Stories

To commemorate 100 years since the First World War, we would like to share your personal stories about family, yourself and your local community.

Categories

• East Sussex Soldiers
• The East Sussex Front
• East Sussex Medical
• East Sussex Air & Sea
• East Sussex & Beyond
• East Sussex Remembers
• The Wider War
• Did you know?
• Our Project

East Sussex Soldiers

Harry Streeter Harry Streeter joined the army in the years before the First […] Claude Nunney VC Claude Nunney fought in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First […] Albert Hendley - A Village Baker Albert Henley was a baker in the years before the First […] Private James Richard Moody James Richard Moody joined the British Army in Newhaven at the […] Flight Sub-Lieutenant Richard Swallow Flight Sub-Lieutenant Richard Swallow was tragically killed on the South Downs […] Eric Steere Eric Edward Steere was a courageous young man determined to serve […] Sussex Yeomanry in the First World War One of the oldest of the Sussex military units, the Sussex […] Attitudes Towards Conscription When war was announced in 1914, significant efforts were made by […] William Albert Foord William Foord joined the British army at the outbreak of the […] Aubers Ridge When thousands of British soldiers, including men from the Royal Sussex […] Women's Army Auxiliary Corps During the First World War, the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) first […] The Battle of Petit Wood Milton ‘petit’ Wood was the youngest brother of my great, great […] Nelson Victor Carter VC During the First World War, Nelson Victor Carter exhibited tremendous bravery […] 'My Family and the First World War' This is an overview of the story of my maternal side […] Private William Henry Broad When William Henry Broad died in 1919 after his service in […] John Kipling John Kipling, son of Rudyard Kipling, was killed at the Battle […] Documenting the Somme On 1 July 1916, the British and French armies attacked the […] Sidney Woodroffe VC Lewes resident Sidney Woodroffe was awarded the Victoria Cross for the heroism […] Sussex Yeomanry - Egypt Following their time at Gallipoli the Sussex Yeomanry were re-deployed to […] Cuthbert Bromley VC Seaford resident Cuthbert Bromley distinguished himself during the Gallipoli landings on […] Armour for soldiers During the First World War, the size and scale of some […] Private Frank Taylor Saturday 28th March 2015 marked the 100th anniversary of the death […] Three members of one family Three members of Tony Titchener’s family served in the army during […] Charles Frederick Onslow Wickham Charles Frederick Onslow Wickham was my great uncle on my mother’s […] Sussex Yeomanry at Gallipoli Following their mobilisation in 1914 the Sussex Yeomanry was soon deployed […] Sussex Yeomanry at the Outbreak of War In the Spring of 1915 the Sussex Yeomanry were stationed at […] My Great Grandad - William Henshaw William Frederick Henshaw William Henshaw lived in Bexhill on Sea (Near […] L/Cpl Henry Wooller 9th Bn Royal Sussex Regiment L/Cpl. Henry Wooller Killed 17 June 1918 aged 27 G/651 9th […] Christmas in the First World War Christmas during the First World War was as much a story […] Private Ernest Wooller My great uncle Ernest Wooller was born at Malthouse Cottages, Red […] The Gypsy Traveller Community in WW1 Among the surviving 40% of the records of soldiers who served […] Death of Lord Willingdon's Son and Heir The Hon Gerard Freeman-Thomas was one of the first casualties of […] 'Your True and Ever Loving Sweetheart' - Letters from the Front During the First World War, the only regular link soldiers had […] Shot at Dawn During the First World War, maintaining discipline within the various armies […] Frederick Thomas Divall - Blackham Village Frederick Thomas Divall, was born and raised in Blackham Village. The […] Major Martineau - Newhaven Fort Commander 1914-1915 Major Alfred John Martineau was the Commander  of 1/1 Company Sussex Royal […] Clement William Whyborn Bombardier Clement William Whyborn was the first Bexhill man to fall […] Reginald Cox Living in St Leonards at the outbreak of the war, Reginald […] Mothers of the Empire A few years ago, looking into my Family Tree, I discovered […] George Lade Having grown up in East Sussex before moving to Australia, George […] To The Men Who Served - Townspeople's Letter of Gratitude Men from Hastings and St. Leonards who fought in and survived […] Lowther's Lambs When war was declared in 1914, Britain found itself short of […] Sussex and the Suvla Bay With the war intensifying, desperate attempts were made to grasp victory. […] The Day that Sussex Died The battlefields of the First World War are filled with tragedies and […]

