1914-1918 First World War

1914-1918 First World War

The First World War

This section deals with recruitment to the forces, including not just infantry, but sailors, airmen and medical and nursing practitioners. It focuses on British/Irish wartime propaganda and reportage and on anti-conscription sentiments and the huge impact of the war on the home front, economically, culturally and socially. It deals with the material legacy of that war in terms of weapons, uniforms, souvenirs, written documents and medals.

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4 Questions to men who have NOT enlisted

4 Questions to men who have NOT enlisted

First World War recruitment poster; '4 Questions to men who have NOT enlisted'; published by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, London; poster no...

Photograph

Photograph

Photograph showing Sister B. C. Brolly at Amenion Rest Centre, France 1917. Soldiers are visible in the background....

Who's Absent? Is it You??

Who's Absent? Is it You??

First World War recruitment poster; 'Who's Absent? Is it You?' John Bull on a beige background with brown lettering and border; behind him is a line ...

BOOKS; Trench books, German Army

BOOKS; Trench books, German Army

event : World War I;condition : good. description : 4 books in the series SCHUTZENGRABEN-BUCHER ; stapled.; production method :letterpress...

He Died for Freedom and Honour

He Died for Freedom and Honour

Next of Kin Memorial Plaque, in original packaging, awarded to the family of Patrick Magee. Private Magee 20920, "C" Coy. 8th Bn., Royal Irish Fusilie...

North Irish Horse

North Irish Horse

This is the service jacket of Lord Farnham, an officer of the North Irish Horse regiment. The jacket has a roll collar on which bronze collar badges a...

Lantern slide

Lantern slide

First World War battlefield scene....

POSTCARD; Field service postcard

POSTCARD; Field service postcard

event : World War I;condition : fair. description : printed form with ms additions ; addressed to MRS S. D. KNOX of Londonderry ; on back series of st...

Lord Roberts and escort of imperial Yeomanry entering Kroonstadt

Lord Roberts and escort of imperial Yeomanry entering Kroonstadt

Stereoscope Photograph showing a view relating to the Boer War; Lord Roberts entering Kroonstadt with escort. ‘Lord Roberts and escort of Imperial Yeo...

Savars improved safety ear syringe

Savars improved safety ear syringe

Boxed ' Savars improved safety ear syringe' used in a First World War hospital, Birmingham....

Ration card, Ministry of Food

Ration card, Ministry of Food

event : World War I;condition : fair ; worn. issuing authority : Ministry of Food. description : numbered 287760 ; issued to Ethel Dewhurst of Belvoir...

BOOKS; Trench books, German Army

BOOKS; Trench books, German Army

event : World War I;condition : good. description : 4 books in the series SCHUTZENGRABEN-BUCHER ; stapled.; production method :letterpress...

Ring

Ring

Ring. Grey alloy, plain brass inset, German First World War....

Smuts' message the World Awakened

Smuts' message the World Awakened

National War Aims Committee pamphlet with silhouette of Smuts on front cover. No. 2 in the Message Series, speech delivered to Clothworkers Company Ha...

Photograph

Photograph

Photograph showing a group of people; nurses, soldiers and clergy, posing for the photograph, ready to play a game of tennis. Some of the nurses are s...

Bombing the Bosche out of their deep dugouts near Martinspuich during our advance on Somme

Bombing the Bosche out of their deep dugouts near Martinspuich during our advance on Somme

Stereoscope Photograph showing a view of soldiers throwing grenades into German dugouts, with dead body in foreground. ‘Bombing the Bosche out of thei...

Lantern slide

Lantern slide

First World War image of a soldier ringing a bell in the trenches. The gas alarm bell had to be urgently rung as to facilitate swift donning of the ga...

14th century walls and Lille Gate through which British troops marched during defence of Ypres

14th century walls and Lille Gate through which British troops marched during defence of Ypres

Stereoscope Photograph showing a view of medieval walls and Lille Gate associated with defense of Ypres. '14th century walls and Lille Gate through wh...

Helmet

Helmet

Khaki Brodie style helmet with leather lining and chin strap. Painted black interior. Marked FS 122. Firth & Sons produced these helmets for British, ...

'Extracts from a message from the Ulster Division'

'Extracts from a message from the Ulster Division'

First World War recruitment poster; 'Extracts from a message from the Ulster Division.' A poster that stresses the shame of the fact that the ranks of...

'Four Questions to clerks and shop assistants'

'Four Questions to clerks and shop assistants'

First World War recruitment poster; '4 Questions to clerks and shop assistants,' asking four questions to probe the minds of readers and then saying t...

Surgeon's kit

Surgeon's kit

First World War surgeon's kit containing a range of medical instruments....

Lantern slide

Lantern slide

First World War image of a British first aid team treating wounded soldier. There are three orderlies, treating a soldiers treating a man on a stretc...

Your Country Wants You ... Don't Wait but Join Now'

Your Country Wants You ... Don't Wait but Join Now'

First World War Recruiting poster; PRC No.102 Red, dark blue and white on a khaki background; Your Country Wants You and 300,000 more men like you Don...

War Savings Associations in His Majesty's ships

War Savings Associations in His Majesty's ships

First World War recruitment poster; 'War Savings Associations in His Majesty's ships'; poster no.70. A poster advertising 'war savings certificates' a...

