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ANZAC Memories
We are enthusiasts of World War I era aeroplanes. Of any scale. If you would rather watch a World War I aeroplane fly straight
and level than a Pitts do a complete aerobatic routine, then you are one of us. If a plane looks naked to you because it doesn't
have guns, then you've come to the right place. If you hold services at the flying field every April 21st, then we're your
group
These images were all created using CAD (computer aided Design) software.
CAD allows you to create a 3D model in the computer that can be manipulated in a wide variety of ways and then output
renderings. This software is primarily intended for use by engineers and designers but it can also be a powerful illustration
tool. It takes a lot of effort to generate the model, but once it's done you can do just about anything you want.
Welcome to the Flying Machines web site. Before the Wright Brothers achieved the first successful heavier-than-air controlled
flight on December 17, 1903, hundreds of women and men attempted to fly, in airships, gliders and aeroplanes, and many did
go aloft in gas and hot-air balloons. This site documents a number of those pre-Wright attempts at heavier-than-air flight,
as well as significant events and thoughts which contributed to the ultimate success of powered, heavier-than-air human flight.
Manfred von Richthofen was born on May 2, 1892 in
Breslau, Germany. He died on April 21, 1918 in
the skies over Vaux sur Somme in France. He was
25 years old. He was called der rote Kampfflieger
by his own people, le petit rouge by the French,
and the The Red Baron by the English. In a time
of wooded and fabric aircraft, when twenty air
victories insured a pilot legendary status and
coveted Pour Le Merites, Richthofen had eighty
victories, and is regarded to this day as the
ace of aces.
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| Men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces D Company, 15th Reinforcements |
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields
By John McCrae 1915
Perhaps it will surprise you to learn that the soldiers in both lines of trenches have become very 'pally' with each other.
The trenches are only 60 yards apart at one place, and every morning about breakfast time one of the soldiers sticks a board
in the air. As soon as this board goes up all firing ceases, and men from either side draw their water and rations. All through
the breakfast hour, and so long as this board is up, silence reigns supreme, but whenever the board comes down the first unlucky
devil who shows even so much as a hand gets a bullet through it.
From the realization of powered flight by an obscure Bavarian emigrant
to the weapons of aerial destruction used by Richthofen's flying circus,
this project attempts to archive vintage photographs of flying machines
flown before and during the first two decades of the 20th century.
The collection currently contains 3775 downloadable images : 22.01.08
Welcome to FokkerDr1.com were I have developed this site to research and identify all 320 Fokker
Dr.I planes built during WW1. This site contains Fokker Dr.I photos, data and specifications,
books and artwork along with WW1 aviation links.
This site is intended for the sole purpose of my personal research only.
83 Dr.I's Identified out of 320
"It climbed like a monkey and maneuvered like the devil"
Manfred Von Richthofen
If you have never had trench foot described to you, I will explain. Your feet swell to two to three times their normal size
and go completely dead. You can stick a bayonet into them and not feel a thing. If you are lucky enough not to lose your feet
and the swelling starts to go down, it is then that the most indescribable agony begins. I have heard men cry and scream with
pain and many have had to have their feet and legs amputated. I was one of the lucky ones, but one more day in that trench
and it may have been too late.
(Harry Roberts)
Canadians get a lift on a British Mark IV. They wont get where they're going fast - this tank's top speed was 4 mph.
The purpose of this website is to provide an overview of the First World War. Necessarily a long-term undertaking - and approaching
seven years into the process - much remains to be covered.
Whole aspects of the conflict are light on material at present - rest assured, this is not deliberate: in time it should
all find its place on the site.
A word of caution however; this is by no means a professional website. It's authored as spare time permits and is intended
at a general rather than academic readership.
Wars are primarily about fighting and killing, but it would be a great oversimplification to state that that is all they are
about. Quarrels between nations and groups of people do indeed produce misery and suffering for all those willingly or unwillingly
involved, but thankfully there is much more to study and learn about the great conflicts of our time than merely the violence
and destruction they caused.
History books record that World War I started when the nations went to war to avenge the assassination of the Archduke Francis
Ferdinand, the heir to the Habsburg throne, on June 28, 1914.
This is the typical explanation. But the "revisionist historian" knows just what caused and what the purpose
was of the conflagration of World War I.
