A busy month

July has been quite an eventual month for the project.  On Thursday 19th, the second study skills session was held at Ceredigion Archives , led by archivist Helen Palmer,  and was well attended by those volunteers who were unable to come to the first session in June. 

Ceredigion Archives Reading Room

As well as general hints and tips about how to go about researching the First World War sources held at the Archives, Helen produced a vast array of fascinating items, including some very heavy shrapnel and a Queen Mary Christmas Box. These were given out at Christmas 1914 to everyone who was serving and contained cigarettes and tobacco for the men, and chocolate for the women.  This gesture was not repeated in the following years, presumably as everyone had expected the war to be over by Christmas!

Roll of Honour - one of the items on show

During July, a group of American students have been visiting Aberystwyth, from Queen's University, Charlotte.  The group have been helping us out with the project, looking into the records of the Comforts Fund and providing details on soldiers' addresses in Aberystwyth, which will eventually make up our online digital map. 

Queen's University group at the War Memorial

We also attended a Royal British Legion fundraising event in the bandstand on the prom on Saturday 21st July, and attracted a good deal of interest with our display board and new project badges.  The event was held to raise money for a memorial bench to commemorate the ending of the Great War.

Sian Nicholas, Project Leader, and our display board