鶹Լ

A powerful collection of interviews and stories filmed in the 1960s - told through the eyes of World War One veterans and civilians.

Themes include:

  • Recruiting soldiers in WW1
  • Interviews with soldiers describing how they physically and mentally coped during the war
  • How soldiers got respite from the war after being on the front line
  • Life as an officer
  • Fighting in the trenches
  • Shell fire and the effects it had
  • The tactics used by airmen when bringing down enemy aircraft in the skies
  • The Gallipoli campaign

These clips are from the 鶹Լ series, I was there: The Great War Interviews

Suitable for: KS3 and KS4/GCSE in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 3rd, 4th Level, National 4, National 5 and Higher in Scotland.

Some clips contain upsetting scenes teacher review is recommended prior to use in class.

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Changes on the home front during WW1. video

Relatives left at home describe what it was like coping whilst the men were away at war.

Changes on the home front during WW1

Fighting in the trenches. video

Stefan Westmann presents two contrasting experiences of the war.

Fighting in the trenches

Going over the top. video

Infantrymen recall the tense hours in the trenches prior to an attack.

 Going over the top

Horace Leslie Birks interview. video

Tank commander Horace Birks describes the impact of the supposed miracle machines.

Horace Leslie Birks interview

John Willis Palmer interview. video

John found it difficult to cope with the violence and apparent pointlessness of the war.

John Willis Palmer interview

Attrition. video

The strains of war drove soldiers to desert their post or inflict a wound on themselves.

Attrition

Life as a munitionette. video

Mabel was one of many women who put their lives at risk working in munitions factories.

Life as a munitionette

Life as an officer during WW1. video

Charles talks about coping with looming shellshock and aspects of an officer's life.

Life as an officer during WW1

One woman's loss. video

Katie describes what the war was like from a young woman’s perspective in Manchester.

One woman's loss

Recruiting soldiers in WW1. video

The different pressures which were applied to persuade young men to join up to fight.

Recruiting soldiers in WW1

Respite. video

How men could relax and forget about life on the front line when behind the lines and get some respite from the war.

Respite

How did shell shock affect soldiers? video

Soldiers from both sides describe their experience of shell fire and the physical and psychological effects it had on them and their colleagues.

How did shell shock affect soldiers?

The Christmas truce, 1914. video

Henry describes his reaction to being called up and his experiences in the trenches.

The Christmas truce, 1914

The Gallipoli campaign. video

Frank talks about fighting in the disastrous Gallipoli campaign in 1915.

The Gallipoli campaign

War in the air. video

Pilots identify the different experiences of men in the air, recalling the realities of combat and the tactics used to down an enemy aircraft.

War in the air

Being a pilot in WW1. video

Cecil Lewis’ experiences reflect how the role of aircraft changed in the course of WW1.

Being a pilot in WW1

Death and survival. video

The experiences of a disillusioned soldier and the widow of a soldier killed in action

Death and survival

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Where Next?

WW2 Stories. collection

These short videos feature the personal testimony of 11 veterans and eye-witnesses of World War Two.

WW2 Stories

Bitesize

Use these Bitesize resources to set homework, independent study tasks or to consolidate learning for your pupils.

Bitesize

Newsround

The latest news stories from Newsround to share in the classroom.

Newsround
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