‘Then and Now’ images Kieron Pelling has created a series of images especially for the East Sussex World War 1 website which overlay original photos taken during the period 1914 to 1919 with contemporary photos taken in the same place. The latest in this wonderful series, called ‘Then and Now’, can be seen in the […]
L/Cpl. Henry Wooller Killed 17 June 1918 aged 27 G/651 9th Bn Royal Sussex Regiment Henry Wooller, was born at Malthouse Cottages Red Lion Street Willingdon on 30 November 1890. He was the elder of two sons of David and Emily Wooller with a younger sister Elsie, my grandmother. Harry was typical of many of […]
Whilst fighting continued on the front lines in 1918, a more serious and deadly threat was beginning to appear. It would claim the lives of millions worldwide and the people of East Sussex would not escape its effects. 1918 would see the end of the war in Europe and the eventual victory of France, Britain and […]
The destructive power of the weaponry used during the First World War dramatically changed the nature of military medicine. The wounds some men sustained tested the expertise of doctors to the limit and new innovations were required to deal with the wounds of war. East Sussex played host to hospitals and doctors who battled to […]
In 1917 aged 14 years, my mother, Olive Daisy Fuller, joined the staff of the General Post Office then in Queens Road, Hastings, as a Telegram Girl (the Telegram Boys were all serving in the Army). She took the King’s Shilling and swore allegiance to HM King George V. Her duties were to deliver telegrams […]
Christmas during the First World War was as much a story of distance as it was of bonding, and this is reflected in the experiences of East Sussex soldiers and civilians. One of the enduring (and indeed endearing) images is the First World War is that of the famous ‘Christmas Truce’ of 1914. What began […]
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated on 28 June 1914; an event which is said to be the catalyst for the First World War. Did you know that the Archduke’s number plate read: A 111 118? A series that can be read as, Armistice 11 November ‘18. Sources: HISTORY®: World Wars Smithsonian.com
When the HMS Ariadne was sunk in the First World War, East Sussex would provide a final resting place for one of her crew. The HMS Ariadne was a Diadem-Class ‘Protected Cruiser‘. These ships lacked many of the heavier armaments of naval warships at the end of the 19th century but did provide protection for some […]
The south coast town of Peacehaven has its creation and name heavily rooted in the events of the First World War. Originally conceived as a ‘Garden City by the Sea,’ Peacehaven was the brainchild of businessman and entrepreneur, Charles Neville. His aim was, on the surface, seemingly very simple: to create a town on the […]
East and West Sussex County Councils, along with Brighton and Hove City Council, have created a ‘Great War 1914-1918 Fiction Booklist’. The booklist includes a variety of books which are all accessible in local libraries. The list also specifies books which are available in audiobook format, large print format and which fiction is recommended for reading […]
