought.

GWF TV!

And if the GWF doesn't wish to do this, I will!

[NigelS]

Andrew Hesketh, on 28 June 2011 - 06:19 PM, said:

One relatively simple and do-able idea which links with the 'on this day' theme is to add a line to the Remembering Today feature. With forethought a bank of 'On this Day' statements could be prepared for daily display on the GWF banner. It might also be a nice team effort project for the pals. It would create a bit of extra work for Matt who does the techie bit on RT but if we speak to him nicely...

The NA has the archived version of the MOD's Defence News 'On this day' feature Click - it doesn't cover just WW1 though, but all the UK's military history; despite many errors, I've got into the habit of viewing it daily. The 'Remembering Today' feature is transient and disappears after the day, so if we were to go down this route perhaps the ability to recall previous entries so that it would be available for future use might useful. Perhaps it could be done as a blog, as used successfully, although that wasn't daily, for WW1:Experiences of an English Soldier (Harry Lamin)   Click

NigelS

[Andrew Hesketh]

Yes, I was thinking that the complete set of entries could form an accessible archive. I just failed to mention it!

[ph0ebus]

I was thinking of a modification of the 'on this day' feature, except instead of focusing on headlines, we follow some rank and file soldiers (from both sides) from enlistment through their first front line experiences and beyond.  Who will live?  Who won't?  We can make it as straightforward or as textured as we want, and we won't know until the Armistice who survives against the tremendous odds against them.

Daniel

[charlesmessenger]

Since the membership of the GWF is international, we should take care that whatever we do is not too Anglocentric.

Charles M

[ph0ebus]

charlesmessenger, on 29 June 2011 - 08:32 AM, said:

Since the membership of the GWF is international, we should take care that whatever we do is not too Anglocentric.

Charles M

Agreed.  I think that those who would pull this off would be mindful of that, so I for one am not terribly concerned.

Chris, I also think your idea is fantastic.  Keep the ideas coming, folks!

-Daniel

[Auimfo]

ph0ebus, on 28 June 2011 - 09:57 PM, said:

I was thinking of a modification of the 'on this day' feature, except instead of focusing on headlines, we follow some rank and file soldiers (from both sides) from enlistment through their first front line experiences and beyond.  Who will live?  Who won't?  We can make it as straightforward or as textured as we want, and we won't know until the Armistice who survives against the tremendous odds against them.

Daniel

I like this idea Daniel.   But to expand upon it, I think it would be a great idea if each day/week we could follow a group of soldiers (of mixed nationality and rank) through their own words in letters and diaries.   I'm not just thinking 3 or 4 but something like 10-15 (or even more perhaps).   And for any who are killed we could try to follow up with official correspondence etc plus any letters or diary entries from loved ones.   Further soldiers could also be introduced as they enlist later in the war and someone from the US in 1917.   By the Armistice, it should form a very comprehensive personal view of the war from all sides.

Cheers,
Tim L.

[Keith Roberts]

I had the thought last night that we could also make "Remembering Today" part of the commemoration by listing someone who died  exactly 100 years earlier during the period of the anniversary. There might be a few gaps in August 1914, not sure.


Could I add that in a few weeks I will try to summarise the suggestions, and that various stages are then required.

Reducing the suggestions to a short list
Mods to consider viability
Then maybe a further discussion, and a formal way forward agreed, with individuals taking the lead perhaps in small groups to fine tune and develop the idea. I think a Mod ought to at least be included as an observer in those groups so that we stay in touch as ideas develop.
Then decision time.
Followed by action.

Keith

[CROONAERT]

Keith Roberts, on 30 June 2011 - 02:56 PM, said:

There might be a few gaps in August 1914, not sure.

There shouldn't be if all nations are to be considered (I believe that the 1st and the 3rd August are the only two days where some difficulty might be had) ... it was ,after all, one of the bloodiest months of the whole war


Dave

[Keith Roberts]

Dave

I take your point, but at present we are using a single source, which doesn't include naval personnel, or those from outside the Imperial forces. I'm hoping that the new CWGC database when it is launched will broaden our scope by providing a date search function which will bring at least the naval personnel into the equation.


Keith

[Chris_Baker]

I think Dave was referring to the abundance of French, German and Belgian casualties.

[Keith Roberts]

I take that point Chris, But perhaps would welcome some advice as to a straightforward way of acquiring the information that doesn't involve a significant research exercise.

Keith

[NigelS]

At the very least the GWF ought to become an official partner in the IWM Centenary site Click (where else should anyone using that site be directed to for WW1 discussions than the GWF?) and a link to it either added in the header (as with the LLT), or pinned at the head of the 100th Anniversary sub-forum.

(apologies for repeating these,  I have previously posted them on other threads, but reckoned it might be worth repeating them on this one)

Also, I can't remember what GW anniversary it was for, but IIRC it was Canada that had the names of the fallen being continously scrolled and projected onto a building(?) somewhere. As a variation on  this - I don't know whether it could be achieved without too much expense or whether it's even technically possible - but how about having all the names (extracted from the CWGC roll of honour - with perhaps their co-operation & possibly those from other national databases) for a given day being sequenced in 'Remembering today' or even on a dedicated site ? If achievable it could remain as a legacy feature after the centenary.

NigelS

[Chris_Baker]

Keith Roberts, on 30 June 2011 - 04:46 PM, said:

... some advice as to a straightforward way of acquiring the information that doesn't involve a significant research exercise ...

