fourteeneighteen

Latest client testimonial

Neil & Joy in British Columbia, Canada, June 2009:

I wanted to let you know the material re Hugh Arthur arrived safe & sound. I read everything at one go this evening & found the experience to be very moving. The documents are one thing but the report is what reduced me to tears. I did not expect to be overcome with emotion but that is exactly what happened. It was the same sensation I experienced at Hugh’s grave this past September. Thank you so much for the research & all it entailed.

Our services

If you are researching men or women of your family who served in the British army during the Great War of 1914-1918, you may be finding it hard. You may even have hit the brick wall. We can help. Welcome to our website.

When? You will need our services if you are finding it hard to search the sources of information, or if you are struggling to understand what the military documents are telling you. More

What? We search for army service records, medals records and all other known sources of information. We then interpret what they say and create as detailed a narrative history as it is possible to produce. This is where the experience of more than 2500 such projects comes in. More

Why? You not only need documents - you need insight. There are many people who will look things up, but fourteeneighteen brings real value by turning words, acronyms, squiggles and abbreviations into family history. More

Who? fourteeneighteen is the brainchild of Chris Baker (past Chairman of the Western Front Association, producer of the Long, Long Trail website, founder of the Great War Forum and military author). More

Online quote now!

Online? Now? fourteeneighteen communicates electronically with our clients. You can obtain a quote for research, place your order, track our progress and receive all documents and reports fully online. Why not start right now? Get your quote and place your order now

A recent project: James Lockhart Carstairs MM

James Carstairs served with 174 Brigade of the Royal Artillery, a unit of the “Deptford Artillery” raised by the Thames Ironworks in 1915. He was awarded the Military Medal for an act of great bravery in June 1917, carrying ammunition out of a burning gun pit while it was being shelled by German guns. His MM was presented to him in hospital by Field Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood VC, for James was wounded near Ypres on 24 July 1917. See more recent projects

What is the picture in the frame?

The men in the frame are from the 528th (Durham) Field Company of the Royal Engineers. Top left is Tommy McSloy, a blacksmith from Blyth in Northumberland. When he returned from the war, Tommy’s employer had filled his job, so Tom moved to the nearby colliery town of Ashington. Formerly a shipyard worker, Tom worked on the surface at Woodhorn Colliery. He gained some small fame in later years as one of the Ashington Group, the artists known as the “Pitmen Painters”.

Another happy client

Norman Jones of Liverpool, April 2009

many thanks for the report you put together
with so little to go on it makes fascinating reading
a wonderful job well done and a first class service
THANK YOU SO MUCH

Clients who placed orders up to 5 June 2009

You will see that we have remodelled the website since you placed your order. You can log in to the old version of the client portal here

Great War image of the month: July

This is the statue atop the Navarin Farm memorial in the Champagne region of France. Although it does not commemorate a British action (the British Army not being as far south as this), we love the clear blue sky and the splendid work of the sculptor.