Britain may have been at war but most of the population could maintain distance from the fighting. In East Sussex, however, it could not be ignored. Historically, the English Channel has done more than simply divide Britain from mainland Europe. It had proved a difficult defensive obstacle to overcome for any invading armies. During the First World […]
Working on this First World War website has opened my eyes to look at my county with fresh eyes. For instance, I never noticed this WW1 memorial before – see photos – though I have been cycling past it twice a day for two years. I guess the ‘Push’ rosette once operated a tap to […]
Having grown up in East Sussex before moving to Australia, George Lade would become one of ‘Lowther’s Lambs’ and participate in the darkest day for Sussex during the war. Joined Royal Sussex Regiment in 1914 My paternal grandfather George Lade was born in Hailsham, Sussex but after marrying Kate Yates in 1910, they decided to emigrate to Australia […]
The design of this project has taken its inspiration from the heart of our community to remember, and most importantly, to commemorate the role of East Sussex during the First World War. Foremost, we encourage you to share your memorabilia and the stories that you can recall by adding them to the website. The First […]
I have just been given an Autograph book that belonged to my grandmother, Celia Mclaren, when she was a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse in 1916/17 at Filsham Park Hospital. It contains many little poems, rhymes of gratitude, local scene and military badge sketches, soldiers names ranks and details of where wounded. At present, it is […]
Men from Hastings and St. Leonards who fought in and survived the war received honourary scrolls upon their return. I would like to share with everyone what little I know about my Granddad Albert Gordon Wilkinson and his brothers’ incredible contribution to their country during the First World War. Albert was born on the 23rd […]
As the war progressed, fresh fruit, vegetables and meat got harder to come by. There were even stories of butchers selling dead cats! Bread and flour were hard to find and government posters encouraged people to eat less bread (see posters).The winter of 1916 saw a major shortage of flour. It was replaced by dried, […]
Did you know that at the time of the First World War, the rulers of the world’s three greatest nations – King George V of Great Britain and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia on the one hand, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany on the other – were first cousins? Their grandmother was Queen Victoria. […]
The Canadians arrived in Bexhill on 12 March 1917 following the relocation of the Canadian Training School (CTS) from Crowborough. The CTS was joined by the Canadian Trench Warfare School (CTWS) in May of the same year. In January 1918, the Canadians took over Cooden Camp and converted it into Princess Patricia’s Canadian Red Cross […]
Although I would never classify myself as a historian, nor have I ever actively researched the First World War, being involved in this project has been truly interesting. It has been fascinating to understand the, previously underestimated, impact of the war not only on East Sussex, but also the international impact. I was lent a […]
