Discover Llandrindod’s World War One History With QR Code Tour

A Powys town’s connection with World War One will be brought to life thanks to a new mobile phone QR code tour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Visitors to Llandrindod Wells will be able to scan Quick Response (QR) codes that are being put up at various locations across the town as part of the tour. The tour has been jointly developed by the Powys War Memorials Project and the organisation, History Points, which will see up to 17 QR codes installed as part of the tour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Powys War Memorials Project, which is being led by Powys County Council, commemorates the centenary of World War One. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Visitors will be able to scan the QR codes with either their smartphone or tablet and will then be taken to the History Points website and receive a concise history of the object in front of them including stories about people or events there during World War One. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Most of the featured locations will be linked together to form a self-guided tour with a World War One theme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All the information is available on the website where readers will be able to follow the tour virtually. The information is free to view but mobile phone users may have data download charges. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Powys War Memorials Project has provided £1,500 towards to creation of the QR codes and webpages while Llandrindod Wells Town Council has contributed £90 towards the cost of featuring the town’s main war memorial in the tour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Avril York, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “The Powys War Memorials Project marks our respect for those individuals who left Powys, sacrificing their lives. The QR codes will provide instant access to this fascinating aspect of the town’s history at the relevant locations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“One of the aims of this tour, and the war memorial project overall, is to encourage the young people of today to appreciate how their predecessors were affected by the war.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Nathan Davies, the Powys War Memorials Project Officer, said: “Today’s residents and visitors may have little idea how life in Llandrindod Wells was transformed in World War One when the traditional tourist trade halted and thousands of soldiers were billeted in the hotels while training locally. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Hospitals for ailing soldiers were set up using facilities installed for spa tourism. Refugees from occupied Belgium were welcomed. Army deserters were taken to courts martial in the town, and a local tribunal decided whether individuals could be exempted from conscription. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As the war ground on, more and more men left their homes and workplaces in Llandrindod to serve, and more and more were reported wounded or killed.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​