Looking forward to this @greatwarhuts.bsky.social #HuttedHistories talk

Our November #HuttedHistories on Wednesday 26th is the last one of 2025, and a home grown one too! Lyndsay will be talking about Biscuits at War - ‘They Shall Grow Not Mould’. It’s a great talk - come and join us. There’s cake and biscuits too! Tickets: www.greatwarhuts.org/event-detail...

It is ‘that’ time of year again! Tickets for our annual ‘Trenches by Twilight’ event are now on sale. Hear the story of the 1914 Christmas Truce with Taff Gillingham as we make our way through the Trenches by the light of our lanterns. 10th-13th December. For tickets: www.greatwarhuts.org/events

Sign up for the final talk in the @fusmuswarwick.bsky.social series related to its Home and Away: Football and the British Army exhibition. Taff Gillingham of the @greatwarhuts.bsky.social will talk about the Christmas Truce and Football. Details of how to book your ticket below

Well, it has been a while since we last recorded a ‘Hutted Histories’ talk, but we have so much great stuff we thought we should start sharing some more of it with you! Here is our latest HH film: youtu.be/Nt0jko74yIE 😊👍🏻

Finally visited the Great War Huts, almost two years after moving to Suffolk! It was great to talk about the commemoration of war dead buried in the UK, and have some fascinating conversations with the audience. Huge thank you to those who came and @greatwarhuts.bsky.social for organising!

Hut Dog Charlie Chaplin is with us on a Temporary Posting at the moment whilst his mum is in hospital. He has been patrolling the trenches, inspecting the huts and checking out the woodland for enemy activity!

We are very lucky to have recently received the archive of Major J.B. Webster, who commanded D Coy. of the 9th and also the 11th Suffolk Home Guard in Ipswich. The boxfile was packed with orders, letters, nominal rolls, circulars, maps & details of local Home Guard exercises… 1/

Another reminder of the war in the Far East for VJ Day 80: When we were first given this battered old Officer’s cap it was covered in cobwebs and dust, with several holes in the fabric, and, at first glance, looked like something that had been used for amateur theatre. 1/

Kicking off our July #HuttedHistories, the fantastic Stephen Barker joins us with his talk ‘Watershed – Mahatma Gandhi and the First World War’

It is just over a week until our July #HuttedHistories, on Wednesday 23rd, when we are delighted to welcome Stephen Barker for his talk: ‘Watershed - Mahatma Gandhi and the First World War’ For more information and tickets for this fascinating talk: rb.gy/lxxuuy

One of our resident fox cubs at Brook Farm Camp was caught on camera enjoying a peaceful snooze… until his sibling decided now was the perfect time for a surprise play attack! 🦊 #AnimalsofBrookFarmCamp

To celebrate World Horse Day 2025 we have this beautifully illustrated pre-Great War card game for you. The Cavalry Game “…was invented in the hope that it might teach some of our boys and girls the names and numbers of the British Cavalry Regiments”. #WorldHorseDay2025

“The Trench Periscope has been hit, Sir!” “German sniper?” “No, Sir. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sir!”

To mark the 2025 Tour de France here is a rare Great War cyclist piece from our collection, found recently in France. It’s a 1916 dated Lucas “Cycloe”No.10 front carrier. These were fitted to the MkIV & V bicycles of the Army Cyclist Corps and Infantry Battalion Signallers. 🚲

A poignant reminder of the first day of the Battle of The Somme - Lt Gilbert Hattersley’s blood-stained map showing the planned advance, up Sausage Valley, of the ‘Cambs Suffolks’ (marked ‘D Coy’ on the map), to Contalmaison. Hattersley was wounded very early on. #Somme109

It’s a full house for tonight’s #HuttedHistories talk! The brilliant Richard van Emden is giving us a fascinating sneak preview of his upcoming memoir about his life with Great War veterans.

The Old Contemptibles Association was inaugurated at the Red House, Clapton, 100 years ago today. There is a service at the Red House to mark the occasion. We are proud to hold the Teddy Noyes Old Contemptibles Archive here at Great War Huts and we will remember The Chums today.

Clive Harris will be giving a talk entitled: ‘A Tale of Two Footballing Men’ about Alex 'Sandy' Turnbull and Donald Bell, on Saturday 19th July at the @greatwarhuts.bsky.social Football at War Event. 🎟️ Tickets £25 including lunch shorturl.at/r98VL

If you like trenches, tea and cake, this one’s for you. Join Taff Gillingham this Father’s Day for ‘Tea & Trenches’ for an immersive experience with uniforms, artefacts & trenches. History, humour & Victoria sponge included! ☕🍰 🎟️ shorturl.at/UQ8Cp #TeaAndTrenches

A nice surprise was waiting on the doorstep this afternoon. I’ll be taking a few to the June 14th @gallipoliassoc.bsky.social and @greatwarhuts.bsky.social conference in Suffolk if anyone would like a copy … and there are 4 wonderful speakers and a First World War trench to explore as well 😁

A fantastic evening for our third Hutted Histories talk, ‘Prepared for War: Uniforms and Equipment of the Great War British Soldier’ - brilliantly delivered by Taff Gillingham with a special appearance by L/Cpl Kieran Morling. Huge thanks to everyone who came along!

Amazing @greatwarhuts.bsky.social talk tonight as always. Really useful to learn about the evolution of British Army kit and weaponry from before and during the First World War. Helps put Second World War kit into context.

