Would you like to submit maps to include on TrenchMapper?
Currently there over 7,000 maps on The Western Front Association’s ‘TrenchMapper’ portal. These come from a wide variety of sources including the Imperial War Museum, McMaster University, The University of Texas, The Library of Congress, TNA, Archivio Di Stato Di Firenze, Bundesarchiv Freiburg and many others. As it stands, TrenchMapper is already the single largest online repository of WW1 trench maps in the world.
We have a good number more in the pipeline and the total will probably reach 9,000 fairly soon.
Notwithstanding this huge number of maps and aerial images, the size and scope of the Great War means we would like to add to the collection. We know that many members, historians and enthusiasts have access to First World War maps which could easily be added to the ‘TrenchMapper’ portal and be available for future researchers. Of special interest are the early maps (maps from 1914 and 1915 are relatively rare), sketches, intelligence reports, hand drawn maps often found on War Diaries, unit histories and other similar records.
So, if you come across a map from any source and feel it would benefit to have it included in TrenchMapper, please let us know and we will look at whether we can use it.
We are licenced to display maps from TNA and other sources.
Above: An example of a map that has been overlayed into TrenchMapper
TNA
If the map is at The National Archives, we would be delighted to know the location via the TNA reference which would look something like this: WO 95/1365/2 (in this case, part of the War Diary of the 1st Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment). If you can also tell us the page in that document it would make easier for us to find. Alternatively, you may have already downloaded it, in which case you can send us the downloaded file and the location and we’ll do the rest.
Ancestry
The map may exist on Ancestry. In this case, please give us the link to the record or the data you used in their search page (here https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/60779/)
Finding exact units on Ancestry is an ‘acquired art’ so any help to pin point the map you suggest would be appreciated.
Other Web pages
If the map you suggest is obtainable from a website, then just the link will be sufficient. Naturally, we may not be able to use maps if the web owner is unwilling to allow us, but we would be pleased to investigate.
Paper maps
If you have a paper map and think it will be of use, we can scan it and return it to you. Please send the map to the WFA Office, they will handle the postage etc. However, please don’t send original maps to the WFA office without first contacting us.
How to contact us
If you have found a map online, or have a paper map to scan, contact us on mapping@westernfrontassociation.com