Memorial Photo Archive: advice requested re. website etc

[Guest MPD]

Hello.

I am trying to create photographic memorial to the British men and women who served during

the Great War, and am writing now to request your advice about how best to do it.

I currently have about 450 original photographs representing more than 4000 individuals. The

images are in various forms: individuals, small groups, units, family groups, wounded. Many individuals are named; most are not.

My aim is to make this 'archive' public through a website that invites viewers to name the unnamed,

and to invite the viewers to submit their own photographs to create a growing and dynamic memorial..

I am a 57 year-old, freelance (medieval tomb) historian living in Cambridge. There is no financial angle to this.

I am not interested in merchandising pictures.

My Grandfather was a bread baker who's first action was at Passchendaele.

My motivation is love for someone I never knew. And through him for the rest..

Photographs recall these men and women as people and individuals, which is surely how they would have

wished to have been remembered.

I have the core archive, and have spent dozens of hours cleaning and restoring old photographs to an acceptable level. What I don't have are the computing skills or resources to create a proper website that includes facilities for downloading, uploading, networking and everything else.

I approached the Heritage Lottery for minimum funding for a website (£3000), but fell at the first hurdle because I am an individual.

I apologise for the long post. If you are still with me, I would value any suggestions regarding

how I might take it further. I am not looking for money, just ideas.

MPD

[johnboy]

There may be copyright issues publishing other peoples photos to the web. Family history passed down can be incorrect. eg names and regiments. If you go through posts on this site you will find references to memorial sites and other centenary projects.

[smakcanada]

I would love to find photos of relatives in the Great War. My avatar is a photo I found through this site! I otherwise would never have known what RSM Robert Dolan looked like. I also cannot figure out which battalion he was with when he died because the 7thRoyal Inniskilling Fusillers were disbanded before 27 March 1918 when he was killed near Albert. I photograph might help.

[MickLeeds]

I would love to find photos of relatives in the Great War. My avatar is a photo I found through this site! I otherwise would never have known what RSM Robert Dolan looked like. I also cannot figure out which battalion he was with when he died because the 7thRoyal Inniskilling Fusillers were disbanded before 27 March 1918 when he was killed near Albert. I photograph might help.

Hello,

When RSM Robert Dolan died he was with the 7/8 Bn. This was an amalgamation of the 7th & 8th battalions from August 1917. They have a war diary that covers the time when your man died though it is not yet available for download online.

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C7352884

Mick.

[smakcanada]

Mick:

Thank you. I'm patiently waiting for access to the War Diaries for the 7th/8th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. I bought a little book on line: 'The Book of the 7th Inniskilling Fusiliers...' It lists my great-uncle Robert in the Honour Roll at the back of the book under Warrant Officers 1st Class: Regimental Sergeant Major Robert Dolan D.C.M.

My 'cousin' & I have been trying to track the information as to when & why he received the D.C.M. but so far no luck this little book however, clearly indicates the letters after his name so we feel he DID in fact receive the honour (nothing in LG that I could find).

Bob was in the Army since he was 2 mo. past his 15th birthday (used his sister's date of birth to sign up). He was a bit of a hell-raiser & spent some time in the hoosegow for various misbehaviour & when his first 12 year stint was up he got out - but he didn't stay out long. I suppose civvie life would be hard after 'growing up' in the Army. When he re-enlisted I think he probably realized this was the life and career he was going to have so he might as well take it seriously. He was a 20 year veteran when he was killed at only 36 years of age. Left a wife & son & daughter both under 3 years of age and less than 8 months to armistice.

I'm curious as to how & where he finally met his death. If anyone has details please jump in! The Kaiserschlacht opened on the 21 March 1918 & clearly Bob was with "C" Company in Gough's 5th Army. The 'Little Book" has a photo near the back with the "remaining originals" of the fighting Seventh taken in March 1918 (my avatar is Bob from that photo). If I count heads there are 22 in the photo. If I go through the Honour Roll I find 20 O.R. killed 21 March 1918, plus one on 24, 1918, if I add in Bob who was killed 27 March 1918 that's 22. Now maybe there were more in the company just not the originals so not in the photo, or maybe it's a coincidence but if I'm right and that was Bob's little unit and they were surrounded & fought to the end together why is Bob's date of death 27 March 1918 & theirs 21 March 1918? I could see the other fella (sorry don't have book at hand right now) dying of wounds 3 days later but if Bob died of wounds 6 days later his remains would've been in the casualty clearing station. Is it possible he went off on his own or joined up with some other remnants after the catastrophic events of 21 March 1918? I mean he'd be somewhere between Albert & Bapaume. Just like to know where abouts it was that he breathed his last.

Siobhan