William Innes Watson

A recording of William Innes Watson is available online as part of the Listen to the Soldier project.

Listen to the Soldier

Listen to the Soldier is a unique audio collection in which veteran soldiers reveal what it was really like to be an infantryman in World War Two.

More than 200 interviews with Durham Light Infantry veterans are available on-line in Listen to the Soldier at Durham County Record Office.

They come from the DLI World War Two Oral History Collection, which is the result of 20 years of collaboration between the Durham County Council-run DLI Museum and the Sound Archive of the Imperial War Museum, London.

It is the largest, most comprehensive collection of sound recordings relating to a British infantry regiment during the 1939-45 War.

Backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the unique collection has now been catalogued and digitised and is available to the public on-line at the Record Office, County Hall, Durham.

The recordings cover every campaign fought by the DLI during the Second World War.

Veterans can be heard speaking in detail about all aspects of their lives as soldiers, not only on active service but also about their recruitment, the daily routines and training, uniforms, equipment, sports and off-duty activities.

The collection is catalogued to allow listeners to search for and then select specific subjects and focus on areas of interest such as health, food, weapons or men from their local area.

This unique collection will become an essential resource for people researching military, social or family history, and, indeed, for anyone with a general interest in history.

The recordings provide vivid descriptions of the reality of war and are not suitable for younger children.

Listen to the Soldier is available free in the County Record Office but an appointment must be booked. Please visit the Record Office website for contact details, opening hours, etc.