Trashed war diary

[Chris_Baker]

On my visit to the National Archives yesterday I took out an infantry battalion war diary. I won't tell you which. I have never seen a document so thoroughly trashed as this one. It was almost as though someone had thrown the sheaf of papers in the air, collected them back in random order and them jammed them into the box with a size 9 boot. Whole months in the wrong year sequence; individual pages in the wrong month, or even wrong year. Single undated pages, like the second page of an order, completely adrift. And not just a few examples,: the whole box was like this. An absolute heart-breaking disgrace. This may have been the work of the last person who used the diary, or the acculated result of several previous users. Whichever it was, I hope they choked on their "we will remember them" last weekend, because to me the callous treatment of this precious artefact is just appalling. Digitisation can't come fast enough.

[bigjohn]

Chris

Hear hear, I did experience similar but not so bad on my last visit, but it was fairly easy to rearange them back into order.The sooner digitisation comes in the better but it will not be the same as actualy touching and handling history.

Regards

John

[Ron Clifton]

Chris

Very frustrating, but how's this for a scenario:

Someone (reader or TNA staff) picked up the box by its sides. The bottom half of the box fell out, and all the papers went flying. Said person then tried hurriedly to stuff everything back in anyhow, whilst trying to avoid being spotted.

When the box was returned (closed) no-one thought to look inside to check, or just didn't bother to do anything about it. Perhaps it was near the end of their shift.

Or, the box was dis-arranged after the contents had been digitally scanned, and whoever did it thought that anyone needing to read it in future would have the digitised version to work from.

I hope you brought the matter to the attention of the counter staff.

[Chris_Baker]

Not impossible, Ron, but not as likely as thoughtless handling by the public. Naturally duly reported but as these things will be digitised shortly there is little point in tackling it before the "war diary clean up squad" (for which TNA have been asking for volunteers) comes into play.

John: I'd rather only have access to digital versions than see these documents gradually being destroyed.

[JimSmithson]

John: I'd rather only have access to digital versions than see these documents gradually being destroyed.

I agree Chris. I am there for a fleeting few hours tomorrow and hope to photograph quite a few documents. If I have your experience, thus losing me time sorting, I will be one very p** of f chappy. Not living in the UK these moments are precious to me. Please don't let me have the box you had!!

Jim

[rflory]

Chris: I had a similar experience with a war diary. As I live in the US I have been having someone making digital copies of Royal Artillery war diaries for me and one siege battery war diary had the pages completely disorganized and the unfortunate part was that the war diary only had the day and month for dates so it was very difficult putting it back in order. It took me two days to reorganize the individual jpg files in their proper order.

Dick Flory

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

... but not as likely as thoughtless handling by the public. ...

Chris – TNA security cameras in the public areas allow the operators to read what you are writing as you write it, but there still seems to be a reticence to tackle document abuse face-on. I find that directly reported infringements are met with a sort of “why are you telling me ?” attitude.

The public are not the only people in TNA who handle the contents of original document boxes.

Digitalisation ? “Volunteers” ? Lets see what happens. I understand that TNA staff are being recruited to carry out the pre-digitalisation sorting on an overtime basis.

Tom

[squirrel]

On my first visit to the NA the diary I ordered was in a mess - took me about twenty minutes to sort it out before I could find the part I wanted. I wonder what they will deem as "not required" when they digitise the diaries?

[kenneth505]

"war diary clean up squad" (for which TNA have been asking for volunteers) comes into play.[/qoute]

Any additional information available about this volunteer opportunity? Either for TNA or other organizations? Sounds like fun.

[JimSmithson]

Having just spent a lot of time working through very disorganized boxes last weekend I can tell you it will not be fun for those who prepare them for scanning. There were odd 1916 pages among 1917 (and I mean those in tags), some months way out of order and in the wrong box and so it goes on. Some of this is original error sometime in the past, some poor handling in the last years.

Jim

[Nepper]

Any additional information available about this volunteer opportunity? Either for TNA or other organizations? Sounds like fun.

From TNA webpage

Re-ordering First World War diaries project

We are looking for volunteers to help us ensure that the pages within the 5,500 pieces of the WO95 series are in the correct order before we conserve and digitise them. The work involves handling original documents and will take place at The National Archives in Kew - we will provide training and supervision for volunteers, no prior knowledge of the series is required. If you are interested in volunteering your time for this project, please email: wardiaries@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

[Staffsyeoman]

TNA overtime? Wonder where the money for that is coming from. Overtime in the public service at present needs to be authorised at such a high level it is nigh on impossible to achieve. I put my name forwards ages ago as one of the potential volunteers for the sorting project and have heard absolutely nothing back.

Digitisation is a long term solution as long as it is done at a sufficient quality of readability and resolution.

[tootrock]

When at the NA a couple of weeks ago I was looking at a (non-WW1) piece which was in the form of a ledger tied with ribbon. When I untied the ribbon the spine fell off. When I had finished with the item I retained the spine with the tape, and reported the problem at the Help desk. I was directed to the ordering screens, where I was shown how to report the problem, which I did.

Today I have had an e-mail informing me that:

"The spine was re-attached to the back of WO 12/10037 and the edges of the cover, as well as the corners, consolidated.

The volume can now be opened and handled safely."

Categories of problem that can be reported are as follows, and then details can be added.

DOCUMENT IS DAMAGED:

BOX/FOLDER CONTAINS WRONG DOCUMENT:

PAGES NOT IN CORRECT ORDER:

Has anyone else tried this procedure?

Martin