Army Memorandum, 1916

1. Army Memorandum, 1916 This document was found behind the skirting board in Newcastle University’s Armstrong Building in 2011 whilst some renovation work was being carried out. 1) Can you work out what it says? 2) Why do you think this document was found in the Armstrong Building? (Clue: think about the role played by the buildings of Armstrong College During the Great War) Front Back

2. Army Memorandum, 1916 • Thisdocument is an army memorandum. • It was found behind the skirting board in a room in the Armstrong Building in 2011. • What does this document say? • The document is dated March 13th 1916 and states the treatment required for Private Bird who was in the DLI (Durham Light Infantry). • On the back of the memorandum, written in pencil, is a list of soldiers and the wounds they have suffered. • Why was this document was found in the Armstrong Building? • This document was found in the Armstrong Building because when war broke out in 1914, Armstrong College was requisitioned by the War Office and it became the First Northern General Hospital, with all of its main buildings being turned into hospital wards.

3. Learning Outcomes • By the end of this lesson you will: • Understand the role played by Armstrong College as a hospital during the Great War. • Be able to identify some of the uses and limitations of using photographs as an historical source. • Be able to analyse a range of sources about the role played by Armstrong College during the Great War.

4. Photographs of the First Northern General hospital • Task: • Work in groups to annotate the photograph you have been given with observations you make and questions you have. • Use the 5W’s to help you analyse your photograph: • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • Why? First Northern General Hospital, Armstrong College, Ward A1 (King’s Hall)

5. Ward A1, (King’s Hall)

6. WARD A6 (engineering Drawing Office)

7. WARD A20, Surveying Drawing Office

8. WARD A21 (Zoology Laboratory)

9. Ward A23 (botany Laboratory)

10. WARD C1 (Hatton Gallery)

11. Ward number unknown

12. Uses and Limitations of photographs as an historical source • Make a list of the uses and limitations of your photograph as a source for finding out about the role played by Armstrong College as a hospital during the Great War:

13. Photographs of the FIRST NORTHERN GENERAL HOSPITAL • 1) In what ways are these 7 photographs similar? • 2) In what ways are they different? • 3) In what ways are these photographs useful to an historian studying the role played by Armstrong College as a hospital during the Great War? •  4)What are the limitations of these photographs? What is missing/what other information do we need?

14. Usefulness Question • Tasks: • 1) Study the 4 sources on your worksheet. • 2) Complete the activities on the worksheet. • 3) Write an answer to the following question: • How useful are these sources to an historian studying the role played by Armstrong College during the Great War? Explain your answer using the sources and your own knowledge.

15. Review • List 3 ways in which Armstrong College helped the war effort during the Great War. • List 1 advantage and 1 potential problem with using photographs as an historical source. • What is the most interesting thing you have learned this lesson and why?