Tag: WWI

The 7 Most Famous Field Marshals From History

Rosemary Giles
Side by side photos of Bernard Law Montgomery wearing a Field Marshal uniform with beret, and Prince Philip wearing Field Marshal uniform.

Field marshal is the most senior military rank that can be awarded to an individual. Although this varies across countries, it is generally the highest…

Common WW1 Myths That Have Been Debunked By Experts

Perhaps no other war in history has attracted as much scrutiny as the First World War. With attention comes myths, misinformation, and controversies that have…

WWI’s Harlem Hellfighters To Receive Congressional Gold Medal

In this National Guard historic painting by H. Charles McBarron, Soldiers of the 369th Infantry Regiment, the Harlem Hellfighters, go into action near Sechault, France, on September 29, 1918 during the Meuse-Argonne offensive.

On Monday, Congress signed the Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act, which will see the WWI infantry unit awarded with the nation’s highest civilian honor.…

I hear you have captured the whole German army “No sir, only 132”

Russell Hughes

Sergeant Alvin York was seemingly born to a hardscrabble existence and anonymity in death, but World War One changed that forever. The story of York is…

Have You Ever Wanted to Talk to a WWI Soldier? Now You Can With This New Chatbot

We are still going through the centennial of WWI, each month there is a new anniversary of a campaign or battle. The Great War was…

Success at Last – One Woman’s Determination to Get Granddad’s Auctioned Medals Back Into The Family

Mandy McClean sat with her ear glued to the telephone listening to the bids as they slowly climbed. They passed her estimate of £700, passed…

Dive on the wreck of HMS Invincible (Watch)

HMS Invincible was built by Sir WG Armstrong, Whitworth & Company on Tyneside.  She was launched on the 13th of April 1907 and had an eventful…

The Little Caterpillar: Hornsby Tractor (Watch)

In 1904 David Roberts, Managing director of the firm Richard Hornsby & Sons of Grantham, patented a new form of crawler track which was applied…

10 Things You Need To Know About Hermann Goering

Hermann Goering was born on the 12th of January 1893, as a son of a wealthy German diplomat, Heinrich Goering, who pursued an overseas career,…

How Modern Art Helped the Allies Win Both World Wars

World War I was devastating because offensive technology had superseded defensive ones, leading to catastrophic death rates. Britain was especially vulnerable since it depended on…

Home Guard Member Recalls His Experiences, They Were Nothing Like Dad’s Army!

Peter Blackburn – the 90-year-old, one of the last remaining member of the Pulham Market Home Guard, feels that today’s children are not at all…

Top 10 Most Bizarre Tanks Ever Built

Tanks are designed for front-line combat. These strong armored fighting vehicles are a pivotal part of any land forces in warfare. Tanks can be used…

8 Great WWI Movies in Honor of the Great War’s Centenary

Here are 8 great war movies in honor of the Centenary of the First World War. 1. J’accuse (1919) The first in our list of…

The 100th Anniversary Of The Watery Grave of Lord Horatio Kitchener

June 5th, 2016, marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Lord Kitchener One of the most iconic images from WWI is the recruitment poster…

The Lost Tommies in Colour

In 2011 a team of researchers, led by Australian journalist Ross Coulthart, made an incredible discovery. They uncovered a collection of hundreds of photographs from…

The long march to Equality – African Americans in the US Military

The term “Buffalo Soldier” refers to African-American soldiers that served in the US Army. At first, the African-Americans fought in the late stages of the…

Canadian War Museum Pulled up for Salute Error

Army expert and military veteran Terry Hunter was wandering around the World War Women exhibit at the Canadian War Museum when he noticed a poster…

New eye-witness account sheds light on who killed the Red Baron

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, was a feared and celebrated German fighter pilot during WWI. He was considered an…

Battlefield 1: New Game Set in The Great War – Watch Their Awesome Trailer!

