On trial: Service Newspapers of World War Two

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*The Library has now purchased access to this resource. See New to the Library: Services Newspapers of World War Two.*

Thanks to a request from staff in HCA the Library has been allowed trial access to the brand new digitised primary source collection Service Newspapers of World War Two by Adam Matthew Digital. This resource gives you unique insight into the story of war as told by the newspapers and magazines that brought information, entertainment and camaraderie to the forces.

You can access this online resource via the E-resources trials page.
Access is available both on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 14th May 2018.

Service Newspapers of World War Two contains an extensive range of both rare and well-known wartime publications for soldiers serving in major theatres around the world. Publications are included from many key nations involved in the conflict, such as the US, Canada, New Zealand, India, and the countries of Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Both Allied and Axis publications are presented, offering a broad view of the war and the experiences of those on its front lines.

[Clockwise from top left] Front covers of Union Jack (25 Dec 1943), Askari (23 May 1945), The Maple Leaf (16 Aug 1945) and Die Wehrmacht (28 Sep 1937).

Highlights include:

  • 13 editions of Union Jack, covering various fronts between 1943 and 1948
  • The weekly newspaper Springbok, produced for the South African forces serving in the Middle East
  • The Maple Leaf, published daily for Canadian forces in Britain
  • Stars and Stripes, published daily for the US armed forces in the European theatre
  • Fauji Akhbar, a highly visual publication for Indian troops
  • Victory, another highly visual magazine for British soldiers serving in India
  • Eighth Army News, a British weekly for forces in Italy

In addition to maintaining the men’s morale and helping to create an atmosphere of solidarity, journalism played a vital role in keeping the servicemen informed about events in their unit and immediate locality, as well as delivering news from home and about the war at large. Many newspapers were written by the servicemen themselves, while others were sanctioned by senior staff and had a more official agenda.

Access Service Newspapers of World War Two via e-resources trials.
Access available until 14th May 2018.
Feedback welcome.
Please note that PDF download options are not available during trials.

You can access all the digital primary source collections already available at the Library via the Primary Source databases list. Extensive newspaper and magazine archives are also available.

Access is only available to current students and staff at University of Edinburgh.

Caroline Stirling – Academic Support Librarian for History, Classics and Archaeology