To join the Western Front Association, go to the main WFA site here: Join online
What do you get for your subscription?
The Western Front Association was formed in 1980 to maintain interest in the period 1914-1918, to perpetuate the memory, courage and comradeship of those on all sides who served their countries in France and Flanders and their own countries during the Great War. It does not seek to glorify war and is non-political.
For a modest annual subscription (currently £29 for UK members), our members receive a wide range of benefits. In particular, belonging to the WFA provides you with the opportunity of meeting like-minded people to learn, share, explore and exchange information and knowledge in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. You will also receive our regular, high-quality publications in total six times a year.
Publications
'Stand To', the WFA's prestige journal, is posted to all members three times a year. Its editorial policy increases our knowledge and understanding of the Great War. Articles include:
· previously unpublished accounts of the Great War
· original research and previously unpublished photographs and
· regular features include book reviews and a correspondence column.
'The Bulletin' is also published three times a year. It carries reports on the Association's activities and future events. It gives details of meetings at national and local level.
Remembrance
To remember those who died in the Great War, the Association:
· meets in Whitehall at 11 o'clock on Armistice Day for wreaths to be laid at the Cenotaph
· lays wreaths on memorials at home and abroad
· encourages people to tour the battlefields
· has an active education and research function
· has a wide range of branded commodities available to buy through various ways, and
· participates in the Royal British Legion Parade on Remembrance Day.
Regional Seminars
All Day Seminars are held around the country, often with internationally-renowned speakers.
Local Branches
The Association supports a broad range of local WFA Branches in the United Kingdom, in other European countries, in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere. Many of our Branches produce their local newsletters; many arrange tours to the battlefields at reasonable prices, and all welcome new members warmly. Please see the Events section of the website to find out more about what is happening at a Branch near you.
Please also see the video pages on the national WFA site for an example of a presentation given to the Yorkshire Branch of the WFA in 2010.
Trench Maps
The Western Front Association, together with the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in London, is involved in a joint project to produce a series of DVDs of trench maps and aerial photographs from the IWM archives. This project called Mapping the Front, aims to create a set of themed DVDs of Great War maps and photographs covering significant and interesting aspects of The Great War. The quality of the maps will allow high resolution and colour depth images as good as the originals. The DVDs will be themed by area with maps of different scales detailing the changes to landscape over months and years.
Locations will include the Somme, Ypres, Arras, Lens & Loos, Gallipoli, etc. Other themes will also include cemeteries on the Western Front, Haig's personal maps, cartography, transport, tanks, artillery, light railways and many others.
Each themed DVD will contain:
a) maps
b) aerial photographs (where available)
c) a standard set of index maps
d) help on how to read the military maps of the period, and
e) other contemporary and modern documents of relevance or interest such as the ‘Report on Survey on the Western Front, 1914-1918.'
Help with your research
Our Historical Information Officer tries to answer members’ queries, and links from our website may prove helpful. Our new Forum, the Front Forum, also has an active Research area.
The Internet
The WFA is alive to the value of the internet, and it has an ever-expanding website, which offers numerous ways to research the Great War.
You can also buy your books and other Great War-related materials through the website. If you do so, at no additional cost to you, you help the WFA to receive a small commission that helps us with our work and to keep subscription costs down.
WFA e-Shop
The WFA shop sells branded WFA goods, back issues and collected volumes of our publications.
To join the WFA, go to:
Please note: it is NOT necessary to join the WFA in order to attend our meetings in Stockport.