• Pension Records

    Pension Records

    As members of The Western Front Association will know, in 2012 the WFA stepped in to save from destruction over six million pension records of men who served in the Great War. Below are various articles...

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  • TrenchMapper (Public)

    TrenchMapper

    This portal enables users to study thousands of trench maps from the First World War. To benefit from the full capabilities of this, members can use the full version in the members area of the website...

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  • The Imperial Western Front: Free Online Course

    The Imperial Western Front: Free Online Course

    The Western Front Association in partnership with the University of Kent has produced a four-week course focused on the imperial dimension to the war on the Western Front.

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  • Stereoscope

    Stereoscope

    Stereoscopic, or 3D, photography was very popular at the time of the Great War. Use the Filter function to select your area of interest from the thousands of images from the conflict that are available here...

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  • Century-old war trophy discovered: German howitzer found in Vancouver

    Century-old war trophy discovered: German howitzer found in Vancouver

    A fascinating piece of First World War history has emerged from beneath the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) grounds...

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  • I Was There! Newest episode published

    I Was There! Newest episode published

    The latest video from the 'I Was There!' series has just been published. In this series of videos we are 'voicing' th...

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  • First World War graffiti: Voices preserved in stone

    First World War graffiti: Voices preserved in stone

    A recent feature in The Past magazine explores a lesser-known aspect of First World War heritage—the thousands of ins...

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  • Sir Thomas Bradford's Medals Return to Durham

    Sir Thomas Bradford's Medals Return to Durham

    BBC News, North East and Cumbria reports that the medals of Sir Thomas Bradford, the only survivor of the remarkable...

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  • Upcoming ceremonies in France and Belgium

    Upcoming ceremonies in France and Belgium

    For those who are going to be out on the Western Front in April, there are a number of commemoration services and re-...

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  • Dates announced for 2025 WWI Symposium in Kansas City, USA

    Dates announced for 2025 WWI Symposium in Kansas City, USA

    Beyond the Trenches: Indirect Approaches and Irregular Warfare in WWI Friday 24 – Saturday 25 October 2025 The Nation...

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  • Now open: WFA 2025 Masters Grant Scheme

    Now open: WFA 2025 Masters Grant Scheme

    The Western Front Association Masters Grant Scheme for 2025 is now open. The scheme provides students undertaking a r...

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  • Honouring Lance Corporal John Street: A Long-Awaited Burial in France

    Honouring Lance Corporal John Street: A Long-Awaited Burial in France

    On 10th April 2025, after over a century, Lance Corporal John Street of the 1st Battalion, The King’s Own Royal Lanca...

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Benefits of Membership

The Western Front Association was formed in 1980 with the purpose of furthering interest in the history of the First World War of 1914-1918. We also aim to perpetuate the memory, courage and comradeship of all those who served, on all sides, across all theatres and fronts, on land, at sea and in the air and at home, during the Great War. The Western Front Association is non-political and does not seek to glorify war. For a modest annual subscription, our members receive a wide range of benefits including our regular, high-quality publications Stand To! and Bulletin six times a year, access to the Stand To! archive, Gun Fire Archive, Military Factsheets and Pension Records database. In particular, belonging to The Western Front Association provides you with the opportunity of meeting like-minded people to learn, share, explore and exchange information and knowledge of the First World War in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

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Join The WFA

Our aims are 'Remembrance and Sharing the History of the Great War'. You get 6 magazines per year. Currently there is a 3 extra months Free offer - ask office for details. For more information on how to join and what membership options are available, please click the button below.

Click here to join

For all enquiries, please contact the office:
+44 (0) 207 118 1914

  • ONLINE: 'The War Underground 1914-18' by Simon Jones

    ONLINE: 'The War Underground 1914-18' by Simon Jones

    08 Apr 2025 19:20 Kent (North West)

    Caption: The desolate landscape at Éparges About the talk: In 1914, the ancient siegecraft of military mining was rev...

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  • Musical Box, 1918 and 2024  Andy Moody

    Musical Box, 1918 and 2024 Andy Moody

    08 Apr 2025 19:30 Cheltenham & Gloucester

    Tuesday 8 April 2025 Musical Box, 1918 and 2024 Andy Moody On 8 August 1918, the Medium A Whippet tank called Musical...

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  • Escapers All - Richard Lloyd

    Escapers All - Richard Lloyd

    09 Apr 2025 19:30 Somerset

    Escapers All - Richard Lloyd   We have all no doubt heard of the Great Escape and possibly the Wooden Horse both from...

