To the editor:
I’m writing to ask the help of your newspaper and readers. I’m a historian at
Northumbria University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, and I’ve recently launched a
research project looking at the service of men and women from the northeast of England in the armies of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand during the First World War.
We think that as many as 7,000 people served in total, of which 60 per cent enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. We already know that over 80 ‘Geordies’ enlisted in Manitoba alone. As such, we’re hoping to recruit volunteers — from complete beginners to seasoned researchers — who will act as ‘citizen historians’ and help to build a database documenting the fascinating lives of these servicemen and women. Participants will have the opportunity to learn any necessary research skills and to work with a global network of researchers from the U.K. and across the world. The 12-month project is open to anyone — all you need is an interest in the First World War.
If you are interested in being part of the ‘Dominion Geordies in World War One’ project, or just looking for some more information, please contact Dr. James McConnel at james.mcconnel@northumbria.ac.uk or visit www.dominiongeordiesinww1.co.uk
Dr. James McConnel,
Reader in History,
Northumbria University,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
