trench letter assignment ww1

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Letter From the Trenches

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The following is a 1916 letter from playwright J. B. Priestley about what he saw a soldier in the First World War.

My Dear Parents, I am writing this on the evening of the first day of the new year. We came into the trenches (an emergency call) the day before yesterday, but we are in the reserve trenches, not the firing line. I am writing this in my dugout (about two feet high and five feet long) by the miserable light of a guttering, little bit of candle. Soon it will go out, and then (for it’s only 5.30 and a wild night) come the long, long dark hours until ‘stand to’ in the morning.   Last night, old year’s night, was a nightmare evening. At 1 o’clock, the troops in the front line made two bomb attacks on the German front line, and we’d to support them. For an hour, it was literally hell upon earth. I had to spend most of the time crouched in the mud by the side of a machine gun. It was going nearly all the time, and the noise nearly stunned me, then the sickly smell of cordite, and the dense masses of steam from the water cooler didn’t improve matters. Both our artillery and theirs were going for all they were worth, and they lit up the sky. You could see some of the shells going through the air, swift, red streaks. Then an incessant stream of bullets from both sides, bombs, trench mortars, making a hellish din, and the sky lit up with a mad medley of shells, searchlights, star lights, the green and red rockets (used for signalling purposes); just about an hour of hell, and that was our introduction to the year of 1916! This morning I learned that we lost about 80 men and several officers, so that it cost us pretty dearly.  I enjoyed the parcel hugely, and the pudding was splendid! Please thank Mrs What’s-her-name for her kind gift. It is very comfortable. I’m afraid that you would hardly recognise me if you saw me now. It is three days since I had a shave, and two since I had a wash. I’m a mask of mud. My hair is matted, and I resemble an Australian beachcomber. This is morning of Jan. 2nd. We go into the firing line this afternoon for four days. By the way, if you can get hold of any old paperbacked sixpenny novels (such as Jacobs, Stanley Weyman – light stuff) please send some in your next parcel. No magazines; there’s not enough reading matter and the quality is bad. Only old copies, you know, don’t buy new ones. I saw a tin the other day, labelled Mackintosh’s Chocolate Toffee de Luxe. It sounds so weird that I’d like some if you can procure any, please! Yours affectionately, Jack P. 1

• 1 ‘Letter from J B Priestley from the trenches, 1916’, J. B. Priestley Archive, Special Collections, University of Bradford.

Priestley As Lance Corporal, 1915

J. B. Priestley volunteered for the army in September 1914 at the age of 19 and served for four-and-a-half years.

How to Cite This Reading

Facing History & Ourselves, “ Letter From the Trenches ”, last updated June 16, 2020.

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Letters from the trenches, primary sources, (1) private h. f. leppard of east grinstead wrote a letter to his mother on 19th december, 1914. the letter was not censored..

The soldiers at the front need more rest. While in the trenches the water is over our knees most of the time. The war is going to last some time yet, and might be another twelve months before it is over. The war has only just begun and its going to be a war of exhaustion. After the regular armies have done their work it means that all the young lads at home being trained and disciplined and will take our place in the field. The sooner people understand this, the better, it will be for the nation.

(2) Private Stanley Terry of 15 North End, East Grinstead, wrote a letter to his family in November, 1915. The letter was not censored.

We have just come out of the trenches after being in for six days and up to our waists in water. While we were in the trenches one of the Germans came over to our trench for a cigarette and then back again, and he was not fired at. We and the Germans started walking about in the open between the two trenches, repairing them, and there was no firing at all. I think they are all getting fed up with it.

(3) Private James Mitchell of 7 Church Lane, East Grinstead, wrote a letter to his father on 17th October, 1914.

We started away just after dawn from our camp and I think it was about an hour later that we encountered the enemy. They were on the opposite side of the valley and as we came over the brow of the hill they opened on us with rifle fire and shrapnel from about 900 yards. We lost three officers and about 100 men killed and wounded in that half hour. I do not want any more days like that one. (this section censored) Anyway we drove the Germans back and held them there for eight days. I cannot tell you all I should like to, as it would never reach you.

