Brian Curragh Posted 20 January , 2009 Share Posted 20 January , 2009 In Kim's recent thread on Colsterdale - Popular Memorial For Such an Out of the Way Place, a jolly day out!! - a place I had never heard of before, I made the suggestion that a simple list of Great War sites in the UK, sorted by county, would be a useful resource. If you happened to be in a different part of the country from your normal area - it would be a quick guide to interesting sites that could be visited. I wouldn't propose it included war memorials as these are already well covered elsewhere National Inventory but "off the beaten track" sites like the remains of Colsterdale camp that are already familiar to local members but will have passed the rest of us by. Near me, the airship hangars at Cardington might be another example Wikipedia - Cardington. The end result, if it got off the ground, would be a listing that gave county, nearest town, post code if available, map reference, general description & any access notes/comments, etc. It could be posted to a thread in this sub-forum & updated as new entries got added. I am more than happy to collate the information if there is a demand for this. PM me with any suggestions or post them to this thread and we can see how it goes. Regards Brian Postscript The sites to date are now held here - Great War Sites in the UK - displayed on Google Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 20 January , 2009 Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Brian: are you thinking of sites where there's still something still to be seen apart from the landscape? In Wiltshire there's nothing left of some of the Great War camps and airfields (eg Stonehenge and Lake Down airfields). What about Tidworth Barracks, where some of the buildings built very early in the 20th century can be seen from public roads; their names (eg Jellalabad, Candahar) crop up in quite a few WWI memoirs - would these qualify? If enough people chip in, your thread could get massive and your task of collation prove quite demanding! We do have, of course, a very long thread about Hospitals in the UK, and you may feel that a cross-reference to this will suffice. Many of the buildings do survive. (I confess that I seldom look at this thread nowadays, even when there's a new post, because it's so so cumbersome to navigate and I suspect some of the info has been duplicated over the years.) Mooonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 20 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Moonraker Yes, probably sites that you can still see I guess. Sites which have now vanished could be included but I think you would need something concrete (sorry!) to hang a visit on. I am happy to try pulling it together as I would find it useful myself. There must be other gems like Colsterdale or Cardington dotted around that would provide an excuse for either a visit or a stop when passing through. With the passing of time, it can be nice sometimes to revisit the landscape that the soldiers knew. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 20 January , 2009 Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Nice idea Brian. This might be a nice start. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 20 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Neil Thank you for that - I was actually thinking of that thread but couldn't for the life of me remember the name of the camp! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 20 January , 2009 Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Excellent. Glad to have helped. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfaulder Posted 20 January , 2009 Share Posted 20 January , 2009 >><< If enough people chip in, your thread could get massive and your task of collation prove quite demanding! We do have, of course, a very long thread about Hospitals in the UK, and you may feel that a cross-reference to this will suffice. Many of the buildings do survive. (I confess that I seldom look at this thread nowadays, even when there's a new post, because it's so so cumbersome to navigate and I suspect some of the info has been duplicated over the years.) Mooonraker I think a Google Maps solution may be the answer. Two approaches are possible: Hosted on Google maps as with this site of Flanders CWGC sites. These can be set up to be "collaborative" so others can chip in, and the resultant maps can be either public or "ex-directory". Website hosted as in this list of WF Accommodation that I produced a while ago. It will not "fit" within a bulletin board and relies on a bit of webspace to host it. But the filtering and searching functions are much more powerful. For the later, the actual "data" is easy to sort out; a sample of the Accommodation data file looks like: { type : "Location", label : "Ariane Hotel", category : "Hotel ****", region : "Ypres Salient", place : "Ieper", address : "Slachthuisstraat 58, 8900 Ieper", addressLatLng : "50.854441317505355, 2.8844475746154785", telephone : "32 57 21 82 18", facsimile : "32 57 21 87 99", email : "info@ariane.be", website : " http://www.ariane.be", notes : "Car park. Situated in Ieper town centre" }, The trick is to get the colons, commas, double inverted commas and curly brackets in the right place. The format is relatively free and most categories are non-compulsory. There is a tool available for finding the addressLatLng by means of a point and click approach. It is also possible for something to have two entries under a particular category: { type : "Location", label : "De Hollemeersch", category : "Hotel", region : "Ypres Salient", place : ["Dranouter","Kemmel-Heuvelland"], address : "Lettingstraat 58-60, 8950 Dranouter", addressLatLng : "50.7745459898319, 2.8127574920654297", telephone : "057 44.44.06", facsimile : "057 44.74.86", email : "info@hollemeersch.be", website : " http://hollemeersch.be/" }, (Note the use of square brackets to hold two entries). HTH (or gives food for thought) David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 21 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 21 January , 2009 David Thanks - definitely food for thought. When I was thinking of the number of fields you would ideally need - it does start to make it more difficult to "publish" a simple list. A Google Maps or Google Earth solution would be much more elegant. You could still have a very simple listing on a thread but then link to the hosted version. I use Earth quite a lot for recording locations personally but have never looked into the idea of an "open" set of pointers held on a website for general access/addition. I will have a look at the 2 examples you quoted and see if I can get the hang of what they're doing. I'll also probably need to pick your brains at some point too when I've got my head round it. Lots to think about! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfaulder Posted 21 January , 2009 Share Posted 21 January , 2009 >><< I use Earth quite a lot for recording locations personally but have never looked into the idea of an "open" set of pointers held on a website for general access/addition. I will have a look at the 2 examples you quoted and see if I can get the hang of what they're doing. I'll also probably need to pick your brains at some point too when I've got my head round it. >><< I'll be happy to help - I suspect others will contribute as well (possibly via the technology section of this forum). This Thread ("My Maps" in Google Maps - Great War Forum ) may be of interest. On my website, I have a series of different experimental approaches to this technology. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 23 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Just bumping this up to see if I can get anymore sites suggested. So far we have: County/Location/Description Bedfordshire/Cardington/Cardington Airship Works Conwy/Abergele/Kinmel Camp North Yorkshire/Colsterdale/Colsterdale Camp There must be some more hidden gems out there... Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfaulder Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 >><< A Google Maps or Google Earth solution would be much more elegant. You could still have a very simple listing on a thread but then link to the hosted version. >><< Brian, Just "thrown" this together as an experiment on Google Maps; I hope I have it set up so that others can add places. Please post comments so that we can all see how effective this might be; if it works we can tidy it up and possibly set up some suggestions for standard comments for each place; if it does not it can be abandoned. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 23 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 23 January , 2009 David That's it exactly - but a couple of questions - I couldn't see how to add a location (was going to add Kinmel Camp) - How would you "earmark" (possibly not the right word) the collection of sites so you can navigate to them - I input Abergele into the search area - which it found, but in doing so dropped the 4 sites you had already input - does that make sense? Issue being to keep the sites while inputting another one. Or do you find it in another Maps window & then open the "sites" collection & navigate to the desired location? Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 23 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Not convinced I made a lot of sense in the 2nd point - does this make anymore? 1. Starting point is a web address that takes you to the collection of sites - this could be posted somewhere on the GWF for others to access/add to. 2. Then the ability to add a new site to the collection & "save" it 3. The mechanics of searching for a location without "losing" the collection Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Brian, You might find this of use. It's a computer drawing of the kinmel camp layout, imposed over a google earth map. If you'd like a full copy send me your email address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Evans Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Hello Brian, Although not confined solely to WW1, have you come across this project before? If you navigate from the Intro page to the Overview and Stage 2, there is a downloadable database (Excel). Sites are referenced by National Grid. The reports are well worth a read as well. It's something that you can sift through and check out at leisure. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfaulder Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 David That's it exactly - but a couple of questions - I couldn't see how to add a location (was going to add Kinmel Camp) Regards Brian OK, feeling my way through this (using a different account to test this - it is otherwise hard to test collaborating with yourself!): 1) you need to sign in - which means you need to set up a Google Account (free and relatively easy). 2) you then need to click on the link (on the Great War Sites in the UK map) that appears saying "Save to My Maps". 