On Wed, 2011-10-26 at 14:53 -0700, iain.macdonald@wikinewsie.org wrote:
As I've remarked before - every so often I decide to unsubscribe from this list, then something else interesting comes up.
You were sane enough to unsubscribe from <s>troll-l</s>foundation-l, though? Right?
Some of these memorials don't even have information notices (the one in the village I grew up in, for instance). Where there is sufficient information for one, might the WMF/projects/WMUK/whoever collaborate with local authorities - supplying info, images etc for an information board, which could in turn point people in the direction of further resources?
(Disclaimer: I haven't thought that through. I'm thinking aloud.)
You're probably thinking along similar lines to myself. These memorials were constructed in the 1918-1925 period, with funds raised locally. The material that could build a Wikipedia article is likely buried in parish newsletters, and long-ceased-publication local newspapers.
The monument is less important, in terms of the data we have an opportunity to access, than the people it commemorates. Wikipedia is very much "cold, hard facts", this is very, very personal. Commons, Wikisource, and possibly Wikibooks - to me - seem the appropriate projects to work on with this material.
If the entire 'roll call' from a monument is processed, then the supplementary items - such as theatre tickets, or restaurant receipts - from someone's last night before going to the front can be put on display locally to the monument (eg, in a local library).
The rationale behind doing this through WMF projects is to have the information available globally. Right now, someone in Australia may well know that their great-grandmother emigrated after her husband was killed in WW-I. Being able to see the letter he wrote the night before he died, and a list of the personal effects handed to the widow, is what I see making this a project of value.
WW-I has oftentimes been billed as "The War to end all Wars"; the more personal you make that, the better. Battles A, B, and C with X, Y, and Z killed is cold statistics; changing those who died from statistics into 'real people' just seems the right thing to do. Who knows? Buried in amongst the thousands of last letters may be a few people as articulate as Owen or Sassoon.
-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [Wikimediauk-l] [GLAM] Soldiers' letters From: Brian McNeil <brian.mcneil@wikinewsie.org> Date: Wed, October 26, 2011 10:37 pm To: wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org On Wed, 2011-10-26 at 17:55 +0100, Tom Morris wrote: > On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 22:55, Brian McNeil <brian.mcneil@wikinewsie.org> wrote: > > A QR code could be placed at a relevant war memorial, > > Is that such a good idea? > > I like QR codes as much as the next person, but sticking them on war > memorials may probing the limits of taste in Wikimedia outreach. Believe it or not, that's why I was careful to say *at*, as-opposed to *on*. I know I've a reputation for being crass, insensitive, and bloody-minded; but, "vandalising" war memorials is something I'd not contemplate. :P I'm glad to see others chime in regarding the potential for certain memorials being non-notable, or having insufficient reliable sources to get beyond stub status. The point here is not to drive traffic to Wikipedia, but to allow people to quickly access very personal documents. Even just doing everyone listed on a single monument will be notable enough to garner press coverage. From that, it will - hopefully - be possible to encourage other non-wiki people to get involved and carry out the same work for their local memorials. I've no idea how far this should be pushed, or how far it might go if it gains traction. The fallen of WW-I were not repatriated; I lived in Flanders for over ten years, I've seen the rows, and rows of white crosses in war cemeteries over there. I know a very large number of people visit these sites every year. If anyone can suggest a way to tastefully cross-link memorials in the UK listing those who died with the actual graves, that would seem the next logical step here. Brian McNeil. -- http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Brian_McNeil - Accredited Reporter. Facts don't cease to be facts, but news ceases to be news. _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
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Brian McNeil.
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