Follow the Drum: Christmas 1916
Christmas 1916. The third Christmas of the War. In this article we consider daily life in the Borough at the time of the third Christmas of the War. It was…
The Battle of the Somme [Part 2]: contemporary sources
On the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme we take a look at the contemporary sources available in the Information and Reference Library. We examine how The Times…
Follow the Drum: Bernard Freyberg VC
Now, God be thanked Who has matched us with His hour… Peace by Rupert Brooke, 1914) Patricia Moloney, Heritage Assistant, considers the life of Bernard Freyberg, renowned military leader who counted…
The Battle of the Somme: contemporary sources – Part 1
On the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme we take a look at the contemporary sources that are available in the Information and Reference Library. In part…
Follow the Drum: The South African Presence
Patricia Moloney, Heritage Assistant, takes a look at the impact of the increasingly international military presence in Richmond during the Great War. The town was assuming a cosmopolitan character as…
Follow the Drum: Go on the Die Hards!
The gripping story of the Middlesex Regiment at Neuve Chapelle continues as the local men face going over the top. The detail of this part of the battle is based…
Follow the Drum: Go on the Midds!
Using eye-witness accounts from some of the archive material that we hold, this month’s blog looks at the important role played by the Middlesex Regiment in a key battle of…
Follow the Drum: Changing roles on the Home Front
The Mabys Association. At the outbreak of war the role of women was very restricted in all levels of society, particularly for working women such as servants. The Metropolitan Association…
Follow the Drum: Spring 1915
Springtime on the Front As spring develops on the Front, Pte W. Boddy (8th (King’s Royal) Irish Hussars), a Richmond resident, writes enthusiastically about a slight improvement in the weather…
Follow the Drum: Experiencing the trenches
Life on the Western Front Local families would have been able to construct a picture of life in the trenches for their family members through their personal correspondence (though military…