Big budget FPS (first person shooter) games used to be all about the epic WWII, Medal of Honor, Battlefield 1942, Call of Duty; they all…

Waking Up To Find A German U-Boat on the Beach

On April 16, 1919, the residents at Queens Hotel, a beach-front hotel in Hastings, on the Sussex coast in England, awoke to the most amazing…

Top 10 Disturbing War History Urban Legends

There’s a grain of truth in every urban legend and with that said, here are ten disturbing urban legends that rose up throughout the history…

6 Brutal Forms of Military Discipline from History

However hard they are trained, all armies face some problems with discipline. Anything from shirking tedious duties to running on a bloodthirsty rampage can undermine…

SERBIA AND THE BALKAN FRONT, 1914 – The Outbreak of the Great War – Review by Wayne Osborne

This is an accessible, detailed, readable and thoroughly researched book.  It is a clear analysis of the Serbs in 1914 and of their early war…

Turkey marks the 101st anniversary of the WWI Battle of Gallipoli

The 101st anniversary of the Gallipoli naval battle of WWI has been marked by commemoration events in Turkey. The Turkish military and the country’s senior…

10 Things You Need To Know About Hermann Goering

Hermann Goering was born on 12 January 1893, as a son of a wealthy German diplomat, Heinrich Goering, who pursued an overseas career, serving as…

The Top 10 Misconceptions of the First World War

Many probably don’t realize that what they’ve learned about history, especially when it comes to WWI, is not necessarily true.  Here are the top 10…

Top 10 Most Bizarre Tanks Ever Built

Tanks are designed for front-line combat. These strong armored fighting vehicles are a pivotal part of any land forces in warfare. Tanks can be used…

8 Great WWI Movies in Honor of the Great War’s Centenary

Here are 8 great war movies in honor of the Centenary of the First World War. 1. J’accuse (1919) The first in our list of…

The Man Who Spared A Wounded Hitler’s Life In WWI – And Changed The World Forever

The History of War will always be about that which we know for certain, that which we have reason to believe, and that which will…

Operation Michael Germany’s Last Chance to Win WWI Before the Americans Arrived

By late 1917, the German Empire’s High Command knew they had to turn the war around quickly. Progress against the Allies was slow and they…

School Pupils Visit World War I Battlegrounds in Belgium and France

The History of WW I is very important for children today. Our age is still shaped by that horrific event. The younger generation often familiar…

Despatch Rider On The Western Front 1915 – 18 – Review by Wayne Osborne

It’s occurred to me over the last few months that diary keeping was frowned upon and against regulations during a large part of the Great…

An Interview With Rob Langham – Author Of the Bloody Paralyser

Mark Barnes

War History Online Reviews Editor Mark Barnes was so impressed with Rob’s new book he tracked him down for a chat about writing books and…

WWI Battle of Verdun: The Battle That Was Never ‘Won’

The president of France, Francois Holland, will join German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the re-opening ceremony of the recently renovated museum that stands on the…

British Rambo of the Somme: “If I’ve got to be killed, I’ll die fighting not digging.”

Thomas Alfred Jones was nicknamed “Dodger” in childhood because he was good at soccer. Unfortunately, they quickly changed that to “Todger” – which is British…

Bloody Paralyser – The Giant Handley Page Bombers of the First World War – Review by Mark Barnes

I had the pleasure of reviewing Rob Langham’s first book some time back and now he has returned with a second. I am not kidding…

The Tangier Archive – Review By Mark Barnes

I have worked at the same photographic archive for nearly three decades and even after all this time there is an awful lot of material…

Canary Girls – Women Munition Workers In WWI Turned Yellow And Gave Birth To Yellow Babies

It is sadly something you might see in reimagined Wizard of Oz – girls in ruffled hats, full skirts, puffy sleeves, and Peter Pan collars…

Canadian War Museum Attempts to Spin their Way out of a Salute Error

Army veteran Terry Hunter was wandering around the World War Women exhibit at the Canadian War Museum when he noticed a poster depicting a line…

German WWI Submarine, U-31, Found in North Sea

The team from ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) were hard at work with their partner Vattenfall on a two-year project scanning 6000 square kilometres of the seafloor…

New eye-witness account sheds light on who killed the Red Baron

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, was a feared and celebrated German fighter pilot during WWI. He was considered an…

Waking Up To Find A German U-Boat on the Beach

On April 16, 1919, the residents at Queens Hotel, a beach-front hotel in Hastings, on the Sussex coast in England, awoke to the most amazing…

Royal Mint: Battle of Hastings to Get Coin This Year 2016

The Royal Mint will be releasing new coins this year to commemorate several milestones including the 950th anniversary of the historical Battle of Hastings and…

A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH – Review by Mark Barnes for War History Online.

