Lest We Forget – School Journal Level 4 June 2014

This article explores how oral history preserves the lived experiences of First World War veterans to counter “national amnesia” regarding the conflict. Through eighty-five recorded interviews now held at the Alexander Turnbull Library, historians captured the shift from initial “adventure” to the grim realities of Gallipoli, the Somme, and shell shock. These “eye witness” accounts document the isolation soldiers felt returning to a society that didn’t understand their sacrifice, while providing a practical guide for future generations to continue “saving” the past.