Other Country's Diaries

I would be happy if diaries of other countries' units could be added to the project. In particular italian or french.

Posted January 16, 2014 6:24 PM

by simonedi moderator

not sure who holds these but if there are enough french, itallian or even german speakers about then who knows in the long run

Posted January 16, 2014 8:08 PM

by spof moderator

You can read French war diaries online here http://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/en/article.php?larub=79&titre=war-diaries-of-units-in-the-first-world-war

Very many German records were lost in 1945 but those that survive aren't online and I don't know of any plans to put them online.

Australian diaries are here https://www.awm.gov.au/view/collection/records/awm4/

I'm not sure about others.

Posted January 17, 2014 10:53 AM

by David_Underdown moderator

Canadian diaries http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/020152_e.html

In many cases there are also copies of Australian, Canadian, etc diaries in the series WO 95 at The National Archives as the army was effectively organised on imperial lines, with all units integrated into the overall command structure

Posted January 17, 2014 11:22 AM

by ral104 moderator, scientist

Moved thread

Posted June 9, 2014 2:27 PM

by lnnseagan

I'm wondering if only the troops on the western front will be in this project, and what about the other battalions, in Gallipoli etc.?

Posted June 28, 2014 4:02 PM

by ral104 moderator, scientist

To begin with, we're just concentrating on the Western Front - there's plenty of material there to keep us busy for a while! However, the National Archives are in the process of digitising all unit diaries from the First World War, so in the future we may well be able to extend the project to cover other fronts.

Posted June 29, 2014 12:23 PM

by lnnseagan

Oh, excellent, but reminded me of another thing, will it be army only or naval and flying corps also?

Posted June 29, 2014 10:23 PM

by ral104 moderator, scientist

The RFC diaries are definitely being digitised. I assume naval ones will be as well, but I'll have to check that.

Posted June 30, 2014 8:39 AM

by David_Underdown moderator

Many naval logs (the closest equivalent) have already been processed as part of The Zooniverse's Old Weather project. Full transcriptions are also now being done, and are available from http://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-LogBooksWW1.htm

Posted June 30, 2014 9:52 AM

by ral104 moderator, scientist

Thanks, David.

Posted June 30, 2014 2:41 PM