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"Everywhere the same hard, grim, pitiless sign of battle and war. I have had a belly full of it," wrote Captain CJ Patterson, as he sat in his trench surrounded by blood-stained clothing and discarded ammunition during the first battle of the Marne in September 1914."Everywhere the same hard, grim, pitiless sign of battle and war. I have had a belly full of it," wrote Captain CJ Patterson, as he sat in his trench surrounded by blood-stained clothing and discarded ammunition during the first battle of the Marne in September 1914.
Captain Paterson did not live long enough to see the end of the war. He died of serious wounds on 1 November 1914, but through a new digitisation project, his diary – along with 300,000 others – has been brought back to life.Captain Paterson did not live long enough to see the end of the war. He died of serious wounds on 1 November 1914, but through a new digitisation project, his diary – along with 300,000 others – has been brought back to life.
To mark the centenary of the first world war, which killed more than 8 million soldiers between 1914 and 1918 and left 22 million wounded, the National Archives has digitised 300,000 unit diaries, some of its most popular records, in an attempt to build a more authentic picture of life during wartime.To mark the centenary of the first world war, which killed more than 8 million soldiers between 1914 and 1918 and left 22 million wounded, the National Archives has digitised 300,000 unit diaries, some of its most popular records, in an attempt to build a more authentic picture of life during wartime.
More than 1.5m pages – made available to a global audience for the first time – focus on the horrors of war, including casualties, and the grim detail of battle. But some give a personal insight into the men's lives in the trenches. Readers can learn of Captain Paterson's love for Charles Dickens's work, and read details of farewell dinners marking the end of the war. Sporting events are also featured with tales of tug of war and rugby.More than 1.5m pages – made available to a global audience for the first time – focus on the horrors of war, including casualties, and the grim detail of battle. But some give a personal insight into the men's lives in the trenches. Readers can learn of Captain Paterson's love for Charles Dickens's work, and read details of farewell dinners marking the end of the war. Sporting events are also featured with tales of tug of war and rugby.
Dr Clare Makepeace, a teaching fellow at University College London's history department, ssaid: "Anything that opens up archival material on the Great War to the wider public can only be a good thing, because it will allow more people to have their own interpretations, and reach their own conclusions, about the war. Dr Clare Makepeace, a teaching fellow at University College London's history department, said: "Anything that opens up archival material on the Great War to the wider public can only be a good thing, because it will allow more people to have their own interpretations, and reach their own conclusions, about the war.
"Diaries are a particularly wonderful resource because they can be such a powerful and emotive read, allowing the reader to get even closer to what soldiers went through in the first world war.""Diaries are a particularly wonderful resource because they can be such a powerful and emotive read, allowing the reader to get even closer to what soldiers went through in the first world war."
The first accounts to be released provide daily insights of life at war from the perspective of the First Battalion South Wales Borderers in 1914 – with the First Battle of the Marne and Aisne – right up until June 1919.The first accounts to be released provide daily insights of life at war from the perspective of the First Battalion South Wales Borderers in 1914 – with the First Battle of the Marne and Aisne – right up until June 1919.
"It's interesting because it's humanising it. War is a dehumanising thing," said William Spencer, author and military specialist at the National Archives in Kew Gardens."It's interesting because it's humanising it. War is a dehumanising thing," said William Spencer, author and military specialist at the National Archives in Kew Gardens.
The culture secretary, Maria Miller, said it was even more poignant now there were no living veterans who could speak directly about the events of the war.The culture secretary, Maria Miller, said it was even more poignant now there were no living veterans who could speak directly about the events of the war.
"This new online vehicle gives a very public voice to some of these soldiers, through which we will be able to hear their thoughts and feelings."This new online vehicle gives a very public voice to some of these soldiers, through which we will be able to hear their thoughts and feelings.
"Using Operation War Diary, we can follow their physical shadow as they fought across the western front." said Miller."Using Operation War Diary, we can follow their physical shadow as they fought across the western front." said Miller.
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