Christmas in 2015 was a bit weird due to recent changes in my life and I was never much of a fan anyway. I don’t…

Top 10 Disturbing War History Urban Legends

There’s a grain of truth in every urban legend and with that said, here are ten disturbing urban legends that rose up throughout the history…

VISITING THE FALLEN: ARRAS – Review by Mark Barnes for War History Online.

When I first started my pilgrimage on the Great War battlefields I set myself an agenda that involved what I can only describe as ‘collecting’…

Sergeant York – Captured 132 German Soldiers Pretty Much Single Handed In WWI – Battle Scene

Sergeant Alvin York was seemingly born to a hardscrabble existence and anonymity in death, but World War One changed that forever. The story of York is…

6 Brutal Forms of Military Discipline from History

However hard they are trained, all armies face some problems with discipline. Anything from shirking tedious duties to running on a bloodthirsty rampage can undermine…

The Zeppelin Museum – Geoff Moore

The small town of Friedrichshafen in Southern Germany has been responsible for some of the largest flying machines of all time. And its history in…

The Top 10 Misconceptions of the First World War

Many probably don’t realize that what they’ve learned about history, especially when it comes to WWI, is not necessarily true.  Here are the top 10…

NURSING THROUGH SHOT & SHELL – Review by Dr Wayne Osborne

The diary of a Nottinghamshire Territorial Army Nurse, Beatrice Hopkinson, who served in the UK and then on the Western Front.   Editor Vivien Newman has…

The Red Baron – Separating Truth From Fiction – By Ryan Clauser

  During World War I a scarlet triplane terrorized the skies over France. This image is one that many people conjure when they think of…

Too Brave To Live, Too Young To Die – Review by Mark Barnes

I have made a point of abstaining from Great War books for some time now. There will always be exceptions, hence this review; but I…

Scientists Risked their Lives to Defeat World War One Poison Gas

Chemical weapons and poison gas were first used in a military context 100 years ago as World War One raged across Europe. Scientists from both…

Humanity and Compassion in WWI: The Christmas Truce and Friendship at Gallipoli

It is an amazing testament to the true goodness of humanity that even in the throes of battle, compassion can rise in the hearts of…

Come & Sink us Then! Captain Sacrifices his Boat & Crew but Sinks the U-Boat. Was Awarded the VC

At the end of July 1918 the British Royal Navy vessel HMS Stock Force was under the command of Lieutenant Harold Auten of the Royal…

The Man Who Spared A Wounded Hitler’s Life In WWI – And Changed The World Forever

The History of War will always be about that which we know for certain, that which we have reason to believe, and that which will…

10 Bizarre Uses of Animals in War

Horses have been used as mounts and to transport supplies for thousands of years. Elephants, camels and mules have all served similar functions, as fighting…

POPPYGANDA – Review by Mark Barnes

Short in stature but big on scope this intriguing book by Matthew Leonard feels like an essay or one of those fine lectures we get…

STAR SHELL REFLECTIONS 1914 – 1916 – Review by Dr Wayne Osborne

The illustrated diary of Great War soldier Jim Maultsaid of the 14th Royal Irish Rifles.  Born in the USA of Irish parents who had chosen…

GUERILLAS OF TSAVO – Reviewed by Chris Buckham

The campaign that was fought in Africa during WW1 has been largely overshadowed by every other theatre but was extremely significant in the lessons that…

Learning From History: Belgian WWI Refugees in Britain

Over 100 years ago a refugee crisis was going on in Europe that mirrors what is happening in our own time. People were fleeing Russia,…

The Pine Street Boys – Three Victoria Cross Awardees From The Same Street!