Lantern slide

Lantern slide

First World War image of tank and troops. Tanks were first used in September 1916, at Delville Wood. There were over 6,000 tanks in allied possession...

Bread Bag

Bread Bag

Linen bread bag used by soldiers during the First World War....

The famous Gurhas with their deadly kukries charge the enemy near Neuve Chapelle

The famous Gurhas with their deadly kukries charge the enemy near Neuve Chapelle

Stereoscope Photograph showing a view of Gurkhas charging Germans at Neuve Chapelle. ‘The famous Gurkhas with their deadly kukries charge the enemy ne...

Looking into the depths of the tremendous crater of our mine fired at La Roiselle on the Somme

Looking into the depths of the tremendous crater of our mine fired at La Roiselle on the Somme

Stereoscope Photograph showing a view of huge crater. ‘Looking into the depths of the tremendous crater of our mine fired at La Boiselle on the Somme’...

COME ALONG BOYS!

COME ALONG BOYS!

First World War recruitment poster; 'Come Along Boys! Enlist Today.' Extract from letter written in the trenches of the Aisne by General Sir Horace Sm...

Uniform: wire cutters

Uniform: wire cutters

German Medic uniform issued during the First World War. Wire cutters....

Lantern slide

Lantern slide

First World War image of a group of local (Flemish or French) men, women and children in shelled town....

'Mr John Dillon M.P. on Recruiting in Ireland. Join an Irish Regiment today'

'Mr John Dillon M.P. on Recruiting in Ireland. Join an Irish Regiment today'

First World War recruitment poster; 'Mr John Dillon M.P. on Recruiting in Ireland. Join an Irish Regiment today.' John Dillon IPP (Irish Parliamentary...

Lantern slide

Lantern slide

First World War image of British soldiers leaving trenches. Iconic image of soldiers moving up a trench and climbing over the parapet at a hidden acce...

The Royal Irish Rifles

The Royal Irish Rifles

First World War Royal Irish Rifles postcard showing colours of Regiment, and verse reading 'Whenever you read 'Great German loss' Put it down to a dos...

Rennbahn Church Times

Rennbahn Church Times

Prisoner-of-war magazine, 'Rennbahn Church Times.' November - January 1916. Renbahn was a POW camp near Munster, Germany and this according to one sou...

Our Day

Our Day

On a brown ground a red cross outlined in white on a left arm in black "OUR" and on the right "DAY". In the middle a soldier, wearing a khaki cap with...

Those German Peace Offers

Those German Peace Offers

National War Aims Committee pamphlet 'Those German Peace Offers,' by William Stephen Sanders, the Labour politician, who becomes MP for Battersea Nort...

Hand grenade

Hand grenade

Wooden handled German hand grenade, used during First World War....

General Kelly-Kenny's infantry creeping on the Boers at Dreifontein on the march to Bloemfontein

General Kelly-Kenny's infantry creeping on the Boers at Dreifontein on the march to Bloemfontein

Stereoscope Photograph showing a view relating to the Boer War; Infantry taking fire. ‘General Kelly-Kenny's infantry creeping on the Boers at Dreifon...

Why aren't you in khaki?

Why aren't you in khaki?

First World War recruitment poster; 'Why aren't you in khaki? You'll be wanted. Enlist at once'; published by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, ...

Postcard

Postcard

event : [World War I];condition : fair ; some wear. type : military. description : soldier with slung rifle peeking through door to look at seated wom...

Men to delay is dangerous when your country needs you

Men to delay is dangerous when your country needs you

First World War recruitment poster; 'Men to delay is dangerous when your country needs you. Enlist now'; published by the Parliamentary Recruiting Com...

'A golden opportunity is offered to young Irishmen to learn a skilled trade free of cost by joining the Royal Air Force'

'A golden opportunity is offered to young Irishmen to learn a skilled trade free of cost by joining the Royal Air Force'

First World War recruitment poster; 'A golden opportunity is offered to young Irishmen to learn a skilled trade free of cost by joining the Royal Air ...

'Your King and Country Need You. Join the Army Until the War is Over'

'Your King and Country Need You. Join the Army Until the War is Over'

First World War recruitment poster; 'Your King and Country Need You. Join the Army Until the War is Over.' Published by the Parliamentary Recruiting C...

The Empire needs men!

The Empire needs men!

First World War recruitment poster; 'The Empire needs men! The overseas states all answer the call. Helped by the young lions, the old lion defies his...

'Men in the country who desire to enlist can on application to any police barracks obtain a free railway voucher'

'Men in the country who desire to enlist can on application to any police barracks obtain a free railway voucher'

First World War recruitment poster; 'Men in the country who desire to enlist can on application to any police barracks obtain a free railway voucher.'...

'Let Irishmen Remember'

'Let Irishmen Remember'

First World War recruitment poster appealing to Irishmen to remember that 'the Sixteenth Division was the famous Irish Brigade raised under the auspic...

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve medal belonging to Sister Brolly, a nurse during the First World War....

'Eat Less Bread'

'Eat Less Bread'

First World War recruitment poster; 'Eat Less Bread.' Campaign to encourage modest consumption of bread EAT LESS BREAD – national ration is 4lb per we...

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