Up until America's entry into this war, the American people had followed the wise advice of President George Washington
given in his farewell address, delivered to the nation on September 17, 1796. President Washington said: "It is our
true policy to steer clear of permanent alliance with any portion of the foreign world.... Why, by interweaving our destiny
with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest,
humour or caprice?'
President Washington attempted to warn the American people about getting embroiled in the affairs of Europe. But in 1914,
it was not to be. There were those who were secretly planning America's involvement in World War I whether the American people
wanted it or not.
This site has been developed and maintained to honour the memory of those who sacrificed.
May their efforts never be forgotten.
John Stephens
World War 1, also known as the First World War or the the Great War, the War of the Nations and the War to End All Wars, was
a world conflict lasting from 1914 to 1919, with the fighting lasting until 1918. The war was fought by the Allies on one
side, and the Central Powers on the other. No previous conflict had mobilized so many soldiers or involved so many in the
field of battle. By its end, the war had become the second bloodiest conflict in recorded history.
The home Guard was formed in July 1994 to research the history of the Home Guard, to portray the real 'Dad's Army' and to
're-educate' the public.
To these men who gave up their spare time and, sometimes, their lives, the Home Guard was not a comedy.
In Flanders fields !!
The United States Military Academy formed the Department of History on June 15, 1969. Prior to its formation, several separate
departments had offered instruction in military history and what was sometimes called political or modern history.
In 1818 the Superintendent of the Military Academy, Sylvanus Thayer, provided for the appointment of a Professor for Ethics,
History and Geography, and thereby established a new department, even though instruction in these areas was previously provided.
The new department focused upon the field of international law, and instruction in geography and modern history did not receive
strong emphasis until 1883.
This archive of primary documents from World War I has been assembled by volunteers of the World War I Military History List
(WWI-L).
The archive is international in focus and intends to present in one location
primary documents concerning the Great War.
The Western Front Association was formed with the aim of furthering interest in the period 1914-1918, to perpetuate the memory,
courage and comradeship of all those who served their countries in France and Flanders and their own countries during The
Great War. It does not seek to justify or glorify war. It is not a re-enactment society, nor is it commercially motivated.
It is entirely non-political. The object of The Association is to educate the public in the history of The Great War with
particular reference to the Western Front. Applications for membership are welcomed from anyone with a like mind.
"This is an unfortunate region, and consist entirely of mud, a form of matter which has, however, been unfairly despised.
I am prepared to take my oath that mud is warm and a friend to man. Mud is affectionate and clinging; mud has no pride; mud
is soft to fall on; mud is not unpleasant to the taste, and does not greatly interfere with the hearing; and, finally, mud
is warm."
Warning: these songs have not been bowdlerised, i.e. the strong language as used by the soldiers for some of the songs has
been retained. If you are offended by such language, it is suggested that you read no further. This particular page has been
been rated and tagged appropriately using PICS according to the RSACi guidelines.
"Battle of the Somme" is a web resource developed by Leo Robert Klein in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for a Masters Degree at the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at NYU. His academic adviser was Frank Migliorelli.
The purpose of "Battle of the Somme" is to serve as a resource of information on the battle which took place
between July 1st, 1916 and November 13th, 1916 and resulted in over a million casualties.
ForcesReunited®, is the largest database of Armed Forces and Ex-Forces Personnel on the web with 317942 members.
This is a web site dedicated to the history and battlefields of the Great War 1914-1918. It aims to provide you with information
about the war itself and on how to visit the battlefields in France & Flanders, and Gallipoli - and what to see....
This website is a re-design of the original website created for the airing of the eight-part series on PBS in 1996. The new
site features an expanded map and battle section, dramatized audio recordings of letters and poems written by combatants and
non-combatants in the war, as well as streaming video of archival footage taken during World War I.
Your ringside seat to history - from the Ancient World to the present. History through the eyes of those who lived it, presented
by Ibis Communications, Inc. a digital publisher of educational programming.
The Great War ushered in the 20thCentury.
It was "The War To End All Wars,"- a senseless slaughter that set the stage for the bloodiest century in human
history.
Yet, it was more than just a war between nations. It was a war between what was and what was to be. The "old world"
was dying, and the new world had yet to be born. People of all classes and nations saw it as some great cleansing fire that
would accelerate this battle and lead to a better world. But, when it was over, more than men had died in the mud of the battlefields.
The naive dreams of progress, along with the innocence of the pre-war world, faith in God, and hope in the future all died
in the trenches of Europe.