East Sussex Soldiers

The East Sussex Front

Women’s Suffrage Campaigning in Crowborough, Uckfield and Heathfield In the years preceding the First World War many women in […] Muriel Matters Muriel Matters was a strong supporter Women’s Suffrage and opponent of […] Hastings Pier Fire On 15th July 1917, a fire devastated Hastings Pier. 100 years on, […] Alcohol and the First World War The outbreak of the First World War brought about many changes […] Bonfire Night in the First World War The celebration of ‘Bonfire Night’ remained popular in East Sussex during […] East Sussex Suffragettes Both before and during the First World War, the Suffragette movement […] The Thorntons and East Sussex County Council During the First World War, whilst Major Robert Thornton served as […] First World War Graves and East Sussex At the end of the First World War the bodies of […] British Nannies in Great War Sussex When refugees from Belgian began arriving in Britain during the First […] Homosexuality in the First World War Homosexuality was illegal during WW1, and remained so up until 1967. […] East Sussex Women's Institute During the First World War, the small village of Wivelsfield played […] East Sussex Newspapers and the End of the War When news of the Armistice reached Britain on 11 November 1918, […] 1918 General Election At the end of the First World War, a General Election […] Cooden Camp Cooden Camp was a military training camp established in Bexhill at […] Gertrude Coggins - Ticket Collector, Brighton Station During the First World War, Gertrude Coggins served as a ticket […] Women's Land Army During the First World War, Britain faced the risk of starvation. […] Olive Daisy Fuller's WW1 - Telegram Girl In 1917 aged 14 years, my mother, Olive Daisy Fuller, joined […] New Anzac-on-Sea The south coast town of Peacehaven has its creation and name […] Willingdon children gathered conkers for the War Effort During the First World War, Britain was faced with shortages to […] East Sussex Munitionettes The need for ammunition and weaponry on the front lines during […] Soldiers Recreation Club in Willingdon School From early in the war camps sprung up around Willingdon and […] Boxing World Champions Fight at Seaford In 1917, the troops stationed at the North Camp in Seaford […] The Mobilisation of Newhaven Fort Upon the outbreak of war in 1914, Sussex soldiers were quickly […] Picture Postcards of the Great War (1914-1918) During the war careful measures were taken to maintain the spirits […] Rediscovered: early WWI rifle range at Newhaven With the outbreak of the Great War in early August, 1914, […] The Sound of Guns Britain may have been at war but most of the population […] Food during the First World War As the war progressed, fresh fruit, vegetables and meat got harder […] Gas Chamber at Seaford The introduction of gas warfare in 1915 meant that soldiers of […] Conscientious Objection in Sussex Whilst recruitment and conscription saw many East Sussex men enter the ranks of […]

The East Sussex Front

East Sussex Medical

Midwifery and the Sussex County Nursing Association During WW1 thousands of British nurses were dispatched around the world […] Friends Ambulance Unit During the First World War many people served in voluntary medical […] The Bray Sisters During the First World War, many women across the country chose […] Influenza Pandemic Whilst fighting continued on the front lines in 1918, a more […] The Wounds of War The destructive power of the weaponry used during the First World […] Educative Convalescence at Chailey Heritage During the First World War, over 240,000 British soldiers lost limbs […] Autographs from a VAD nurse: Filsham Park Hospital I have just been given an Autograph book that belonged to […] The Angel of Summerdown Many soldiers were returned to Britain during the First World War with a […]

East Sussex Medical

East Sussex Air & Sea

The Black Ship SS40 During the First World War, there were numerous attempts to get […] Polegate Royal Naval Airship Station at Lower Willingdon During the First World War, Royal Naval Airships from Polegate patrolled […] Airship Station Buildings following the War During the First World War Royal Naval Airships were deployed at […] Newhaven Port During the First World War, the British Army in France needed […] HMS Ariadne When the HMS Ariadne was sunk in the First World War, […] Airship Disaster on the Downs During the First World War, hydrogen filled airships patrolled the air […] SS Brighton IV and Hospital Ships The East Sussex ports played an important role as the place […] Defending Sussex's Shores At the outbreak of war in 1914, Britain began the process […] The Sussex Pledge Whilst battle raged on land during the First World War, the […] Newhaven's Seaplanes In order to get much needed supplies safely across the channel, […]

