The CD-ROM's in this section containin thousands of digital images taken from photographic collections, First World War Newspapers etc... Spanning the period between 1900 and late 2002. Photographs of Naval personnell are included as are pictures of Naval Vehicles, Ships and Submarines, launches of several major warships, such as that of H.M.S. Dreadnought in 1906. As well as British Warships, German, French, American, Japanese and Russian Warships are included.

The above image is the light cruiser 'Highflyer' which sank the German armed merchant cruiser 'Kaiser Willhem der Grosse' off the mouth of the Ore River, West Africa on August 27th 1914. The 'Highflyer' a 20-knot light class cruiser with a length of 350 feet and a displacement of 5600 tons carried eleven 6-inch guns, nine 3-inch, one 3-pounder, two machine-guns, and two torpedo-tubes.

An interesting and informative collection of pictures of British Naval ships taken by photographer Peter Croydon LMPA over the last forty years. The collection covers a broad range of vessels from the fleet including Types 21, 22, 23, Leander, Rothesay and Tribal Class Frigates, Types 42, 82 and County Class Destroyers, Minehunters, Minesweepers, Mine Countermeasure Vessels, Cruisers, Aircraft Carriers, Submarines and Amphibious Assault Ships. Also included are a range of Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels such as Landing Ships, Survey Vessels and Support Tankers. A comprehensive and fascinating collection of over five hundred photographs for anyone interested in Britain's Navy.

The above image is HMS Newcastle, commissioned in 1978 and currently the Royal Navy's longest serving type 42 Destroyer.

FROST, Mark Edwin Pescott, O.B.E., I.S.O. (1859-1953) joined the Admiralty service at Portsmouth in 1874 and, following periods at the Admiralty and in Hong Kong, was made Secretary to the Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard in 1899. In 1901 he began his collection of photographs of events in Portsmouth Dockyard. Pictures taken by local photographers, notably by Stephen Cribb of Southsea, were eventually assembled into seven albums of photographs, which are now known as the Pescott Frost Dockyard Photographs. The collection includes pictures of the launches of several major warships, such as that of H.M.S. Dreadnought in 1906, visits by foreign warships, French, American, Japanese and Russian, and visits by foreign heads of state, who would arrive by ship and transfer directly to a train waiting at the South Railway Jetty.

The above image is HMS Revenge in 1902, the only Royal Sovereign Class Battleship to serve in World War One. She was built at Clydebank in the early 1890's, refitted at Portsmouth in 1914 and renamed HMS Redoubtable in 1915.

Upon the outbreak of the first World War the magazine "Illustrated London News" began to publish illustrated reports related entirely to the war and entitled it "The Illustrated War News". This weekly magazine was reputed to have the largest number of Artist-correspondents reporting on the progress of the war. These CD-ROM's currently cover the opening two months of the war when the confidence that Allied superiority would overcome all threats was at its height. Photographs and drawings of the preparation for the conflict, as well as actual action, are shown along with details of the commanding officers and articles by the military thinkers of the day. A vivid portrayal of a time when the Cavalry Horse was considered a vital weapon of war.

The above image is the cover of the first issue, dated August 12th, 1914.

Berkshire and the War is a unique record of a county's contribution to the First World War. Compiled between 1915 and 1919 it includes photographs and articles first published in the Reading Standard as well as retrospective accounts written especially for this publication. Around 9000 men are recorded, mainly from the Royal Berkshire Regiment and the Berkshire Yeomanry. However, men from Berkshire served in almost every unit of the British military and so almost all the regiments and corps of the army are represented as are units of the Royal Marines and ships of the Royal Navy. The contribution of civilians to the war effort is not ignored. There are images of civic functions in aid of the war effort, details of nurses and hospitals and of the ambulance services, and summaries of their achievements during the war. The original publication was not indexed. This series of five CD-ROM's is indexed by name, regiment and place. It is an essential source of information for family and military historians and for those who want to study the conflict with an emphasis on Berkshire. Each CD-ROM contains an index of all five volumes in the series.

The above image, from Volume 1 in the series, is of Seamen, Stokers and others of H.M.S. Black Prince.