The Wartime Memories Project is a non-profit organisation, a constituted group run by volunteers.
The costs of this website, our displays and educational activities are funded by donations, grants and from the pockets
of our members.
The aims of The Wartime Memories Project are to collect and preserve recollections, documents, photographs and small artifacts
from the Two World Wars, to ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to learn first hand from the accounts
of those who lived through the conflicts.
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World War I and the resulting peace treaties (Versailles, Treaty of; Saint-Germain, Treaty of; Trianon, Treaty of; Neuilly,
Treaty of; Sèvres) radically changed the face of Europe and precipitated political, social, and economic changes. By the Treaty
of Versailles Germany was forced to acknowledge guilt for the war. Later, prompted by the Bolshevik publication of the secret
diplomacy of the czarist Russian government, the warring powers gradually released their own state papers, and the long historical
debate on war guilt began. It has with some justice been claimed that the conditions of the peace treaties were partially
responsible for World War II. Yet when World War I ended, the immense suffering it had caused gave rise to a general revulsion
to any kind of war, and a large part of mankind placed its hopes in the newly created League of Nations.
The Heritage of the Great War has articles mainly in English; some are in Dutch (Flemish) only. We also show the literary
war (poetry & prose), political cartoons and many photo slideshows.
Early Wristwatches and Coming of an Age in World War I
Wristwatches developed primarily as an extension of pocket watches at the turn of the last century. Many models were ladies
watches, but they ultimately evolved into popular and functional objects during World War I. The acceptance of "wristlets"
during "the war to end all wars" marked a major turning point in the evolution of watches as we know them today.
There are many stories about the first wristwatch. Breguet has recorded in its ledgers a pocket watch sold to the Queen
of Naples in 1810, that basically was a ladies small pocket watch on a metal chain. There also are anecdotal reports of individuals
in the mid-19th century wearing pocket watches other than in their pockets: on canes, rings or even attached to a bracelet.
Girard-Perregaux by 1880 supplied wristwatches to the German Imperial Navy. Reportedly, an artillery officer complained
that it was inconvenient for him to be operating a pocket watch an act requiring two hands while timing a bombardment. He
strapped a pocket watch to his wrist and reported his solution to his superiors. They liked the idea so much that watchmakers
in La Chaux-de-Fonds were asked to travel to Berlin to discuss series production of small gold watches attached to wrist bracelets.
Drawings of the early Girard-Perregaux wristlets
Numerous veterans associations were formed in the years following the Great 1914-1918 War but surprisingly none existed for
the Gallipoli campaign of 1915-16 until 1969, when on the initiative of Major Edgar Banner, a number of veterans established
an informal group, meeting from time to time to exchange shared memories and if possible to recall not only their own experiences
but also those of the units in which they served. Very soon they had started their own Association Journal,The Gallipolian,
initially cyclostyled but, as membership increased, a properly printed magazine, now published several times a year, in which
articles of high historical, academic and literary merit appeared. Edited by David Saunders, MBE, it is regarded as exemplary
in its class.
On August 4th, 1914, six brigages detached from the Second German Army - The Army of the Meuse - began the first move in the
execution of the Schlieffen/Moltke Plan - to smash quickly through the defenses of Liège, Belgium.
The history of World War One aviation is a rich and varied story. It was marked by a period of very rapid technological development,
where aircraft evolved from their humble beginnings as slow moving, fragile, powered kites, into quick, agile, sturdy, fighter
craft.
The Great War consumed the world in a conflict that was unrivaled until that time. It was a kind of war far different
than the one that was waged on the ground. The fight for control of the air was where the cunning, and bravery of the individual
could matter for much. This website is my tribute to those fragile aircraft and to the brave pilots on both sides that flew
them.
I had heard about it all back in my schooldays. But I have to say that my history teacher years ago was as dull as ditchwater,
and we spent most of our time taking dictated notes! Surprisingly, I managed to get a pass in history, but the field was arid
to me, and I moved on to what I thought were more important things.
However I had a lingering interest because Jill, my wife, had a grandfather who was injured in 1918 in the trenches at
Ypres, and was taken to a hospital in France, where he died.
Through distant mists of memories,
I hear them call my name;
Those who served beside me,
On a battleground of pain.
Nothing left but memories,
Of those forever young;
Lives that ended suddenly,
What would they have become?
