Away from the Western Front : latest news

The ‘Away from the Western Front’ project has been running since early 2017 and will continue until the start of 2019. It uses the stories of individual men and women to highlight the First World War campaigns in the Middle East, Italy, Africa and the Balkans. Continue reading “Away from the Western Front : latest news”

The Great Fire of 1917 : an eyewitness account

My thanks go to David Shillito for providing the transcript of a letter written by his father – Second Lieutenant John Ewart Shillito of 2nd East Yorkshire Regiment (83 Brigade, 28 Division) – to his family describing the fire of August 1917. Continue reading “The Great Fire of 1917 : an eyewitness account”

Faces of Salonika : Bill Devereux and the Great Fire

My thanks go to Richard Devereux who provided this photo of his grandfather, Bill, enjoying a cigarette in the ruins of Salonika in the aftermath of the Great Fire, having done his bit to help.

Continue reading “Faces of Salonika : Bill Devereux and the Great Fire”

The Great Fire : I Saw Salonika Burn, 18 August 1917

The author … here gives a magnificently graphic description of the inexorable fire which swept over the city in August 1917. Mr Collinson Owen at this time was editor of the soldier’s newspaper “The Balkan News”, and with the characteristic resource of a keen journalist only missed two days’ publication through the ravage of his office and printing works.

Continue reading “The Great Fire : I Saw Salonika Burn, 18 August 1917”