(4) Rudolf Binding , letter (April, 1915)

I have not written to you for a long time, but I have thought of you all the more as a silent creditor. But when one owes letters one suffers from them, so to speak, at the same time. It is, indeed, not so simple a matter to write from the war, really from the war; and what you read as Field Post letters in the papers usually have their origin in the lack of understanding that does not allow a man to get hold of the war, to breathe it in although he is living in the midst of it. The further I penetrate its true inwardness the more I see the hopelessness of making it comprehensive for those who only understand life in the terms of peacetime, and apply these same ideas to war in spite of themselves. They only think that they understand it. It is as if fishes living in water would have a clear conception of what living in the air is like. When one is hauled out on to dry land and dies in the air, then he will know something about it. So it is with the war. Feeling deeply about it, one becomes less able to talk about it every day. Not because one understands it less each day, but because one grasps it better. But it is a silent teacher, and he who learns becomes silent too.

(5) In the 1930s Guy Chapman wrote an account of his experiences during the First World War .

I have an old platoon roll before me; three pages of names, numbers, trades, next-of-kin, religions, rifle numbers, and so forth. Faces come back out of the past to answer to these barren details, the face of this man dead, of that vanished for ever. Here and there rise memories of their habits, their nicknames, the look of one as he spoke to you, the attitude of another shivering in the night air, as he leaned over the parapet, watching with tired bloodshot eyes. Some of the faces have disappeared. did I know you? I censored your letters, casually, hurriedly avoiding your personal messages, your poignant hopes.

(6) Charles Hudson , letter to his sister (undated, 1915)

We are now 150yd from Fritz and the moon is bright, so we bend and walk quietly onto the road running diagonally across the front into the Bosche line. There is a stream the far side of this - boards have been put across it at intervals but must have fallen in - about 20yd down we can cross. We stop and listen - swish - and down we plop (for a flare lights everything up) it goes out with a hiss and over the board we trundle on hands and knees. Still. Apparently no one has seen so we proceed to crawl through a line of "French" wire. Now for 100yd dead flat weed-land with here and there a shell hole or old webbing equipment lying in little heaps! These we avoid. This means a slow, slow crawl head down, propelling ourselves by toes and forearm, body and legs flat on the ground, like it snake. A working party of Huns are in their lair. We can just see dark shadows and hear the Sergeant, who is sitting down. He's got a bad cold! We must wait a bit, the moon's getting low but it's too bright now 5 a.m. They will stop soon and if we go on we may meet a covering party lying low. 5.10. 5.15. 5.25. 5.30. And the moon's gone. "Cot the bombs, Sergeant?" "'No. Sir, I forgot them!" "Huns" and the last crawl starts. The Bosch is moving and we crawl quickly on to the wire - past two huge shell holes to the first row. A potent row of standards are the first with a nut at the top and strand upon strand of barbed wire. The nut holds the two iron pieces at the top and the ends are driven into the ground 3ft apart. Evidently this line is made behind the parapet and brought out, the legs of the standard falling together. All the joins where the strands cross are neatly done with a separate piece of plain wire. Out comes the wire cutter. I hold the strands to prevent them jumping apart when cut and Stafford cuts. Twenty-five strands are cut and the standard pulled out. Two or three tins are cut off as we go. (These tins are hung on to give warning and one must beware of them.) Next a space 4ft then low wire entanglements as we cut on through to a line of iron spikes and thick, heavy barbed wire. The standard has three furls to hold the wire up and strive as we can, it won't come out. "By love, it's a corkscrew, twist it round" and then, wonder of wonders, up it goes and out it comes! It is getting light, a long streak has already appeared and so we just make a line of "knife rests" (wire on wooden X-X) against the German parapet and proceed to return. I take the corkscrew and Stafford the iron double standard. My corkscrew keeps on catching and Stafford has to extract me twice from the wire, his standard is smooth and only 3ft so he travels lighter. He leads back down a bit of ditch. Suddenly a sentry fires 2 shots which spit on the ground a few yards in front. We lie absolutely flat, scarcely daring to breathe - has he seen? Then we go on with our trophies, the ditch gets a little deeper, giving cover! My heart is beating nineteen to the dozen - will it mean a machine gun, Stafford is gaining and leads by 10yd. "My God," I think, "it is a listening post ahead and this the ditch to it. I must stop him." I whisper, "Stafford, Stafford" and feel I am shouting. He stops, thinking I have got it. "Do you think it's a listening post?" There! By the mound - listen." "Perhaps we had better cut across to the left Sir." "Are you all right Sir," from Stafford. I laugh, "Forgot that damned wire." (Our own wire outside our listening post). The LP occupants have gone in. Soon we are behind the friendly parapet and it is day. We are ourselves again, but there's a subtle cord between us, stronger than barbed wire, that will take a lot of cutting. Twenty to seven, 2 hrs 10 minutes of life - war at its best. But shelling, no, that's death at its worst. And I can't go again, it's a vice. Immediately after I swear I'll never do it again, the next night I find myself aching after "No Man's Land".