What price they paid for freedom,
The sacrifice untold;
Yet, here they are in memories,
Not one will 'ere grow old.
For I shall keep their names alive,
Until my flame is gone;
Then pass the torch to those who will,
Remember....The Forever young.
Allison Chambers Coxsey, ©2000
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 24 January 1965) was a British politician
known chiefly for his leadership of Great Britain during World War II. He served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from
1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman, orator and strategist, Churchill was also an officer in the British
Army, a prolific author and a talented artist.
During his army career Churchill saw combat on the Northwest Frontier, in the Sudan and during the Second Boer War, during
which he also gained fame and notoriety, as a war correspondent. He also served in the British Army on the Western Front and
commanded the 6th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. At the forefront of the political scene for almost sixty years,
he held many political and cabinet positions. Before the First World War, he served as President of the Board of Trade and
Home Secretary during the Liberal governments. In the First World War he served as First Lord of the Admiralty, Minister of
Munitions, Secretary of State for War and Secretary of State for Air and during the interwar years, he served as Chancellor
of the Exchequer.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Churchill was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. Following the resignation
of Neville Chamberlain on 10 May 1940, he became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and led Britain to victory against the
Axis powers. His speeches were a great inspiration to the embattled Allied forces. After losing the 1945 election, he became
the leader of the opposition. In 1951, he again became Prime Minister before finally retiring in 1955. Upon his death the
Queen granted him the honour of a state funeral, which saw one of the largest assemblies of statesmen in the world.
It was supposed to be "The War to End All Wars."
For over four years World War One raged on, leaving in its wake a toll
of death and destruction such as the world had never seen.
These are the images of that time, an eternal testament to all those
whose lives were lost or forever altered by "The Great War."
"The Great War was without precedent ... never had so many nations taken up arms at a single time. Never had the battlefield
been so vast never had the fighting been so gruesome..."
The last known surviving British veteran of the World War I trenches is celebrating his 109th birthday.
Harry Patch from Wells, in Somerset, will have lunch with friends and family before returning to his residential home
for a party.
Mr Patch served with the Duke of Cornwall's light infantry and saw action in the bloody Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.
"There's no secret to enjoying a long life, just live a clean life," he said.
Mr Patch was called up for service when he was working as an 18-year-old apprentice plumber in Bath.
Shortly afterwards he fought at Passchendaele, where more than 70,000 soldiers died in three months.
Heavy rain coincided with the opening assault producing thick, clinging mud.
Sharing his experience of the battle, Mr Patch said: "It was mud, mud and more mud mixed together with blood."
During the fighting Mr Patch was badly wounded and three of his best friends were killed when a shell exploded nearby.
"My remembrance day is on 22 September when I lost three mates," he said.
The site features a collection of war-themed postal cards produced during World War 1 (1914 - 1919). More than 2,500 cards
will eventually be displayed in an organized fashion. The cards are mementos of a world at war during the second decade of
the 20th century.
This website aims to provide an overview of the battlefields on The Western Front, the sites of educational interest, tourist
information and accommodation for the visitor today. The Ypres Salient and The Somme are the two main areas covered at present
with more battle sites to be added.
War-Letters.com is a website intended for historical research and therefore all letters, envelopes and attachments appear
in a raw and unedited state. Although some of the content was subject to war-time censors, readers should be aware that due
to the nature of war and personal lives, some pages contain adverse personal opinions, vulgar language, material related to
nazism, racism, exotic sexual relations and many forms of severe violence and death.
If you are likely to be offended, we strongly suggested you try some other moderated content on the web.
MUSIC OF THE GREAT WAR
The Great War era songs helped to improve morale among the soldiers, and those serving at home.
Often the positive, optimistic words of these songs belied the actual savagery of the fighting and killing and destruction
of this war.
Melody Lane is a private member website.
Wilfred Gibson (1878-1962)
"Back"
They ask me where I've been,
And what I've done and seen.
But what can I reply
Who know it wasn't I,
But someone just like me,
Who went across the sea
And with my head and hands
Killed men in foreign lands...
Though I must bear the blame,
Because he bore my name.
Meet our youngest fan my grandson Billy !!
Grandson to Grandma
Was Granddad ever a soldier?
I mean a soldier in the war.
I know he's got some medals
But what's he got them for?
When Granddad was a soldier
Did he have a gun?
