World War I Articles | The Western Front Association

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 would like to contribute an article please get in touch.

The African American Experience in World War One

There are several reasons why most Americans are not interested in World War One: they came to i...

HMS Zubian: A Tale of Two Halves

On 15 February 1907 the first of the new Tribal Class destroyers, HMS Cossack, was launched and o...

Education 2022 : Animals at War – The Winners

This year’s autumn competition for school invited students in Key Stage 3 students (12-14 year ol...

The Even Shorter, Sadder Military Career of Thomas Beech

Thomas Beech’s military service in the Great War lasted officially for thirty-five days. He attes...

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve by Sue Light

A permanent reserve for Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve (QAIMNS) was...

Drowned close to shore: the loss of two American Troopships in 1918

In 1918 the small island of Islay off the west coast of Scotland would witness the full brunt of...

From Munich Trench to Ziggy Stardust

One of the frequently ‘bypassed’ places on the Somme Battlefield is the Redan Ridge. Scorching in...

Shackleton’s Pall Bearer

William Sandison, oldest of eight children, was born on the 4th of January, 1898. His post-war ex...

The Munitionette’s First Heavy Shell. The Struggle to produce Munitions...

If, in modern warfare, fuel is the blood of victory, then munitions – in all their varied forms –...

War Art with David Cohen

The late David Cohen made a huge contribution to The Western Front Association during his lifeti...

Alcohol in the trenches: the rum ration

The daily rum ration to British troops has its roots in the British Navy, dating back to the mid...

Victor McLaglen : prize fighter, Middlesex Regiment, Oscar winning actor...

The life story of Victor McLaglen reads like a film script. Victor was born on 11 December 1883...