(7) John Reith , Wearing Spurs (1966)

I did my best to take an interest in the members of my platoon personally. In manual exercises and in extended order drill in a field I could take none; and they knew it. I was supposed to censor their letters home, but I informed them that they were on their honour not to say things they should not say, and I handed over the censor's stamp to the sergeant. I was thankful when our three days in billets were over and we were back in trenches again. I was still dreaming about Sailaway and Transport, still bewildered almost every time I woke, but there was at least a chance of something happening in the trenches and one was clear of CO and Adjutant.

(8) Harold Chapin , a self-censored letter to Calypso Chapin (23rd May 1915)

I have been up to my eyes in work (at the main dressing station in " ----- ") since Sunday morning when the British and French attack began (or rather when its fruits in wounded began to reach us. The actual attack began on Saturday night). Nominally I have been on night duty in the operating tent, but naturally with wounded and wounded and wounded flowing in neither night nor day duty means anything. I had had eight hours sleep in three days, when heavy fighting out here developed and the message came down for more bearers, so out I came with a dozen others by horse ambulance (time two a.m.) and going on on foot just as day was breaking, found a Regimental M.O. in a room in a gutted house with some half dozen wounded and two or three dead on the floor about him. His own regimental stretcher bearers were carrying and carrying the long mile down to a spot where an ambulance could meet them, in comparative safety. I gave a hand with my party of six and between us we carried down two: you have no idea of the physical fatigue entailed in carrying a twelve stone blessé a thousand odd yards across muddy fields. Oh this cruel mud! Back in " ----- " we hate it (the poor fellows come in absolutely clayed up), but out here, it is infernal.

Home Lessons IBDP History IB History Paper 2: Key Lesson Topics and Classroom Resources Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars First World War (1919-1918) World War One Letter From the Trenches

World War One Letter From the Trenches

This modern history lesson idea ‘World War One Letter From the Trenches’ is a great opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the lives of soldiers during World War One. Writing letters home from the trenches was an integral part of communication for those fighting on the front lines, often providing solace amidst hardship. Through this activity, students will gain insight into life in the trenches and develop an understanding of what it was like to endure such a challenging and emotional experience.

Students can hone their skills of using correct historical terminology to accurately depict events and feelings they are likely to encounter when writing a letter home from the frontline. This can be a meaningful exercise that promotes empathy while generating a sense of appreciation for all that brave men and women endured during this tumultuous time.

They will also gain an even greater understanding of why writing letters home provided much needed solace for soldiers who had been through so much and had to leave behind loved ones – even if the letters never arrived due to censorship measures. By reflecting on some of these wartime stories, feelings of sympathy and admiration can be cultivated within your classroom as your students discover our shared human history.

The Cunning History Teacher lesson plan offers guidance on how to effectively approach this topic with your class, developing their understanding by prompting them think more deeply about life in the trenches. It encourages creative thinking while teaching appropriate language when talking about war, enabling them to have powerful conversations around difficult topics which could later help shape their wider views on current conflicts still being fought today.

