I've done a lot of research into my family history on WW1 and its an area I find particularly interesting so thank you to any one who posts on this thread. These stories are important.
One of my great granfathers who has a more well remembered type of experience of WW1 was 14 when war broke out.
He didn't enlist at that age fortunately. Instead as a Scout he helped out at home where, the scouts had an active role as errand boys, messengers and as look outs for air raids (yes even in WW1). He joined up days after turning 18 and was sent to France 5 months later in May 1918. He was involved in the first major push of the last 100 days. He kept a very tiny and brief diary so we have been able to retrace his steps. He was fortunate as he caught the first wave of Spanish flu which wasn't so deadly, and was sent to hospital for two weeks, whilst two major offences were launched. Its likely it saved his life by giving him immunity to the later wave of Spanish flu and because it meant missed a battle which his unit suffered heavy losses in.
His mother, however, wasn't aware of this and not receiving anything from her son, sent frantic letters trying to find his whereabouts. Obviously she had a happier ending than most.
He returned to the front and was involved in attacks right up until Armistice Day.
His older sister's husband (one of my great uncles) was less fortune. He was sent to Gallipoli and then France. In France he was one of the first tank officers. He suffered serious injuries but ultimately lived.
It scarred him mentally for life, and after the war he become a vicar because of his wartime experiences.
Another of my great grandfather was an older married man with two children. As a result he wasn’t given a front line role. Instead of being issued with a gun he was issued with a shovel by being recruited to the Labour Corps.
The Labour Corps are a much neglected part of how we remember the war. They made up a huge percentage of the army. They tended to be more men who wouldn't make the best grade of solider - or Irish - they were older and more likely to have children. Not being required to go over the top didn't make it any less dangerous though.
Whilst main duties were to build and maintain the supply lines which covered much of France and duties such as caring for horses they were still at risk. They were often required to go up to the front line, to repair the trenches. And naturally many were killed in the process. Sometimes by bullets, sometimes through accidents like being hurt by panicking horses, or drowning after slipping and failing into the mud whilst laden with heavy equipment. My great grandfather was caught up in a gas attack near Yrpes in 1917. He survived but suffered for the rest of his life.
I've found other interesting individuals in my family too.
There is a cousin who worked as a VAD nurse in France and London. The VAD or Voluntary Aid Detachments were set up prior to the first World War by government as they were concerned there was a gap in provision should there be a war. The Red Cross and St John's Ambulance recruited civilians to be a reserve force. The VAD were not first line emergency services - they were in base hospitals away from the front line to help with longer term recoveries - but did work in France after 1915 after it became clear there were a shortage of nurses for these duties. My cousin was sent to Paris where she worked for two years. She then returned to England, where she worked for 8 hours a day unpaid as only VADs serving in France were paid for their work. All the others were purely volunteers. Naturally this meant that most VAD nurses working in England were middle or upper class women. The VAD in London also were responsible for helping out during air raids in WW1, where they mainly dealt with people fainting or maternity cases.