An online legacy of the First World War Centenary

An online legacy of the First World War Centenary

HLF-funded projects are invited to be part of a Centenary archive
HLF-funded projects are invited to be part of a Centenary archive

It is 100 years since the First World War began. To mark the Centenary, thousands of people across the UK are uncovering, exploring and telling the stories of the First World War, and in many cases, sharing them online.

It’s important that these stories are not forgotten. They are being preserved through a partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund and the British Library UK Web Archive. It is archiving HLF-funded Centenary websites in a special First World War Centenary collection, preserving them in perpetuity, long after the original websites have disappeared or changed.

Websites created by these projects are telling a wealth of stories. In The Chinese Labour Corps: A Somerset Connection, a volunteer has discovered a photograph of Chinese Labourers from her grandfather’s collection, whilst Welcome to Wilfred Owen in Dunsden, volunteers in Dunsden have been exploring Wilfred Owen’s years living in the local vicarage. From war memorials in Flintshire, to Pals in Barnsley, to Indian Sepoys in the trenches, community projects across the UK are getting people involved.

HLF-funded First World War Centenary projects are being asked to take part in creating this legacy by sending the URL (web address) of their project’s website to FWWURL@hlf.org.uk with a project reference number. Sites can also be nominated by others though the British Library’s website.