Ultimately, this activity is an invaluable addition to any modern history curriculum as it allows students explore topics with sensitivity while focusing on one of history’s most iconic wars: World War One!

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Lesson Tutor: A Letter from the WW1 Trenches: a history and language arts assignment

A Letter From a World War I Trench By Melanie Marshall

• Read about soldiers in the trenches in World War I.
• Research the meanings of terms such as no-man’s land, airplanes, and gas masks.
• Determine in your own mind who fought whom.
• Where did battles take place? Where were the German troops? Where were the U.S. troops?

Now write a letter home from the perspective of the soldier in the trenches.

Alternate assignment: Keep a journal of five days in the trenches during an ongoing attack.

An example of this assignment follows, courtesy of William Marshall, 6th grade student.

Dear Mom and Dad,

The day before yesterday, we advanced to a nearby town, which we garrisoned in. We woke up with our eyes burning and the taste of mustard in our mouths.  A call came in that we had just been gassed and to put on our gas masks. They told us that the enemy was advancing and that we would have to protect the town. So we set up everything we had. Unfortunately, we only had about fifteen 10mm rifles with 500 rounds each, one mortar with 100 rounds, forty grenades, and a scope! But only twenty people.

When the enemy finally came, they were huge! We used all the grenades and mortars we had, but they just kept coming! We finally had to retreat, seeing that we were highly outnumbered, outgunned, and we had lost fifteen men. As fast as we could, we ran to our outpost to warn the others. But when we got there, it was deserted! So we ran back to headquarters. But while we were going there, a German plane flew over us and dropped a barrel in front of us. When it hit the ground, all this gas came from it. Unfortunately, some didn’t have a gas mask, for it had been destroyed. Those people died.

Our number was now two and it was ever growing smaller as the Germans were taking us out one by one. We finally reached headquarters at dawn, seeing that we didn’t sleep. They were all surprised that any of us had survived. They took us to the hospital where we have to stay for a while.

Signed, William

For more articles on Language Arts : Grade 6  Click Here For more articles on History: Grade 6  Click Here

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World War One Trenches

Students will use Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, Henri Barbusse’s Under Fire, and letters written home by American soldiers to compare the experiences of different participants in World War I.  Remarque describes life in the trenches from a German perspective, the losing side; Barbusse’s book approaches the same time and place from the French viewpoint, the winning side.  The letters, as primary source material, will provide an experience from the outlook of the American soldiers, coming fresh to the fighting, not as weary and worn as their European counterparts.  This lesson plan can be done as a group or individual project, and certainly can serve as a cross-curricular activity with the Language Arts department.  It makes use of primary sources, literary sources, and provides the students with the opportunity to analyze and synthesize information.

Students can often use literature contemporary to an era to determine facts about a specific time or event.  World War I lends itself readily to this exercise since a great deal of classic literature came out of the war. 

Through this activity, students will learn to analyze primary source materials such as letters and diary entries, and literature contemporary to the period.  It exercises reading, analyzing, and writing skills, and allows the students to visualize the war experiences of the soldiers of World War I.

• Read and analyze literature contemporary to World War I.
• Find specific examples in their readings to support a comparison/contrast chart of the three perspectives
• Write a 3-5 paragraph essay explaining what they discovered through their analysis and what they think constituted or created the differences in viewpoints.

SHOW ME STANDARDS

2. Continuity and change in the history of Missouri, the United States and the world

6. Relationships of the individual and groups to institutions and cultural traditions

7. The use of tools of social science inquiry (such as surveys, statistics, maps, documents)

KANSAS STANDARDS (High School-US History)

Benchmark 1: The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of individuals, groups, ideas, developments, and turning points in the era of the emergence of the modern United States (1890-1930).

6. (A) analyzes the reasons for and impact of the United States’ entrance into World War I.