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  • "First Things First; The Early Days, RFC Suttons Farm - Richard Smith

    "First Things First; The Early Days, RFC Suttons Farm - Richard Smith

    09 Apr 2025 20:00 Essex

    This talk will cover the origins and history of RFC Suttons Farm in Hornchurch. It was from here that William Leefe R...

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  • Prisoners of War 1914–1918: Adam Powell

    Prisoners of War 1914–1918: Adam Powell

    11 Apr 2025 19:00 Sussex

    We welcome Historian Adam Powell to the Branch. This is his first visit to our branch. He will be speaking about Pris...

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  • Strange Meetings - The Life of Wilfred Owen in His Own Words, Shaun Higgins

    Strange Meetings - The Life of Wilfred Owen in His Own Words, Shaun Higgins

    11 Apr 2025 19:30 Midlands (East)

    Strange Meetings is a one man performance which documents the final fifteen months of the life of Wilfred Owen, begin...

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  • ‘Field Marshal Haig’s Influencers’ by Paul Clark.

    ‘Field Marshal Haig’s Influencers’ by Paul Clark.

    11 Apr 2025 19:30 Worcestershire & Herefordshire

    Please note change of date, due to Easter weekend This talk looks at the many factors affecting Haig’s actions durin...

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  • Russia in WW1

    Russia in WW1

    12 Apr 2025 14:00 Scotland (Tayside)

    Evan Mawdsley. Evan Mawdsley, was Professor of International History at the University of Glasgow. His teaching and r...

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  • Le Moncel: Lance verses Lance by Phil Watson

    Le Moncel: Lance verses Lance by Phil Watson

    12 Apr 2025 14:00 Yorkshire

    On 7 September 1914, the 9th Lancers (2nd Cavalry Brigade) conducted the last lance verses lance charge on the Wester...

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  • Why We Should go to the Pub – A South Staffs Pioneer and a Pint

    Why We Should go to the Pub – A South Staffs Pioneer and a Pint

    12 Apr 2025 14:30 Wolverhampton

    Branch member, Nick Baker with good humour will take us through the South Staffs and our links to the good old pint a...

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  • Dawn Commemoration of the Battle of Arras 2025

    Dawn Commemoration of the Battle of Arras 2025

    09 Apr 2025 06:30

    In the early hours of the morning of 9th April 1917, the Battle of Arras commenced with 24,000 British soldiers emerg...

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  • Vimy Ridge Day 2025

    Vimy Ridge Day 2025

    09 Apr 2025 15:00

    The Government of Canada will be holding a commemoration event at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial at 3pm on Wedne...

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  • ANZAC Day Dawn Service 2025: Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux

    ANZAC Day Dawn Service 2025: Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux

    25 Apr 2025 05:30

    This moving service will take place at the Australian National Memorial, France at 5.30am on Friday 25th April 2025....

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  • ANZAC Day Dawn Service 2025: Polygon Wood

    ANZAC Day Dawn Service 2025: Polygon Wood

    25 Apr 2025 06:00

    The municipality of Zonnebeke, the Passchendaele Museum and the Passchendaele Society 1917 will be holding a dawn ser...

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  • WFA Battlefield Tour: Cambrai 1917 and 1918

    WFA Battlefield Tour: Cambrai 1917 and 1918

    19 Sep 2025 11:00

    The Western Front Association is delighted to offer a Battlefield Tour which will focus on the battles at and around...

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  • Join us in Dundee in September for the Scottish National Conference 2025

    Join us in Dundee in September for the Scottish National Conference 2025

    20 Sep 2025 10:00

    Join us for a day of engaging presentations by renowned historians and experts in First World War history at Discover...

    Event Details
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George Orme Smart was killed in action on this day in 1917. George Smart was born 17 August 1886, Southport, Lancashire His parents were Arthur Smart (a cotton waste manufacturer) and Edith (née Orm (a bunting and flag manufacturer).  At the 1891 Census, age 4 he was at home with his parents, four siblings, a nursery maid and cook. At the 1901 Census,...

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7 April 1917 : 2nd Lieut. George Orme Smart
Pension Records

Pension Records

As members of The Western Front Association will know, in 2012 the WFA stepped in to save from destruction over six million pension records of men who served in the Great War. Below are various art...

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The Latest WWI Podcast

The Latest WWI Podcast

The Western Front Association's podcasts 'Mentioned in Dispatches' with Dr Tom Thorpe are an eclectic mix of relaxed discussions with all kinds of contributors: experts in their particular fields,...

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World War I Book Reviews

World War I Book Reviews

First World War book reviews by academics, amateur historians, Western Front Association members and keen readers. 

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World War I Articles

World War I Articles

Articles on every aspect of the First World War written by experts in their field. Some were first published in Stand To! or Bulletin, others have been researched and written for the web. If you wo...

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