Founded in 2012
Initial discussions about forming a society to commemorate the forthcoming centenary of The Great War took place in September 2011 and The Halifax Military History Society was formally constituted on February 22, 2012, originally as the Halifax Great War Trail Association. Its goal was to commemorate the centenary of the Great War by creating walking trails that highlighted key locations of war-related activities in Halifax and the surrounding areas. These trails aimed to tell the story of what life was like on the home front during the war.
To gather the necessary historical details, the society launched a major research project, cataloguing and indexing all Great War related articles from two local newspapers—the Halifax Weekly Courier and the Brighouse and Elland Echo. This project, named NewsCat, uncovered a wealth of fascinating information about Calderdale’s history during this time.
As the scope of the project expanded, the association changed its name in October 2013 to the Halifax Great War Heritage Society to better reflect its broader mission.
In January 2014, the society gained a distinguished patron—Dr. Peter Liddle, PhD, FRHistS, OBE, a nationally recognised author and historian. His support followed a chance encounter at a Great War exhibition
During the centenary commemorations, the society hosted several public open days at local venues. These events invited community members to bring in wartime memorabilia or seek help researching their ancestors’ roles in the war. The response was excellent, with many attendees contributing valuable insights into the impact of the Great War on the local area. One of the open days was held at Square Chapel, Halifax and also included a film festival with a number of Great War related films shown.
Members of the society have published several books and materials, including:
- Halifax in The Great War
- 2 volumes of Mr. Stott’s Diary
- Calderdale People of The Great War
- The Lady Globetrotter
- A Halifax Great War Heritage Map
- A weekly series of articles in the Halifax Courier, recounting the war as it was reported at the time
By 2019, public interest in the Great War began to fade. To remain relevant and continue engaging history enthusiasts, the society expanded its focus to cover all aspects of military history. This led to another name change in 2022, becoming the Halifax Military History Society—the title it holds today.
Through its research, publications, and public outreach, the society remains dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich military history of Halifax and beyond.