How to Use this Resource

Our interactive World War 1 and Remembrance Day resource based on the diaries of Wakefield-born soldier George Kellett helps bring history to life for you and your students!

This resource is designed for KS2 upwards. 

It could supplement your teaching in class or be sent to students to view for homework or additional material. 

All pages can be accessed by a computer, mobile or tablet device, however the interactive map element does not display as well on a mobile or tablet device and you may need to zoom out on your screen. Alternatively, you can access it directly on the MapHub website here.

The webpages that form this resource provide:

• An introduction and overview to George's life and his diary 
• Cover each month of his diary entries through 1918 (primary source material)
• An interactive map illustrating George's journey through France, Belgium and Germany in 1918
• Photos of George, his family, friends and fellow soldiers
• Videos of an actor playing George reading his diary entries and demonstrating key pieces of World War 1 equipment

The diary details George’s life as a soldier - letters from home, pay arrangements, games of draughts, getting ready for draft, working on a rifle range and digging trenches. Photos, videos of diary readings and object demonstrations and the interactive map add extra elements to help you and your students engage with the primary source material.

The diary entry pages have been transcribed from George's diary as closely as possible. Sometimes his handwriting can be a little hard to read, so there are some question marks throughout the text where the transcriber has not known for certain what he wrote. This also means there are some misspellings (particularly with regards some place names), as they have been copied directly from George's writing. 

Note: George writes in a very matter-of-fact way, and diary entries about mundane tasks sit alongside entries recording the deaths of his fellow soldiers, family members and having to bury the dead. Although there are no violent details or imagery, some students and staff may find this subject matter upsetting. Diary entries which contain these events are September and November.

All photos and images are courtesy of Wakefield Museums & Castles, unless otherwise stated.

The videos are by Dave Eliot Cooper of Histrionics.

We have a range of other downloadable resources for you to use to support your teaching about Word War 1 and World War 2 here.

We have also published some information about other Wakefield residents who were involved in World War 1. For information on Sargeant Arthur Cox and Nurse Marion Walker, click here.

At the bottom of every page you can navigate back to the front page of the resource by clicking on the link below:

Front page