7. (A) analyzes how the home front was influenced by United States involvement in World War I (e.g., Food Administration, Espionage Act, Red Scare, influenza, Creel Committee).

Benchmark 5: The student engages in historical thinking skills.

1. (A) analyzes a theme in United States history to explain patterns of continuity and change over time.

2. (A) develops historical questions on a specific topic in United States history and analyzes the evidence in primary source documents to speculate on the answers.

3. (A) uses primary and secondary sources about an event in U.S. history to develop a credible interpretation of the event, evaluating on its meaning (e.g., uses provided primary and secondary sources to interpret a historical-based conclusion).

• Books and films selected by the teacher in reference to World War I. 
• Henri Barbusse, Under Fire
• Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front
• Letters from website:  American Letters and Diary Entries

http://www.theworldwar.org/s/110/display.aspx?sid=110&gid=1&pgid=892&sparam=letters&scontid=0  

During the unit on World War I, the teacher will provide the Remarque and Barbusse books to the students to read as homework.  Both books are relatively short, and should be easy for the students to read.  It would be advisable to divide the class in half, with each group reading one of the two books.  As an alternative, the teacher may provide certain chapters for students to read, for example, in Remarque, Chapters 4, 5, 6, and 10 are very useful.  Give the students about a week to read their book.  The night before this exercise takes place, provide the students with copies of the letters from the Liberty Memorial Website to read.  Have students bring all materials to class on the day of the lesson.

The teacher will place the students into small groups, making sure that each group has representatives who have read both books.  Each student will fill in their own chart (see attached) comparing each documents descriptions of life in the trenches and hospitals of World War I.  At the end of class, have each group share their findings with the class, allowing students to make additional notes on their charts

For homework, have each student, individually,  write a three to five paragraph essay detailing their findings and providing their own explanation as to the reason for differences in perspective between the three sources.

SCORING RUBRIC FOR Life in the Trenches

A 5 paper presents a well-developed story and demonstrates good control of the elements of effective writing.  A typical paper in this category

• clearly identifies important features of the analysis and develops them in a generally thoughtful way.
• develops ideas clearly, organizes them logically, and connects them with appropriate transitions
• sensibly supports the main points of the analysis
• demonstrates control of the language, demonstrating ability to use the conventions of standard written English but may have occasional flaws.

A 4 paper presents a competent analysis and demonstrates adequate control of the elements of writing. A typical paper in this category

• identifies and analyzes important features of the analysis
• develops and organizes ideas satisfactorily but may not connect them with transitions
• supports the main points of the analysis
• demonstrates sufficient control of language to convey ideas with reasonable clarity generally follows the conventions of standard written English but may have some flaws. 

A 3 paper demonstrates some competence in analytical writing skills and in its control of the elements of writing but is plainly flawed. A typical paper in this category exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

• does not identify or analyze most if the important features of the discussion, although some analysis is present
• devotes most of its time to analyzing irrelevant issues
• is limited in the logical development and organization of ideas
• offers support of little relevance and value for points of the analysis
• does not convey meaning clearly, or contains occasional major errors or frequent minor errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics

A 2 paper demonstrates serious weaknesses in analytical writing skills. A typical paper in this category exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

• does not present a critique based on logical analysis, but may instead present the writer’s own views on the subject
• does not develop ideas or is disorganized
• provides little, if any, relevant or reasonable support
• has serious and frequent problems in the use of language and in sentence structure, containing numerous errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics that interfere with meaning.

A 1 paper demonstrates fundamental deficiencies in analytical writing skills. A typical paper in this category exhibits more than one of the following characteristics:

• provides little evidence of the ability to understand and analyze
• provides little evidence of the ability to develop an organized response
• has severe and persistent errors in language and sentence structure, containing a pervasive pattern or errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics that results in incoherence

0----Off-topic

World War I Trench Letter

Description

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Letters from the First World War, part two

How did these men experience the conflict (1916 - 18), teachers' notes, introduction, external links.