Did he march up and down shooting folk?
I bet that was lots of fun.
Grandma to Grandson
Yes Granddad was a soldier
And he went off to fight
To fight for King and Country
And for us and what was right
I've seen Granddad clean his medals
And wrap them nice and neat
He put them in his suitcase
And marches down the street
Yes to Dunkirk they go
To march with pride and medals show
Their fallen comrades to recall
Terrible price paid by them all.
So when you see Granddad with his medals on his chest
Take his hand and say - I am proud of you, and the rest
For it was men like him and those that fell
That saved us from a world of hell.
Frederick (Dusty) Rhodes
World Wide Militaria experts represent more than 100 years of collecting experience to provide you with the finest military
collectibles available. As a militaira dealer, we sell items from around the world, with a special interest in U.S., British,
German, French, Russian and United Nations militaria. Our military orders, medals and decorations are of the highest quality,
allowing us to provide you a satisfaction guarantee with confidence in everything we sell.
World War I Color Photos
Flying Bombs and Rockets
World's Armed Forces Forum
Canadas participation in the Second World War
RAF Millom Museum
A Military Historical Website
FIREARMS GALLERY
Cross & Cockade International (CCI) is the First World War Aviation Historical Society.
There are around 1,500 members in 25 countries all over the world.
We are registered UK charity number 1117741. All trustees, officers of the society and contributors to the journal give
their services voluntarily.
The extraordinary story of a war hero's flight to freedom from the Nazis has been revealed by his daughters, after they retraced
his steps and reclaimed the shoes he wore on the epic 200-mile trek.
Sixty years on his daughter Ellie Targett, a radio presenter in Herefordshire, and her sister Yule, who lives in Devon,
set out on foot to retrace their father's daring escape, meeting some of the people who helped him along the way.
Mrs Targett recalled the emotional moment when his battered lace-up shoes were returned to her in a brown paper bag by
a family who had sheltered him. They had kept the shoes as a reminder of the young man they had found hiding in a frozen mountain
hut.
"There wasn't a dry eye in the house," said Mrs Targett. "The whole lot of us wept, we never said a word."
Mr Somme, a Norwegian, had been caught photographing a strategic German torpedo station during one of his many spying missions
for the Allies in 1944.
He was arrested and put on a passenger ship to take him to a German camp but before the vessel could sail, he escaped
his bonds and crept past his sleeping guard.
The marine biologist wore the brown shoes as he walked past his captors guarding the harbourside, giving them a cheeky
wave goodbye to allay suspicion.
He continued to wear them on the first part of the 200-mile escape through the mountains.
He avoided leaving footprints in the deep snow drifts by walking through icy streams and leaping from tree to tree, a
trick he learned as a child.
But as he faced climbing the perilous mountains to freedom, the shoes could take him no further and a 19-year-old named
Andre who had helped shelter him from the Germans, offered to swap them for his new boots.
It was the teenager's sister, Selma, who kept the shoes and returned them to the daughters when they retraced their father's
footsteps in 2004.
Mr Somme's daughters learned the details of their father's journey when he wrote a record of his escape from the Germans,
who tortured and executed his brother Iacob, a leading member of the resistance.
The children, who were born after the war, read their father's memoirs and decided to celebrate the 60th anniversary of
his trek by following his eight-week journey.
Their father braved bears and wolves during his route over ancient reindeer paths thousands of feet up in the mountains.
After escaping to Sweden the scientist met and married their English mother Primrose, but he died of cancer in 1961 when
the children were still young. His family then moved from Norway to Dartmouth, Devon.
The daughters have published their father's story in his own words, and now show off the shoes during their presentations.
"They go everywhere with me," said Mrs Targett.
"People are very moved when they hear the story but it really hits home when they see papa's shoes because they know
we are talking about a real man."
Mrs Targett and her sister were the only members of a party of five who managed to finish the trip in 2004 and a year
later they published their father's tale, together with details of their own journey.
Holding on to our history thats what the National Archives of Australia does. We care for valuable Commonwealth government
records and make them available for present and future generations to use. Our recordkeeping standards help government to
account to the public, ensuring that evidence is available to support peoples rights and entitlements and that future generations
will have a meaningful record of the past.
The Long, Long Trail cuts through myth and misinformation to present the facts of the British Army in the First World War
: a tribute to the men and women who fought and won - and to the million who died trying.
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