I would have thought that the GWF membership could rustle up some resource and expertise to do that sort of thing. Anyway, your call Mods.

[Alan Tucker]

I have a Brummie death on HMS Amphion on August 6 1914

Keith Roberts, on 30 June 2011 - 04:38 PM, said:

Dave

I take your point, but at present we are using a single source, which doesn't include naval personnel, or those from outside the Imperial forces. I'm hoping that the new CWGC database when it is launched will broaden our scope by providing a date search function which will bring at least the naval personnel into the equation.


Keith

[CROONAERT]

Keith Roberts, on 30 June 2011 - 04:46 PM, said:

I take that point Chris, But perhaps would welcome some advice as to a straightforward way of acquiring the information that doesn't involve a significant research exercise.

Keith

As Chris wrote, I was, indeed, referring to the myriads of French, Belgian and German deaths for that month.

If it's just names , dates, units and burial locations required (as is the case in 'remembering today'), then its certainly no majorly significant research exercise. I reckon that a whole month's worth of this type of information could quite easily be completed within an hour or so (after all, it only takes me 5 or 6 hours a month to do the same number for the WFA's 'Remembered on this day' feature... (but on there, I've to supply a photograph of the casualty and include basic personal/unit background and biographical information too, so options for each day are severely limited) - having covered over 600 WW1 casualties in this way in the past year and a half or so (French, Belgians, Germans, British, Canadians, Aussies, New Zealanders, Americans, Austrians and Italians so far) and not feeling that I've really embarked on anything particularly major, I'd think that, utilising the significant resources held collectively by GWF members, then this should be a doddle... every day of the war would take, what? 50 man-hours over 4 years in total?  Divide this up between a yet unknown number of volunteers, get a couple of people to 'vet' the results (mainly to avoid duplication) and that's it...job done with probably less than an hour per person devoted to the task! The more people involved and the smaller 'time block' they are covering, then the more random the end result too.

I do think that it would certainly be a good idea to avoid total reliance on the CWGC database to illustrate the multi-national nature of the war in such a project though.

Dave

[Christina Holstein]

I'm happy to help with the Argonne, Verdun and St. Mihiel Salient areas, when we get that far.

Christina

[Terry_Reeves]

Perhaps I could suggest something a bit different. Generally, those who were killed are commemorated one way or another, but  how about celebrating the lives of those who survived, and  who form the majority of those who served in the war?  Perhaps a short piece, outlining their war service, but also with some emphasis on their pre and post-war lives - after all we are the products of that. This would also obviate the need to rely on technology for pod casts and the like which are likely to be out of date within a decade. This way a printed copy would be available.

TR

[Kate Wills]

I think this particular idea is one for the CWGC to consider, but here goes:

I have often wondered what inscriptions might have been placed on the headstones of those Known Unto God, and for those on the memorials to the missing had they had they had a marked burial. Could the GWGC, or maybe the GWF, create an online register for short family inscriptions?

[David Faulder]

Kate Wills, on 05 July 2011 - 08:47 PM, said:

I think this particular idea is one for the CWGC to consider, but here goes:

I have often wondered what inscriptions might have been placed on the headstones of those Known Unto God, and for those on the memorials to the missing had they had a marked burial. Could the GWGC, or maybe the GWF, create an online register for short family inscriptions?

Can this idea (which I would support) be combined with some form of cemetery photographic project as I supect that the unknowns will have to be surveyed - and surveys would best be done with digital photography.  The GWF could certainly take on some of the surveying.  A tiny (very tiny) pin-***** is the survey of the unknowns in the Suffolk Cemetery near Vierstraat that I did when I visited. Suffolk Cemetery, Vierstraat: The 8 Unknowns - Great War Forum

Can we get Google StreetView equipment mounted on the CWGC lawn-mowers?

David

(Edit: The pin-***** reference above is not me being silly, it's the silly pricks that wrote the rude word filter list.)
((Edit apparently multiple pricks are more acceptable than singular ones!))

[Chris_Baker]

Terry Reeves makes a good point that most of what has been described produces something that may be of value during the centenary itself but not of lasting worth. One for our Mods to ponder, perhaps.

[Grantowi]

Terry_Reeves, on 05 July 2011 - 04:10 PM, said:

but also with some emphasis on their pre and post-war lives - after all we are the products of that.

Isn't there a bit of a kerfuffle going on over on the Ireland section about this?
The arguement being that  this forum is about the Great War and not about events that happen after the War was over, even down to trying to decide when the end of the War was.

I think its a good idea, but why not include those who died as well, we know that Sgt Thomas McCormick died today in 1916 (coz the banner say so), but we dont know what he did pre war or if he had a family.

Grant

[Angrybudgie]

Well, if we are going to do something for those who survived the war, here in Adelaide there is an AIF cemetery  with 4,155 burials. Some survived only months , but others went on to live long lives many dying in the 60s and 70s. I'm willing to start working my way  through them. The other option is to pick only those who died of injuries recieved and in one of the military hospitals that were here well into the 40s and 50s.

Elizabeth

[MichaelBully]

Would it be possible to have a 'Reported Today' section where people can place snippets from local papers on how the Great War was being reported? Particularly the more everyday news items as well as how local papers were viewing international events? GWF members in all countries can take part if they live near a library which has local newspapers for that time.

[MartinWills]

This thread ands ideas seem to have died a death - so I thought it might help to try and kick start it.