About this classroom resource

Download documents and transcripts

There are 35 letters and 19 photographs in this resource. All letters have been transcribed, and audio versions of selected letters are available too. The documents should offer students a chance to develop their powers of evaluation and analysis. Teachers may also wish to use the collection to develop their own resources.

You may spot spelling or grammatical errors in the transcripts as we have transcribed the letters as they stand. Unusual or technical terms have been defined within the text. However, we have not included full digital images for several letters as these would have proved too difficult to read online. In such cases we have shown part of the letter in order to provide a sense of the original. There are five accompanying PDFs, each containing a collection of letters on the themes of hospital , different fronts , trenches , railheads and training .

Within this online resource and the accompanying collection   Letters from the First World War, part one (1915) , it is possible to find more than one letter from the same person, or find references within the letters to those who have written. For this reason is it is helpful to see the letters as a whole group to get the most out of them and appreciate the nature of the collection.

Letters from the First World War, part two (1916-1918) is based on the second half of the RAIL record. We have labelled each letter according to a theme from the First World War. For example, some letter writers continue to detail their experience of the trenches, or service in Egypt, Greece, India and Aden.

As more soldiers were conscripted they have also described their training before going abroad. Others write about being in hospital or conditions at the railheads in France. Railheads were the nearest points to the front from which men and supplies travelled by train and were then taken to the battle line by motor vehicle or horse.

The Great Western Railway Company formed four companies of Royal Engineers as many men from the company, including these clerical workers from Paddington, had enlisted to serve. Due to their knowledge and understanding of the railways, many became Railway Troops based at railheads.

Unsurprisingly, in the letters many men showed a keen interest in all matters connected with railways or engines, including other Great Western Railway ‘fellows’ and the Great Western Railway Magazine. Some soldiers mentioned having received the magazine or asked for it to be sent out. It included photographs of all those who served in the First World War from the GWR as a whole and employees could catch up on company business and or news of sporting or social events.

How to use this resource

• Discuss any of the suggested questions below on a group/individual basis.
• Assign groups of letters on a given theme to groups/individuals in order to explore and interpret.
• Students could curate their own exhibition on the letters based on a theme/question of their choice using additional original material/secondary sources.
• Carry out research on the life of an individual soldier. Our research guide can help get you started.
• Use this resource in conjunction with our first online resource, which includes letters from the earlier war period:  Letters from the First World War, part one (1915) , to consider further themes and ideas.
• Student work could be presented via a mix of media: Powerpoint presentation, video film, radio documentary, newspaper article, role play interview, poster, blog, web page or classroom exhibition.

Suggested questions:

• How does their experience of the First World War vary among these letter writers?
• What training was carried out before they were sent to fight?
• How did the men feel about their experience of training?
• What can be found out about tactics/weapons/equipment used in combat?
• Do you get a sense of what these soldiers miss from home? Is this unsurprising/shocking?
• Describe conditions for those in the trenches on Western Front.
• What were conditions like for those who were sent to the Dardanelles?
• Can you get a sense of the experience of those who fought in Greece, India or Egypt, East Africa?
• How was the treatment of the sick or injured organized at home and abroad?
• Is there evidence of what the men thought of those whom they fought/or of their comrades?
• Do any soldiers give their opinion about the war?
• Do you think these men are typical of those who went to war?
• Can we find out anything about the characters of the men who fought from these letters?
• Have you found anybody who has written more than once, or spot any links between the letters which highlight particular friendships?
• Considering who the soldiers are writing to, can you explain if this has influenced the tone or style of the letters? Give examples.
• Is it clear if any details have been left out/put in for particular reasons?
• Can you discover a difference between what is being said and how it is being said in any of the letters?
• Which letters have you found the most interesting/funny/moving to read?

Working with written documents

For help on how to work with the letters you could take a look at the student section of our website where you can also find a brief guide on working with records.

You could also use the  Start here  section of our website  The Victorians  as an introduction on how to work with the sources, although all the examples in the site relate to the Victorian era.

Working with images

When studying the photographs and postcards in the collection, it is helpful to explore the idea that they were produced to provide a particular message. Pupils ought to consider the purpose and audience for which these sources were intended.