Only 3 weeks to go ... all very exciting There are only a few tickets left … to book visit @greatwarhuts.bsky.social website @gallipoliassoc.bsky.social

In early 1916 the 58th (2/1st) London Division Territorials found themselves billeted in and around Ipswich. On Purdis Heath they dug training trenches, many of which are still there. A few days ago we heard a fire had exposed some of them so we’ve just been to have a look… 1/

An excellent and informative presentation by @simonjones.bsky.social and many thanks to Taff, Lyndsay and the @greatwarhuts.bsky.social for their warm welcome and refreshments, particularly the home made cakes! Wearing the gas masks was an experience!

Thank you to Taff and Lindsay and all at the Huts for inviting me again. It was a great evening with loads of good questions afterwards. Plus we saw an extremely rare original example of Cluny Macpherson's Hypo Helmet, while the audience got to wear replicas.

Last night I gave a talk @greatwarhuts.bsky.social on protection against poison gas in the First World War. Here is Taff Gillingham warming up the audience beforehand with some respirator drill.

“Gas Gas Gas!” Our audience are all prepared and wearing their Hypo Hoods ready for our April #HuttedHistories talk by Simon Jones tonight. #110YearsOfGasWarfare @simonjones.bsky.social

@footballandwar.bsky.social is looking forward to the latest #HuttedHistories talk this evening

Tuesday will mark the 110th anniversary of the first use of Poison Gas on the Western Front, on 22nd April 1915. To mark the occasion we are delighted to host historian, @simonjones.bsky.social, on Wednesday 23rd as our April #HuttedHistories speaker! Don’t miss it! shorturl.at/ZE4JP

...and surely a worthy entrant for this week's #AlphabetChallenge which I understand is #WeekPforPatterns?

It’s been a while since we’ve posted something for #WrigglyTinWednesday … so here’s a treat for you 😍

Sorting out my talk @greatwarhuts.bsky.social on 23 April on protection against poison gas in the First World War, & hoping to include this French war dog. Talk details: www.greatwarhuts.org/event-detail... Film IWM 508-62: www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...

It was a beautiful day here at Brook Farm Camp as we all gathered to celebrate the life of dear Teddy Noyes. With tributes from Jane Backhouse, Taff Gillingham, Andy Tonge and Andrew Thornton (read by Taff), and Sassoon’s ‘Everyone Sang’ read by Lyndsay Knight… 1/

We know how much you all enjoy the detective work in some of our posts, so here is a special one for you on this fine Sunday morning. Several months ago we spotted this pipe for sale in an antiques centre near Haverhill. It is a Captain Comfy pipe, made in France… 1/

Battlefield Guide and Historian, @jojohook.bsky.social, kicks off our season of Hutted Histories talks with ‘A Bridge Too Far Fetched?’ - a talk looking at the myths in the film!

We are all desperately sad to hear the news that Dora Ringland died peacefully yesterday morning after a short illness. Dora has been a wonderful friend to GWH and all of our team and volunteers. Her support and enthusiasm, not to mention her interest in, and passion for, … 1/

On the 110th Anniversary of the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, we are sparing a thought for 2309 Pte. Frederick James Todd of the 1/4th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment. In August 1914, the Territorial Force were not obliged to serve overseas at all without signing the Imperial… 1/

We have a Cavalry theme for you this afternoon. These valises sat behind the horse’s saddle, and contained the trooper’s spare shirt, underwear and ‘small kit’. The smaller one belonged to a member of the Long Melford (Lancers) Troop of the Suffolk Yeomanry Cavalry c1830… 1/

108 years ago tonight, the 8th (Service) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment were preparing for the Battle of Boom Ravine. Within 24 hours, Stretcher Bearer Cpl Eddie Hazlewood would earn a Mention in Despatches; “17th February 1917. During operations against South Miraumont Trench”… 1/

This pair of British Army B5 Boots were picked up in Trones Wood, on the Somme battlefield, in the 1980s. Despite the condition of the boots, the stamped markings are still clear enough to read even after 109 years. 1/

When Lieutenant Howie of the Royal Scots Fusiliers was wounded in 1918, his web Pack and equipment were sent home to his family in Scotland. The ‘Wounded Officer’s Kit’ labels are still tied to the pack. 1/

It has been a while since we highlighted a nice piece of equipment from the Great War Huts Collection. Today we have a waterbottle carried in France by Rev. John Knox. He was the Canadian Catholic Chaplain to the 8th Infantry Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division… 1/

On 12th January 1915, 110 years ago today, HM King George V sent this message to all members of the recently-formed 28th Division who were about to embark for France. This particular message turned up in a Paybook we recently acquired, which turned out to be rather special… 1/

Something from the GWH Collection… From 1924 to 1935 the IWM was housed in two galleries adjoining the former Imperial Institute, South Kensington. It reopened at Lambeth on 7th July 1936. Our First World War Life Rings, donated to us by the IWM, were last displayed in 1936.

24 hours after our previous ‘Discovered-Just-In-The-Nick-Of-Time’ item, here is another… 110 years ago today, 5th January 1915, the Daily Sketch ran a Christmas Truce story about a “Major who sang carols between the trenches”. 1/

Just in the nick of time, we spotted this poster in the GWH Collection, from 110 years ago today. Loosely translated: Notice to Refugees The Mayor of Poperinghe informs refugees that a train to Calais will be available to them on 7th January, departing at 10am. 1/

This Christmas Eve special was just fab. Weather was perfect & the tin was icing on cake. It was our Xmas highlight - thks @GreatWarHuts for a tremendous twilight trench experience - we both wondered if anyone will know about our special tins 100 yrs from now and if so what stories they will tell.

Last night, for the 110th Anniversary of the 1914 Christmas Truce, we held a special final Christmas Eve #TrenchesByTwilight tour in our trenches at Brook Farm Camp. Taff Gillingham led everyone through the trenches and told the story of the Truce, supported by the GWH team… 1/