Forum's 17th birthday

[Chris_Baker]

17 years ago today I opened the new version of GWF. Happy birthday!

[Skipman]

Happy birthday GWF. Ain't it just the best. Thanks for everything Chris.

 

Mike

[chaz]

happy birthday to us.

 

a big thankyou to Chris, heres to the next big anniversary,

[julia jeffries]

and many thanks to you.

 

Members have helped me a great deal with my little bits of research without them I would have floundered around for ages.

 

Kindest Regards

 

Julia

[Gardenerbill]

On any forum there are always going to be members you disagree with or whose opinions you find disagreeable. However putting that aside the GWF has helped so many people find out more about what their relatives did in the Great War and continues to do so, that in my opinion makes it a huge success. Thankyou.

[jonbem]

Happy Birthday. Magnificent effort for such longevity. 

[AOK4]

Oh, where are the days? I managed to join the next day.

 

Thanks a lot for starting it, Chris. Many congratulations to all involved to keep it alive and kicking for that many years.

 

Jan

[michaeldr]

Congrats to the GWF

and thanks to Chris

Well Done

and keep going strong!

[MaxD]

Many happy returns and thank you Chris and well done for the efforts over the years -

 

Max

[Jools mckenna]

Only been here for a year and a bit but happy birthday GWF, brilliant site with a great community.

[MikeyH]

Happy Birthday GWF and many thanks to Chris for setting it up.

Joined in Jan. 2014, prompted by trying to find more out about my

great uncle's wartime service.  Have learned so much since then.

 

Mike.

 

[charlie962]

Many thanks Chris and many happy returns.

 

Charlie

[Steven Broomfield]

I just agree with everyone else.

[Chris_Baker]

Well, thanks for your thanks, but the real thanks are to the first few hundred members who propelled the forum to being a generally welcoming and informed place. They set the tone and ensured the forum appeared high in search rankings. At least, the ones that I didn't need to kick out did!

 

[Dragon]

I was member number 16. I joined on 18th October, 2002. I think I migrated from the original WFA forum or whatever it was called in those days (not the much later FF).

 

I remember with varied feelings some of the members you defenestrated.  Some were even real people. (Karen…)

 

I've also met some pretty nice individuals.

 

For me, one of the values of the GWF was that having had a deeply unpleasant online experience in another forum, culminating in me compiling a file of print-out evidence for the police, the GWF had a generally safe ambiance and it helped me regain confidence to interact again.

 

Gwyn

Edited 17 October , 2019 by Dragon

[The Scorer]

Congratulations, Chris and my best wishes to everyone on the Forum. 

[bif]

Chris,   

                What a marvelous world you've caused to be created here in/at GWF !

You and the various cohorts and contributors, mods and minions have over the years managed to bring into existence a place somewhere between a favorite village pub and your  Granny's home.  It IS warm and comfortable with characters from around the world full of all kind of knowledge about subjects various and arcane, but always, always INTERESTING !  It's safe to come visit.  It's fun even when the denizens are squabbling.  It is, to paraphraser Mr Wells (variety Orson), "...a Pub of the Mind".

                 May GWF go on for years to come.  May it never change and always be welcoming.   And then there's that other thing, SKINDLES.  But that's for a later time.

 

                                A devoted disciple and aficionado, from over the pond,

                                                                   bif  

Edited 18 October , 2019 by bif

[Bernard_Lewis]

A great resource. A great community...

 

And thanks to Mr B for setting it up!

 

Bernard

[Fattyowls]

So, apart from vast and varied WW1 knowledge, vast and varied knowledge of everything else, serious laughs, lots of things you didn't know you didn't know, international cooperation, top tips, fun facts, pertinent pointers, wicked wit and enduring friendships what has the forum ever done for us?

 

Thanks Chris.

 

Pete.

[bif]

46 minutes ago, Fattyowls said:

what

Pete,    I see we both read Trollope ?  

Edited 17 October , 2019 by bif

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

I have been helped so often!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[seaJane]

Happy birthday GWF and thank you Chris! I think I joined in early 2008... little did I know ...

[frev]

HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY GWF

 

Thank you Chris for gathering us all in...and thank you past and present day Admin for keeping it all going....

 

Just realised I've been here for exactly 15 years TODAY!! Amazing!

Over that time I've hooked up with many members "in cyberspace, off forum" and "in the flesh" (so to speak), both in my own country and across the globe, and found some valuable and lasting friendships.

But as Pete said..."what has the forum ever done for us"

 

Here's to the future, and keeping the memory alive

Cheers, Frev

[familyhistoryman]

As Chris mention in his 2nd message it’s is the members who have made the Forum the success it is. I am always amazed at the knowledge of members and the speed of responses but all this it down to Chris who established the Forum in the first place - so a huge thanks

Tony

[keithfazzani]

Yes, well done Chris. I just checked and discovered that I have been here for 13 years! A long time by any measure. I have learned a lot and can always rely on a prompt and helpful reply to any queries. Over those years I have tried and abandoned numerous Social media manifestations having decided that life is too short to waste time on them. But here I remain, finding something of interest to read every time I visit. Thanks to all those who contribute.