Time for heroes to be recognised

Eventually, the stories will become an online memorial to those who played a role on the front line or home front.

Some 200,000 Glasgow men volunteered for the Great War, leaving behind their jobs and loved ones. Of those, 18,000 lost their lives with a further 34,500 left injured, many seriously.

Councillor Sadie Docherty said “Hearing the personal stories of Glaswegians both at home and at war are an important way for us to gain an insight into our city’s history.

“With the 100th anniversary of Britain’s entry into the war fast approaching, we want to ensure we create a living and online memorial to the men and women of our city who were involved in helping the war effort both at home and on the front line.

“In particular we would like to trace the families of the city’s Victoria Cross winners in order that they can have a say in where the paving stones being created by the UK government for each of the First World War recipients should be placed.”

The city received money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to create a database of Glasgow’s First World War stories, as well as an education programme to get school children learning about the names behind the war memorials.

The Heritage Lottery money was part of its Centenary programme to enable communities to conserve and share their First World War heritage, and develop projects that improve understanding of the conflict.

The lord provost added: ““We hope that many Glaswegians will take this opportunity to upload their stories to the Glasgow database. It is only by reading the stories of ordinary men and women from Glasgow that we can appreciate how ordinary people experience and achieve extraordinary things in war time.”

The launch comes ahead of the August 100th anniversary commemoration for the Commonwealth of Britain’s entry into the war, which will be held at Glasgow Cathedral, followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the Cenotaph in George Square.