Imperial War Museum launches digital archive remembering the people of WW1
by Tom Anstey | 14 May 2014
The archive will work in a similar manner to Wikipedia, where members of the public will be able to upload their own data and personal stories / Imperial War Museum
A digital archive, built to remember British and Commonwealth troops who served during the First World War, has been launched by the Imperial War Museum in London.
As part of the plans surrounding the war’s centenary commemorations, the Lives of the First World War project will give the public access to the records of more than 4.5 million men and 40,000 women who served overseas with the British Army.
The site, being continually updated through public contribution, is comprised of stories, family photographs and official documents all uploaded to the website, to build a picture of each person who served during the war.
Speaking to the BBC Luke Smith, IWM's digital lead for the war's centenary, said: "We need the public to help us piece together more than eight million life stories, so that we can remember these people now and in the future.
"Everybody can contribute... whether they choose to simply remember someone online, upload a picture from their family album, share a story passed down through generations, or connect official records to build a full and factual picture of what happened to that person throughout the war."
Around 4.5 million British army members are currently included in the archive, although many entries include just a name.
As well as documents such as census information, medal and grave records and family photographs, organisers have said they are also seeking personal details, such as diaries and letters. The project is free to use and is supported by the DC Thomson Family History, which runs several online ancestry websites.
The museum said it is aiming to add millions more records over the next months to include people who served with forces from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India, as well as conscientious objectors and home front workers.
A digital archive, built to remember British and Commonwealth troops who served during the First World War, has been launched by the Imperial War Museum in London. As part of the plans surrounding the war’s centenary commemorations, the Lives of the First World War project will give the public access to the records of more than 4.5 million men and 40,000 women who served overseas with the British Army. The
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