World War I

World War I Video Collections

The First World War, called the Great War until Hitler’s advance across Europe in 1939 started the Second World War, was perhaps the bloodiest conflict in human history. The statistics of World War One are astounding:

40 million casualties;
20 million dead (inc nearly 10 million whose bodies were never found;
475 miles of continuous trenches and fortifications;

The Great War Video Collections contain video clips recorded at some of the key battle locations on the Ypres Salient (called Ieper today) in Belgium and in the Somme area of northern France. The battlefields today consist of relatively flat rolling farmland with few tell tale reminders of the destructive events of 1914-18 (mine craters and some preserved trenches) but literally thousands of memorials and cemeteries.

The main features of each location have been recorded including close ups and pans (moving the camera left to right etc), the aim being to produce a wide range of useable clips which could be edited together to tell a story.

Each location has been split into smaller sections so that the file, containing video clips, photographs and site information (maps, diagrams, leaflets etc), is more manageable and easier to use.

In addition a small Google Earth file is included for each location which pin-points the exact position of the subject matter. In order for this to work the user must already have the free Google Earth application installed on their personal computer.

IMPT NOTE: The video files are all .WMV format for use on Windows XP and Windows Vista computers. The files have not been designed for use on MAC computers.

The Video History Today YouTube Channel

A selection of the commentaries from various World War One locations is featured in our YouTube Channel.

The Ypres Salient, Belgium