Letters Home; Voices from the Trenches

Using the Museum’s reconstructed trench system and objects from the handling collection to set the scene, students are introduced to the concept of soldier’s letters from the trenches of World War I. Letters from the Museum collection form the basis of a study of soldiers in the trenches writing home about their experiences, introducing the subjects of morale, both at the front and at home and censorship. Students then write their own letter and/or complete a Field Service Postcard, one member of each group playing the role of an officer detailed to censor soldier’s mail.

KS 2/3/4 Literacy/History
Theme: Letter Writing/The First World War
When: Monday-Friday in term time
Duration: 1½- 2 Hours