Mapping the story of County Durham
and its people in the First World War
Tell us your story...
Durham cathedral and city, viewed from Observatory Hill, 1918: View Story
At La Boisselle, from the war diary of Rev James Birch: View Story
Submarine attack on Seaham, 11 July 1916: View Story
Ravensworth camp near Gateshead, 1914: View Story
Remembering a very special story: View Story
17 Battalion Durham Light Infantry leaving Barnard Castle, 24 September 1915: View Story
What people are contributing now
The Durham Light Infantry and The Somme 1916 - Parts 1-5
by John Bilcliffe
John Bilcliffe lived and worked in NE England for much of his life. When he retired he devoted many, many hours to researching the history of the Durham Light Infantry regiment. His extensive overview ...Read more
My Part in the Battle of the Somme, by Charles Herbert Moss
Lewis gunner who survived 1 July 1916 with the 18th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Charles Moss was one of the lucky ones. He survived the first day of the Battle of the Somme when many of his comrades in the Durham Pals did not. 'So here was one of those marvellous circumstances ...Read more
Yours to a Cinder - the correspondence of an 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry prisoner of war
The letters of Angus Leybourne and Connie Kirkup, 1915-1917
Discover the story of a very British romance between two young people from County Durham during the First World War. The Leybourne family has very generously loaned Angus and Connie's original letters ...Read more
John Harkess (1888-1918)
Poppies sent home from France in 1917
Two fragile pressed poppy flowers survive as a poignant reminder of John Harkess, a soldier from Washington in County Durham who served with the Leeds Pals in the First World War. John carefully wrote ...Read more
This is a First World War centenary project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project will link the archives, objects and sites that survive today and uncover new stories about local communities 100 years ago. It will also map the centenary commemorative events and projects taking place in each locality. Find out more by visiting the about page or clicking the links below.
Really get to know our people
Discover stories about the people connected with County Durham in the First World War
Wartime County Durham
Stories about sites, buildings and monuments connected with the war
Discover historical events 100 years ago
Stories connected with the Battle of Jutland, 31 May - 1 June 1916
What's on
View all Projects & Events
A one-man play as part of the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Echoes of Villers-Bretonneux follows the exploits of the 15th Brigade AIF on the Western Front in World War One. You’ll witness the journey of George Stevenson through his eyes and see nightmarish horrors of the Western Front trenches. Mate-ship, courage and the ultimate cost of war reveal real events at the battle of Villers-Bretonneux.