Researching stories from the First World War
The Christmas Truce is inspired by the stories of real people and real stories from the First World War. If you'd like to start researching your own family history in relation to the First World War why not start with these websites? There's a wealth of information available online and much of it is free to access. Here are four websites to get you started.
The National Archives
The National Archives hold the official UK government records of the First World War, including a vast collection of letters, diaries, maps and photographs. Many of these resources are available to search online and there are lots of useful resources such as videos and podcasts to help you with your search.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
The Commission keeps a record of Commonwealth war dead. It has a searchable database so you can look for names or locations of graves. The casualty database lists the names and place of commemoration of the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars.
Operation War Diary
Operation War Diary brings together original First World War documents from The National Archives, the historical expertise of the Imperial War Museum and 'citizen historians'. In other words - you. Follow the simple tutorial to learn how to categorise and tag the diaries and documents kept by officers during the First World War. You can choose a specific regiment or geographical location. Or you can just work through diaries as they come.
Europeana 1914 – 1918
The Europeana website includes 10,000 documents from the British Library. You can explore stories, films and historical material about the First World War and contribute your own family history. Europeana 1914-1918 mixes resources from libraries and archives across the globe with memories and memorabilia from families throughout Europe.