The phrase Work of National Importance is used in the National Roll of the Great War to describe the valuable work of female Special War Workers in the manufacture of armaments.
The National Roll of the Great War is one of the most sought after sets of reference books of the First World War. The National Publishing Company attempted, shortly after hostilities ceased, to compile a brief biography of as many participants in the war as possible. The vast majority of entries refer to combatants who survived the Great War or Special War Workers ( such as munitions workers) and is often the only source of information available.
I spotted an article in today's Times newspaper which tells a story of a soldier who was brought home from the First World War after the death of his four brothers. The newspaper likened it to the film, Saving Private Ryan. We have a similar story here on Great War Stories about the Brightman family.
Do you have your grandfather’s or another relative’s medals from the First World War? All soldiers who served in World War One were awarded campaign medals which were automatically dispatched to their last known address or to the next of kin of deceased soldiers. You can find out more about the most common medals here.
If your ancestor served in the British Expeditionary Force at the out break of the war, they will have received the Mons Star.
The previous blog entry draws attention to the fascinating story of Luton Town Football Club in the Great War which can be found on this website. It has been very satisfying to uncover this information and to add it here for others to explore. I hope it will encourage readers to research more of Luton's employers, clubs, churches or communities and how people connected to them contributed in the Great War. There must be many more such stories to tell.