Shahan Russell

Corporal Lionel “Leo” Beaumaurice Clarke, Sergeant-Major Frederick William Hall, and Lieutenant Robert Shankland all received Victoria Crosses for their heroic deeds in WWI. All three…

British Rambo of the Somme: “If I’ve got to be killed, I’ll die fighting not digging.”

Thomas Alfred Jones was nicknamed “Dodger” in childhood because he was good at soccer. Unfortunately, they quickly changed that to “Todger” – which is British…

Harry Patch Train, Named in Honor of Britain’s Last Surviving WWI Soldier, Unveiled

Heziel Pitogo

The Great Western Railway unveiled their Harry Patch train, so-named in honor of Harry Patch who was Britain’s last WWI trench survivor, Friday, November 6.…

How Agatha Christie’s Terrible Experience As WWI Nurse Helped Inspire Hercule Poirot

Well-founded speculation abounds that famed mystery author, Agatha Christie, used her experiences as a war time nurse in plotting and detailing the killings in her…

Stubby the War Dog: Would Warn About Gas, Saved Countless Lives, Earned a Purple Heart, Was Promoted To Sergeant!

Much of America grew up on tales of Lassie and his ability to let humans know when a small child has fallen down a mine…

HAMILTON & GALLIPOLI – Review by Dr Wayne Osborne

General Sir Ian Hamilton comes under the spotlight once again. It has been in vogue for many years to trash the Great War generals.  The…

Canary Girls – Women Munition Workers In WWI Turned Yellow And Gave Birth To Yellow Babies

It is sadly something you might see in reimagined Wizard of Oz – girls in ruffled hats, full skirts, puffy sleeves, and Peter Pan collars…

Blasted 3 German Balloons and 2 Fighters, Crash Landed, Got Out With Automatic Pistol Then Shot as Many Germans Before Dying

In only nine days of flying in World War I combat, just ten missions and thirty hours of time in a Spad XIII aircraft, Lieutenant…

New eye-witness account sheds light on who killed the Red Baron

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, also known as the Red Baron, was a feared and celebrated German fighter pilot during WWI. He was considered an…

A new Australia: The ANZAC Legend At Gallipoli

‘From 1915 the word ANZACs was applied to military formations – at first ANZAC meant a man who had served on Gallipoli, and later acquired…

WWI Out Of The Trenches And Into Perspective: The Great War YouTube Project

By Paul K. DiCostanzo Managing Editor – The Good News Review Between the years 1918 and 1939, humanity only knew the First World War as…

Memories recovered – Memories of WWI veteran unearthed at Jefferson City antique store

By Jeremy P. Ämick Military history can be uncovered in the most unexpected locations, as demonstrated by a recent visit to a Jefferson City antique…

Footballer of Loos – Story Of An Audacious Action By A British Rifleman in WW1

The age-old notion of shell shock or as it is euphemistically called the battle fatigue has always been most misunderstood phenomenon of modern warfare. Soldiers…

VOICES FROM THE FRONT – Review by Dr Wayne Osborne

I want to let Peter Hart tell you what his excellent new book is about: “This is an oral history of the British military involvement…

10 Things You May Not Know About World War I

World War I was fought from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. Because many of the combatants had colonies and alliances beyond the continent, it…

The Red Baron – Separating Truth From Fiction – By Ryan Clauser

  During World War I a scarlet triplane terrorized the skies over France. This image is one that many people conjure when they think of…

Canadian WWI Veteran Was Wounded at Gallipoli Later At Ypres Then His Evac Ship Was Sunk By U-Boat And He Was Taken POW

John Joseph Ryan was a Canadian veteran of both World War One and World War Two. He was born in 1896 in Canada and became…

The Horses, Mules and Donkeys That Fought in World War One

Animals of war have been a core part of military campaigns for hundreds of years. Even during the Spanish Armada’s attempted attack on Britain, they…

I hear you have captured the whole German army “No Sir, only 132”

Russell Hughes

Sergeant Alvin York was seemingly born to a hardscrabble existence and anonymity in death, but World War One changed that forever. The story of York is…

