The Background Notes available via the links below are in response to Members' interest in the Club's rich history and heritage, and in the remarkable people who have contributed to the Club over the years.

This increased interest is demonstrated through:

• the formation of the History Interest Group (HIG), and the energy and enthusiasm for the projects being undertaken by this group;
• the curiosity and thirst for information on heritage items in the Club;
• and the responses to our Western Front Study Tours in 2013 and 2017.

A small group of volunteers is progressively developing the range of Background Notes across the broad categories of People, Buildings, History, and Heritage. The intention is to cover a very broad number of topics with additional Background Notes to be posted to this page over time.

The Notes are intended as "bite-sized pieces" of light reading by Members. As the notes are not written in a manner that is appropriate for public distribution or serious academic use, Members are requested not to distribute them outside our membership.

Despite the best efforts of History Interest Group volunteers, there are sure to be errors and omissions in the Notes, and we ask Members to please contact the Club if you can assist to identify corrections required or to provide additional information.

Since mid-2015 we have published a "History Page" in each Club Magazine. In A Centenary of the Great War: From Evacuation to Armistice you'll find a collection of extracts from the USCQ Magazine for Members particularly interested in the Centenary of the Great War.