SCOTLAND | Home Front Legacy 1914-18

Help find the forgotten history of the First World War in Scotland

Communities across Scotland are being urged to play their part in the Home Front Legacy project to unlock the secrets of the First World War and ensure their place in history is recorded for future generations.

Historic Scotland, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Archaeology Scotland and the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers are calling on volunteers from across Scotland to step forward to help survey, research and record buildings and sites which played a key role before, during and after the conflict.

Home Front Legacy 1914-18 will allow communities across Scotland to build on a desk-based audit of all existing First World War records undertaken by Dr Gordon Barclay for Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). The audit saw almost 1,000 records of buildings and places created or updated. This was more than triple the number expected at the outset, with previously unknown information around strategic defences, buildings and structures coming to light.

The audit, available at www.rcahms.gov.uk/firstworldwar, provides greater detail than before about the part played by communities across Scotland a century ago. We hope the Home Front Legacy project will encourage volunteers to build on the audit by visiting, surveying, recording and researching these sites more fully, as well as discovering other buildings and sites associated with the First World War.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs said: “I welcome the Home Front Legacy campaign as it will increase our understanding of the vital role Scotland’s communities played in the conflict. We hope it will also encourage people to engage with the physical heritage from that period that still surround us.

“Even though much of the First World War is well documented, we know there is still a lot to learn from the conflict and the role our communities played in it and I believe this campaign will go some way to completing our picture. I would urge as many people as possible get involved in this campaign and help us to continue unlocking the secrets of Scotland’s places during this period.”

Eila Macqueen, Director of Archaeology Scotland which is also participating in the project, added: “This is such a valuable and exciting project which will increase our existing understanding of the sites and buildings connected to the First World War. As we prepare to remember the events of 100 years ago there has never been a more appropriate time for communities across the country to get involved in this part of our history.”

How you can get involved

The Council for British Archaeology has developed the online recording toolkit and guidance on this Home Front Legacy website to help you record First World War remains in Scotland. Register here to access our recording app or download the electronic recording form for Scotland and submit your findings on sites to local Sites and Monuments Records (SMRs) and Canmore.

RCAHMS will provide long-term archiving of digital images and PDFs generated by the project in Scotland, subject to copyright compliance and the RCAHMS Collecting Policy.

Historic Scotland, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and Archaeology Scotland are all coordinating a range of activities relating to the First World War during the Centenary. If you would like to become involved or want to know what is happening in your area then contact one of these organisations to find out more.

Contacts in Scotland

Archaeology Scotland

www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk

Eila Macqueen [email protected]

Paula Milburn (Archaeology Scotland) [email protected]

Historic Scotland

www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

Kevin Munro [email protected]

Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. The agency is fully accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament. For more information visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Follow us around the web: www.twitter.com/welovehistory www.facebook.com/visithistoricscotland www.youtube.com/historicscotlandtv www.flickr.com/groups/makeyourownhistory

RCAHMS

www.rcahms.gov.uk/firstworldwar

Kirsty Lingstadt [email protected]

Sites and Monuments Records

www.algao.org.uk/localgov/hersmr

Liaison for Scottish SMRs: Stephanie Leith [email protected]