The Great War Archive

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Introduction

The Great War Archive contains over 6,500 items contributed by the general public between March and June 2008. Every item originates from, or relates to, someone's experience of the First World War, either abroad or at home. Contributions were received via a special website and also through a series of open days at libraries and museums throughout the country.

The deadline for contributions has now passed. However, you can still share any images that you have by posting them to The Great War Archive Flickr Group. To post to the group you will need to set up a free Flickr account. Also, in 2011 we will extend this initiative in to Germany, working together with Europeana, the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek and their partners. More information to follow.

Many thanks to all those who have contributed to this initiative and assisted in our open days.

Editor's pick

A Training Submarine

This is U-1, the first Unterseeboot (submarine) of the Imperial German Navy.

Image of U-1 at sea with text 'S.M Unterseeboot I in foller Fahrt

U-1 at full speed

This image was submitted by Dr Hans Andreas Schönfeldt to the Europeana 1914-1918 collection at the public participation day in Frankfurt. U-1 was constructed by Krupp at its Germania Yard at Kiel in 1906. Compared to later vessels, U-1 was small, displacing 238 tons with one torpedo tube, three torpedoes and a crew of only ten. Trials revealed that U-1 was not entirely suitable as an ocean-going vessel and should be restricted to coastal use only. One problem was the kerosene engines - when running on the surface they produced copious amounts of white smoke and sparks through the upper deck exhausts, obviously making the boat far from invisible.

When the First World War began in 1914, U-1 was deemed obsolete and was used only for training. On 19 February 1919 it suffered damage from a collision while on a training exercise and was subsequently sold to the Germania Yard foundation. It is now restored and on display at the Deutsches Museum in Munich (see the Deutsches Museum online exhibit).

(Text by Everett Sharp).

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