Two Tigers By Tom Marshall

Photos of a father and son, taken 30 years apart. Arthur James Langran served with the Leicestershire Regiment during the First World War and his…

When Circus Elephants Went Farming During World War One

When World War One began the men and horses of Europe were transported to the frontline, leaving behind few people or animals to toil the…

10 Facts You Did Not Know About The First Allied Victory of World War One

The Battle of Mt. Cer was the first Allied victory of World War One, taking place between 12-24 August 1914, during which the numerically inferior…

War Horse Ride 2014 Commemorated World War One Cavalry

The British Expeditionary Force was the force sent in to fight in France at the beginning of World War One. In 2014, a re-enactment, called…

The German Secret WWI Periscope To Spy On Enemy Trenches – By Gene E. Fax

Observation station inside the “Crown Prince’s Observatory” with a closeup of the concrete tower. The promontory of Montfaucon was at the center of the German…

Prisoner Of War letter from WWII discovered in second-hand book

A teenager in Southern England has discovered a World War Two letter sent by a prisoner of war held in occupied Poland. Nicole Williamson had…

New biography details life of Goebbels

[Via] A new biography of Dr Joseph Goebbels has been written and published by historian Peter Longerich. Goebbels was Adolf Hitler’s propaganda chief and number two,…

Battles of Ypres in WWI – a symbol of resilience and destruction

Ian Harvey
Battles of Ypres

Passchendaele Cemetery [Via] Six British soldiers have been buried in Flanders Fields with full military honors, almost a century after they died in the early…

WWI Ammo Boosters Found During Replenishment Project on New Jersey Beach

Heziel Pitogo

https://twitter.com/megbakertv/status/598167062763216897 Allenhurst, New Jersey – A beach replenishment project in New Jersey yielded to a great number of WWI ammo boosters turnaround – century-year-old war artifacts…

WWI Soldier Patrick O’Brien Awarded the Purple Heart Medal Almost 100 Years Since His Death

Heziel Pitogo

WWI soldier Patrick O’Brien has recently been awarded the Purple Heart Medal almost 100 years since his death while in action during the Great War. The…

10 Incredible Actions To Earn A Medal of Honor

Images Used (From left): (1) MSG Roy P. Benavidez awarded Medal of Honor for his outstanding services in Vietnam (2) President Harry S. Truman presents the…

“War is Hell!” According to these 7 Antiwar Films

Heziel Pitogo

  When we talk about “war” we think explosions, killings, blood and lost human lives. Yes, war, with its being costliness when it comes to money and…

TANK BATTLES OF WORLD WAR I – Review by Mark Barnes

This book was published over forty years ago by Ian Allan and back then it was presented in a larger format fitting in perfectly with…

5 Amazing Animals That Served In The Military Forces

Images Used (From left): (1) An iconic photograph of Bamse wearing a sailor’s cap of the Norwegian Navy during WWII (2) Lin Wang, the Asian…

Moving Inscriptions Left by WWI Soldiers Discovered in French Tunnels

Heziel Pitogo

Moving inscriptions made by WWI soldiers were discovered recently by an archaeologist in a series of French tunnels while he was investigating these passageways’ medieval…

The Red Baron, the Great War and UFOs

Heziel Pitogo

A recently published book – UFOs of the First World War – delves on the mysteries and paranormal sightings WWI soldiers and even the Red Baron himself…

BILLY BISHOP VC – Lone Wolf Hunter – Reviewed by Chris Buckham

Mark Barnes

Billy Bishop’s legacy has left an indelible mark upon not only the annals of World War 1 aviation but Canada as a nation. A small town…

The 10 Most Bizarre Tanks Ever Built

Tanks are designed for front-line combat. These strong armored fighting vehicles are a pivotal part of any land forces in warfare. Tanks can be used…

Stirring Images of Soldiers-Dogs Bond during Great War Featured in Exhibit

Heziel Pitogo

During the Great War, dogs not only acted as messengers or scouts detecting enemy fighters but there also formed a soldiers-dogs bond wherein “man’s best…