'On Active Service' is dedicated to the soldiers who braved the horror and hardships of the First World War. It began as a tribute to my relatives who served in the Canadian and British Expeditionary Forces (CEF / BEF) however very few of their stories and photos have survived, and so I've attempted to better understand this traumatic episode of their lives through the letters, postcards and ephemera of others. We can never expect to fully comprehend what they went through but we owe it to them to try ... Lest we Forget.
Fifteen of my relatives served in the First World War and each one of them is represented on this website. I've been researching my family history for many years but as of yet I've not found any wartime correspondence and only a few photos of my relatives in uniform. My hopes are that by publishing what I have I may uncover new information and make new contacts.
It wasn't long before my interest in researching the First World War grew to include soldiers to whom I'm not related. I've put together a small collection of letters, postcards and photos that offer a glimpse into their wartime experience. I'm always interested in items of this kind so please contact me if you are interested in selling letters or photos that I could subsequently feature on this website.
Thanks,
Steve Clifford