Welsh WWI records project announced

Genealogists with links to Wales may soon find researching their ancestors much easier thanks to a new project to digitise First World War records from the country. 

With a £500,000 grant from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), The National Library of Wales is set to create a vast online archive of Welsh military records and sources. The project is a collaboration of academics, family historians and local residents, and promises to provide a rich and revealing view of life in wartime Wales.

Many of the currently existing records are fragmented and hard to decipher, creating a 'brick wall' for many family historians. The introduction of digitalised records will make the information more easily accessible, and will include photographs and multimedia footage, as well as a translation tool for non-Welsh speakers.

By combining all available First World War material, the project aims to create a greater understanding of Welsh culture and history, as well as prompting new research and studies into the lives of the country's people during the war. It is hoped that the collection will not just appeal to Welsh residents, but will also be a valuable resource for an international audience.

“Through digitisation and collaborative working this project will bring together an impressive array of scattered content into one place,” says Paola Marchionni, JISC programme manager. “It promises to become a key reference point for researchers and students looking at the Welsh experience of World War One.”

► Find out more on The National Library of Wales website