Thus for photographs it is useful to look at key aspects of their composition such as lighting, pose, background, foreground, formality, lack of formality and so on and evaluate the original caption if given. A further group of images from this record can be viewed on our Flickr board  First World War letters .

Connections to the curriculum

• Key stage 3: Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day
• Key stage 4: History B Modern World OCR: Depth Study The causes & Events of the First World War
• Key stage 4: History (A) Edexcel: The Making of the Modern World: Unit 1 Peace and War International Relations 1900-1991. Teachers could use these letters to support contextual study
• Key stage 5: A/AS Level English Literature courses with options to study the ‘War Poets’. Teachers could use these letters to support contextual study

‘Our family has had to pay the penalty of war that so many thousands of families have done, for I am now the only one out here’

These few words, written by Frederick Ernest Andrews on 16 October 1917 from France, come from this collection of letters from staff at the Audit office for the Great Western Railway (GWR) based at Paddington, London.

What makes this collection of soldiers’ letters so different from all others is the fact that it reveals the stories of a particular group of men who varied in class and education, who were writing back to their colleagues and bosses in the office while on active service during in the First World War. Many men enlisted from the GWR to fight, but these letters come exclusively from those worked at its Audit office. Staff at Paddington covered a range of different roles in insurance, accounting or ticketing for the Great Western Railway.

The letters ( RAIL 253/516 ) belong to the RAIL series (which includes the records of the railway companies) at The National Archives. They are arranged in 12 carefully bound folders, rather like a series of scrapbooks. Starting from August 1915, each part represented what was known as the office newsletter, a collection of letters, photographs postcards, field cards and contemporary newspaper cuttings from those who had gone to fight. Every newsletter opened with a news section listing those who had written and sent photos to the office and those who recently left to company to serve at the front. The totals of all men in khaki from the Audit office were given too. The news section also provided information about those who had died, been injured, visited the office on leave or been promoted. The newsletters were circulated within the office departments and read by men when they came home on leave. Friends or relatives who had been sent their own letters or photographs often lent them or typed them out to be circulated as part of the regular Audit office newsletter.

The Audit office raised enough money through collections and the sale of Christmas cards, to create a temporary roll of honour for the office at Paddington to commemorate those who had fallen in battle by August 1915. Photographs of the Roll of Honour were sent out to several employees as their correspondence reveals.

After the war had ended and troops had returned, the G.W.R. was able to quantify the contribution that it had made to the cause. The contribution made by the Audit office was high: 55.5% of male staff enlisted, whereas the average rate of enlistment across the GWR was 32.6%. This amounted to 184 men, 17 of whom lost their lives.

On 11 November 1922, The Great Western Railway War Memorial, dedicated to all 2,524 staff who had died in battle was unveiled on platform 1, Paddington station.

The First World War Digital Poetry Archive  includes primary material from major poets Wilfred Owen, Isaac Rosenberg, Robert Graves, Vera Brittain, and Edward Thomas.

The National Archives’ Pinterest board Teaching the First World War , highlights The National Archives and other resources from the web.

The ‘ A Street Near You ‘ project maps individual soldiers’ records to their homes, globally, allowing us to see who served in the war on a local level.

Related resources

When The Office Went To War ,  a collection of over 200 letters from men of the GWR who went to war.

These are all aimed primarily at KS3 and KS4 students.

Letters from the First World War, part one (1915) . Part one of this online resource, which covers the later period of the war.

The National Archives has recorded some podcasts using extracts of letters from  Private ‘Frosty’ ,  Freddy Woodhams  and  Harold Watts .

Zeppelin raids  Our lesson which asks students: How did First World War Zeppelin raids affect British civilians?

Focus on film , a series of film clips on the First World War is available in our Focus on Film resource.

To all my pals at the office

Somme tales, armistice and legacy, great war 1914-1918, great war soldier’s record, letters from the first world war, part one, loyalty and dissent, writing war, writing peace, zeppelin raids.

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