Online exhibition highlights East Riding’s role in the First World War
The lives of 1,101 people from Yorkshire’s East Riding during the First World War have been uncovered by a volunteer project.
In 2014, East Riding Archives started First World War Lives to research the men, women and teenagers depicted in a collection of photographs in the Green’s Beverley Almanack and the Beverley Guardian newspaper.
The volunteers researched the individuals using the documents held by the archives and sources such as military records, censuses and electoral registers. Their work forms the basis of a new online exhibition available at eastridingarchives. co.uk/WW1Lives.
Archivist Hannah Stamp said: “The lives researched by our fantastic volunteers is an invaluable contribution to East Riding history. I very much hope that the stories of bravery portrayed in this online exhibition and the wider collection will be a source of inspiration to our global audience. Whether you’re interested in tracing military ancestors, or exploring the East Riding’s connections to the First World War, this exhibition has something for everyone.”
The exhibition is divided into 10 chapters: Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Women in War, Teenagers in Service, Stationed Around in Service, and Awards and Decorations. They include biographies of more than 150 individuals as well as information about the war.
You can also download a list of all of the people who were researched, including a reference number which you can use to request access to their complete file. The exhibition also has a free guide to First World War research.
One individual whose story the project uncovered is James Mortimer (1871–1916), the son of archaeologist John Mortimer, whose collections now form an important part of the Hull and East Riding Museum. James served as second in command to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Mark Sykes of Sledmere before becoming a lieutenant-colonel himself. In 1916, Mortimer was killed by an exploding shell at the Battle of Flers–Courcelette, only three months after being awarded the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George by George V.