3) Pan/zoom around the map to get to the place wher you want a new placemark. 4) On the left hand pane (My Maps) there is an Edit button available - click on this and the map then acquires a toolbar allowing you to add points, lines and areas. Strongly suggested that you pan and zoom into position before going into edit mode (because if you don't you risk dislodging markers left by others!) 5) Select the relevant icon on the tool bar and click on the place you want to add. In both cases you then fill in the info window*. Note that if you switch into Rich Text Mode you are then able to add links. Clicking on the icon allows you to select another. 6) Then Save and Click Done when done! Note: it is also possible to use search to find a place and then commandeer it by selecting "add to my maps" and "Selecting Great War Sites in the UK". * Can I suggest that in the info window you include the address (in case the placemark gets dislodged by someone else), a website address and link, and a brief description (too big a description and the info window will swamp the map and may not fit on screen). Let me know if that does not work and I will have another go - although I have just added Folkestone Harbour station following these instructions. David (minor?! edit 19:48, clarification 23:41 - complete rehash 24/01/09 19:14, tidying of wording 28/01/09) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 23 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Brian, You might find this of use. It's a computer drawing of the kinmel camp layout, imposed over a google earth map. If you'd like a full copy send me your email address. Thanks, PM sent Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfaulder Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 David - How would you "earmark" (possibly not the right word) the collection of sites so you can navigate to them - I input Abergele into the search area - which it found, but in doing so dropped the 4 sites you had already input - does that make sense? Issue being to keep the sites while inputting another one. Or do you find it in another Maps window & then open the "sites" collection & navigate to the desired location? Regards Brian OK, again feeling my way and assuming I have understood your question. 1) The original link is to the "collection" (the map). 2) When you save it to "My Maps", you get a listing of your maps on the left hand side with click boxes to allow you to switch maps on or off. 3) If you have more than one map (initially of course you will have just the "Great War Sites in the UK" map), clicking on it will select it so that all its places get listed on the left and you get the Edit box referred to in my previous posting. You can only edit one map at a time. HTH David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Email sent Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmoha Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Vimy Ridge Farm The above link describes a farm purchased and renamed by the father of a Notts and Derbys officer killed on the Somme in the countryside near to Nottingham. The farm was intended as a rehabilitation centre to retrain wounded soldiers giving them agricultural trades with a tree-lined approach as a living memorial to the men who fell with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 The Fovant Badges in Wiltshire - regimental badges cut into the chalk by garrisoned soldiers http://www.fovantbadges.com Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 23 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Phil Thanks for the pointer to the Army Camp site - needs a good look over the weekend. JMOHA & Alan Two more fascinating sites - exactly the kind of places that I was thinking of. David Right, I will have a look at what you suggest over the weekend & see if I can get the hang of it - but this does seem to be the way to go - particularly as you can put a link on the note to websites giving more information. The proof of the pudding will be, I guess if I can add to the collection of sites you have input. I will PM you on how I get on so we can keep the technical side off the thread & leave it to gather more UK sites. Thanks again to everyone who has had an input. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Evans Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 It should keep you busy Brian. Thank you David, from me also. I've managed to start my own map off with your instructions. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfaulder Posted 24 January , 2009 Share Posted 24 January , 2009 It should keep you busy Brian. Thank you David, from me also. I've managed to start my own map off with your instructions. Phil Glad to have been of help, but if your map is of UK Great War sites, you are welcome to commandeer space on the map I started. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 24 January , 2009 Share Posted 24 January , 2009 A few more that come to mind - I'll just post the details here, a quick forum search will give loads of information The Stanley Spencer memorial at Sandham, Hampshire - http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/...orialchapel.htm Mells Church, Somerset - the Horner Memorial Chapel and Sassoon's grave - http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/gre...-great-war.html Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Hampshire - http://www.netleyabbey.info/Royal%20Victoria%20Hospital.htm Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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