Although many of the personal records from World War 1 were destroyed in the blitz, many smaller collections survived, often from more rural areas.
These documents can give us an idea of what life in Dorset was like during World War 1. Records such as the Western Front diaries of RSM George Beck are valuable in giving us an insight into life on the frontline.
Take a look at the list below of documents relating to World War 1. Contact us if you would like to find out more information or take a look at the original documents.
| Reference number | Date | Description of documents |
|---|---|---|
| D-875/1/71 | 1914 | Autograph book with various entries, including ones from soldiers at the V.A.D Hospital in Ockbrook, Derbyshire. |
| D-1820/1 | 1898 - 1936 | Documents related to RSM George Beck, including photos, diaries and other documents related to his time fighting during WW1. |
| D-2063/1 | 1919 | Booklet [printed by Minster and Co Ltd, London] of pen and ink sketches of the German prisoner of war camp at Dorchester by inmates of the camp 1918-1919 |
| D-BKL/H/P/30-31 | 1915 | Letters sent to Henrietta Jenny Bankes discussing his experiences of the War and preparation for an attack. |
| DC-SYB/B/1/8 | 1919 | Poster advertising thanksgiving service to mark the end of WW1 and a Programme of Peace celebrations. |
| D-1576/4/2 | [Post 1918] | Black and white stereoscopic photographs from The Battlefield Series, printed by ex-service men in Parkstone. Includes views of Nieuport, Belgium; the old cemetery, Ypres; Langemarck; Menin; Armentieres; Lomme, near Armentieres. |
| D-DOY/A/10/3 | 1914-1915 | Papers concerning the supply of Horses for battle, and telegrams and a poster asking for recruits to join the 3/1 Dorset Queens Yeomanry. |
| D-PAR/E/4/2 | 1918-1919 | Two Postcards from Len Parsons, an inmate at Germersheim POW camp, Germany, to Miss Nino Day |
| DSA/187/1/2 | 1998 | Audio recording of interview with Herbert Crumpler (b.Feb 1898), talking about his life growing up and detail about his experiences of service in the Dorset Regiment in WW1. Transcript available. |
| PE-BCN/MI/10 | 1919 | Proclamation of King George V ordering a day of thanksgiving for the end of WW1. |
| PE-COL/IN/8/1 | 1918 | Hand painted roll of honour in memory of those who died in Colehill during the war. |
| PE-HIL/SE/2/5 | [no date] | Notice to the congregation to eat less bread as a form of voluntary rationing during World War 1. |
| PE-GOD/MI/2/1-2 | 1914 | Letters from the Dorset Regiment to Children in Godmanstone, thanking them for sending Cigarettes. |
| PE-CHY/SE/2/27 | 1914 | Prayer card for those serving in the armed forces. |
| D-1345/1/1 | 1914-18 | Book of Remembrance of Weymouth College |
| DC-BFB box 6A/102 | 1916 | Information booklet issued by the War Office to local officials demonstrating that women had successfully taken on jobs formerly occupied by men, thus releasing additional male workers into the armed forces. |
This is by no means an exhaustive list of documents relating to the topic, so if this has piqued your interest why not search our catalogue for more documents, or contact us to arrange a visit with your class to view the documents themselves (where possible).