INTRODUCTION
I have a group photograph of the
officers of the 8th Royal Berkshire
Regiment taken at their training camp on Salisbury Plain in July 1915.
My aim when I started was to explore who those officers were - where
they had come from, what happened to them, and what their families are
doing now. So often wars are seen in isolation from the rest of history
- well, I want to put the First World War in the context of the stories
of these men and their families. One way that I have explored this is
in the production of an Animated
Film
that shows all of their family trees growing over 136 years, mixed in
with photos of their families and historical time markers, with
contemporary music, and with the cycles of the moon and the seasons.
I hope that this website will give an
idea of what my project is about and how I'm progressing. I am very
interested in receiving feedback. I'm aiming to transform this one
group photograph into a much bigger picture - anything that helps to do
that will be gratefully received. In particular, I am looking for
venues to show my film and am always willing to give presentations on
this project.
[NOTE: It is also hoped that this website will be a
resource for other people doing similar research - I have included a
comprehensive list of the sources that I have used.]
CONTENTS
- Historical
Overview - giving more detail about the group of men in the
photograph, and a brief history of 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire
Regiment.
- Book
Plan - an idea of where this project is leading.
- Letter
of Introduction - by John Bourne, Senior Lecturer in Modern
History at the University of Birmingham (and author of 'Britain
& the Great War 1914-1918').
- List
of Officers - the names of the men in the photograph, along
with brief information about each of them.
- Battlefield
Letter - the words written by my great-grandfather during the
Battle of Loos.
- Sources
& Links - where I have found my information.
- Progress
Report - how I'm getting on.
- Help
Required - a list of specific areas where I need help.
- Thoughts
& Quotes - some insights into the thinking behind
this project.
-
'Independent'
Article - my article that appeared in 'The Independent'
newspaper on 11 November 2000
- Animated
Film - details of
the film I have made from the information and pictures I have
collected, including feedback from events where I have shown it.
- Recent
Additions - changes in the content of this site.
CONTACT ME:
I'm always on the look-out for ideas, connections, and
information. If you are interested, have any questions or suggestions,
or can give me any leads, I'd love to hear from you. Please email
me, Andrew Tatham (andrew@groupphoto.co.uk).