East Sussex Air & Sea

East Sussex & Beyond

A story of “almost love” and War During the First World War soldiers who travelled abroad would often […] West Indian Soldiers in Seaford The outbreak of war in 1914 saw the major combatants draw […] An Eastbournian in Italy This summer I worked at the Eastbourne Library researching every kind […] Chinese Labourers in Newhaven With manpower shortages hampering the war effort, the British Army looked […] Canadians in Bexhill-on-Sea The Canadians arrived in Bexhill on 12 March 1917 following the […] Eastbourne's Belgians With their countries gripped by war and their homes and possessions […] Indian Soldiers in East Sussex When war was declared in 1914 the major combatants would come […] Adoption and Reconstruction After the war, many French towns and villages lay in ruins. […]

East Sussex & Beyond

East Sussex Remembers

Westham Memorial Bell The parish church of St Mary in the Sussex village of […] Framfield's Memorial Trees After the First World War, the village of Framfield, East Sussex […] Crowborough Remembers To mark the end of the First World War Centenary a […] Wadhurst History Society Exhibition On Saturday 2nd June, Wadhurst History Society held an Exhibition in […] Lewes Remembers - Torch Procession On 12th November 2017, flaming torches were carried through the streets […] Ringing Remembers During the First World War, the ringing of bells was used […] 100th Anniversary of Willingdon Airship Crash The Downs were shrouded in thick low cloud on 20 December […] 1914 -1918: Lewes Remembers New images from the world’s oldest photographic studio have been released […] Refrain - Verity Standen Verity Standen’s Refrain was an immersive, choral experience performed at Newhaven […] The Boys on the Plaque Fabrica, in partnership with Strike A Light and Brighton & Hove […] Raising Lazarus Upon discovering that Kat Francois had a West Indian relative in World […] St Paul's Cathedral WW1 Altar Frontal Currently on display at St Paul’s Cathedral is a beautifully embroidered […] East Sussex 'Then and Now': April 1917 - May 1917 ‘Then and Now’ images Kieron Pelling has created a series of […] WW1 Roll of Honour - Hastings, St Leonards & Surrounding Area WW1 Roll of Honour (www.ww1rollofhonour.co.uk) is a photographic record of the […] The Orange Lilies - Brighton and Hove in the Somme Strike a Light, in partnership with Brighton & Hove Library and […] New Memorial at Brighton College: Remembering the 149 To provide a visible memorial to the 149 Old Brightonians who […] Battle of the Boar's Head - A Poem Battle of the Boar’s Head at Ferme du Bois, Near Richebourg, Northern […] Every Boy Remembered: Brighton College Commemorates the First World War At the outbreak of the First World War, Rev. Canon William […] East Sussex 'Then and Now': August 1915 - March 1917 ‘Then and Now’ images Kieron Pelling has created a series of […] East Sussex 'Then and Now': October 1914 - November 1916 ‘Then and Now’ images Kieron Pelling has created a series of […] Blue Plaques in Seaford for West Indian Soldiers The first ever English Heritage approved Blue Plaques in Seaford town […] Horses in War Display at Edenbridge and Oxted Show Over the 2015 August Bank Holiday weekend the Sussex Yeomanry Mounted […] Edith Cavell's Railway Van During the First World War, the execution of the British nurse […] East Sussex 'Then and Now': March 1915 - June 1916 ‘Then and Now’ images Kieron Pelling has created a series of […] Participation in the International Open German Cavalry Championships Participation in the 3rd International Open German Cavalry Championships at Boxberg, […] Great War at Sea Poetry Project The Great War at Sea Poetry Project was established by Hove […] East Sussex 'Then and Now': February - October 1915 ‘Then and Now’ images Kieron Pelling has created a series of […] The Great War Booklist East and West Sussex County Councils, along with Brighton and Hove […] Horam’s Tribute to World War I A Unique local Exhibition at the Horam Centre Like many people, […] Dark Meadow My wife, Kate, has an uncle from Guernsey who died during […] Bexhill and the Two Minute Silence While researching the present Bexhill Remembers exhibition at Bexhill Museum, it […] Composing 'Memorial' ‘Memorial’ is the piece of music I composed for the Roll […] Poems by Gillian Read ‘WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT.’ Deep water filled trenches Bitter cold, […] The Deans Seniors Tea club We run Senior’s Tea Clubs in Saltdean and in Telscombe Cliffs. […] East Sussex ‘Then and Now’: August 1914 - March 1915 ‘Then and Now’ images Kieron Pelling has created a series of […]

