On 11 November 1918 the Armistice was signed between the Allied and German armies, ending the First World War – a global war that lasted four years with the total human cost to Britain and the Empire of 3,049,972 casualties, including 658,705 dead.
Of all the millions of men who joined up to serve and defend the country, 90 years later the ranks have thinned dramatically. Now, there are just three stalwarts of the battlefields living in the UK. Harry Patch, Bill Stone and Henry Allingham are the only survivors to bear witness to those dark days. When they are no longer with us, the Great War will pass from living human memory finally to history.
Henry Allingham has said: "These hellish memories of war are ones I'd rather forget. But never my comrades. Never the men who gave their everything." During a visit to a war cemetery in France, he was quoted as saying, "All of us must remember them, always."
A number of events and exhibitions have been arranged to commemorate the 90th anniversary. Below are links to some that may be of interest.
Imperial War Museum
Explore the Imperial War Museum's First World War collections and discover how the Museum's five branches are remembering the 'war to end all wars' - www.iwm.org.uk/90
BBC - 1918-2008 Ninety Years of Remembrance
With the aim of personalising the act of remembrance and bringing World War One vividly alive in the present, the BBC featured a season of radio and TV programmes, free public events and online activities. Family artefacts, photographs and memories can be posted on the special online Remembrance Wall and through links to an array of family history sites, you can research your relatives' role in the war and find out more about the events of the Great War.
View the BBC Remembrance website to find out more.
The National Archives
Listen to Voices of the Armistice, the National Archives podcast series to mark the end of the First World War.
Ancestry.co.uk
Approximately five million British soldiers fought in the First World War, in the army, navy, and for the first time, the air. Around 800,000 never returned home. These names and the stories behind them are recorded and preserved forever on Ancestry.co.uk in the WWI military record collections. These records provide vital details for family history researchers, military enthusiasts or just family members wishing to learn more about their ancestors’ who bravely fought in the First World War. Visit ancestry.co.uk
British Postal Museum & Archive
Last Post: Remembering the First World War, is at the Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms in London until 28 February 2009. The exhibition is about the Post Office and the First World War, and touches on the importance of the post in maintaining communication between the troops and their families. They would be interested to hear why you think the post can play an important role in any wartime/armed forces context and have set up an online wiki where you can contribute.
Discovery Channel
Find out more about the conflicts of the last 90 years and the heroes who fought in them at discoverychannel.co.uk/poppy
Poppy Travel
If you are interested in travelling to World War I battlefields, cemeteries or memorials, visit the Legion's travel website www.poppytravel.org.uk. As specialists in Remembrance Travel, you will receive a unique insight into the historical significance of destinations, blended with our proven travel and holiday expertise to provide a truly memorable experience.
Images courtesy of the Imperial War Museum.
