Military History from the Street: New Methods for Researching First World War Service in the British Military

Abstract

Local studies of military service in the First World War have traditionally focused on ‘Pals’ or other units known to be linked to a specific area. However, the availability of new records online has revolutionized the way in which local studies can be carried out. A ‘military history from the street’ approach can now document and analyse service by all those from a local area who served. The article explains how such socio-military methods, as used in the author’s monograph on West Belfast ( Belfast Boys, London, Continuum, 2009), can be adapted to other areas, with a particular focus on employment data not included in that study.