East Sussex Remembers

The Wider War

Hundred Days Offensive In August 1918, the allied armies of Britain, France, and America […] German Spring Offensives 1918 On 21 March 1918, the German army launched an offensive on […] The Third Battle of Ypres On 31st July 1917, the British army launched an attack against […] American soldiers arrive in France Did you know that American soldiers first began arriving in France […] The Russian Revolutions Did you know that the Russian Revolutions of 1917, removed Russia […] Lloyd George becomes Prime Minister Did you know that on 7 December 1916, David Lloyd George became […] Race to the Sea and the Dawn of Trench Warfare Did you know that in November 1914, Britain, France, and Germany […] America enters the First World War Did you know that a failed German plot to distract America […] 1916 American Presidential Election Did you know that in November 1916, the United States of […] Battle of the Somme On 1 July 1916, British and French forces attacked German positions […] Battle of Jutland Did you know that on 31 May and 1 June 1916, […] Battle of Verdun Did you know that the longest running battle of the First […] How the First World War ended Did you know that Britain, France and America sent the first […]

The Wider War

Did you know?

1916 Summer Olympics Did you know that the sixth summer games of the modern […] What happened to Kaiser Wilhelm? - Sussex Yeomanry visit Huis Doorn ‘Whatever happened to the Likely Lads?’ The same question could be […] Amelia Joel Mihlenstedt and the Alien Register In 1916 Amelia Joel Mihlenstedt found herself under arrest by the British […] Women's Football during the First World War Did you know that during the First World War women’s football […] Blood transfusions Did you know that modern blood transfusions and blood banks were […] House of Windsor Did you know that the Royal House of Windsor as we […] Stoolball Did you know that the traditional Sussex sport was used during the […] Ladybird Books Did you know that the famous Ladybird Books for children started […] Tanks! Did you know that tanks, which were invented during the First […] Solar Eclipse 1914 Did you know that there was a total solar eclipse on […] Willingdon's Egg Collection Did you know that millions of eggs were collected for wounded […] Winnie the Pooh Did you know that the original Winnie the Pooh was a […] Strange Coincidence: Franz Ferdinand’s licence plate and Armistice Day Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated on 28 June […] Blackberries for the Government Jam Scheme Did you know that, during the First World War, children picked […] The cost of the First World War Did you know that Britain still has £2bn worth of debts […] White Star Liners Did you know that the Royal Mail Ships (RMS) Britannic and Olympic, […] Don't Look Down - Parachutes in the First World War Did you know that the use of parachutes was highly contentious […] Camouflage Trees Did you know that, during the First World War, armies used […] Fokker Scourge Did you know that the Germans first developed a way for […] Newhaven Transport Memorial Did you know that the Newhaven Transport Memorial currently sited in […] Sjt Hoad and Edmund Blunden - Pillbox. Did you know that the poem “Pillbox” by Edmund Blunden refers […] The three cousins Did you know that at the time of the First World […] First and Last Did you know the first British soldier killed in the war […] Feathered Warriors Did you know, over 100,000 pigeons served in the British Army […] Ongoing Fronts Did you know that the term “front” used on modern weather […] Cultural Differences Did you know that British and French soldiers suffered a variety of […] British Summer Time Did you know that British Summer Time was first initiated in […]

Did you know?

Our Project

East Sussex First World War - Project End Since its launch in August 2014, the East Sussex WW1 project […] East Sussex First World War – 4th Anniversary On 4 August 2018, the East Sussex WW1 project celebrated its […] East Sussex First World War – 3rd Anniversary On 4 August 2017, the East Sussex WW1 project celebrated its […] Lee Banner - Project Manager Lee Banner, Policy Officer at East Sussex County Council and the […] East Sussex First World War - 2nd Anniversary On 4 August 2014, at the start of the First World […] Commemorating Nelson Carter VC On 30 June 1916, whilst rescuing wounded soldiers from No Man’s […] Sophie Unger - Historic Environment Record Officer As a professional archaeologist, I manage the Historic Environment Record (HER) […] Beth McGhee - Policy Development Intern I was a late addition to the project team, joining in […] East Sussex First World War - 1st Anniversary On 4 August 1914 Britain declared war on Germany. One hundred […] Kieron Pelling - Compelling Photography In 2011, I started a blog with the aim of showing […] Lesley Fairbairn – website advice Working on this First World War website has opened my eyes […] Madeline Whitty - Senior Graphic Designer The design of this project has taken its inspiration from the […] Indea Cadman-Rivers - Policy Development Officer Although I would never classify myself as a historian, nor have […] Sammi Hide - Senior Library Assistant Local Studies and Information I work at Eastbourne Library where I’m responsible for the Reference […] Natasha Silk and Flo Pollock - Graduate Researchers at The Keep From the 14-25 of July 2014, we were exploring the First World […] Chris Kempshall - Project Officer I am the Project Officer for East Sussex County Council’s First World […]

Our Project