A new base and research headquarters, will be based in our Heritage Centre at Conlig, outside Newtownards. The base shall house the Association's archive of written, audio and video material relating to the First World War. It shall provide office accommodation for the Associations management and workforce and shall provide conference/meeting facilities for the 'Friends of the Somme' support organisation which has hundreds of members throughout Northern Ireland and abroad. The Association's cross-community contact work will be strengthened by having a base that is accessible to members of both communities, where they can join in the research of a subject that is of common interest to both traditions.

Computer database: -

Details of thousands of men from Ireland who gave their lives during the Great War. Location of burial or commemoration of all soldiers who served in an Irish regiment. Family and military service details. List of 50,000 Irish fatalities.

‘Battle Lines’ The Journal of The Somme Association –Contains stories and pictures about a wide variety of subjects about the First World War & The INCINERATOR contains extracts taken from original publications from the trenches

Research: -

Histories of 36th (Ulster), 10th & 16th (Irish) Divisions, Royal Navy, Royal Flying Corps. Irish contribution to Commonwealth armies. Tracing relatives of First World War soldiers. War effort at home, war memorials and cemeteries abroad, etc.

Also available is a complete list of N. Ireland casualties of the Second World War, this list is not available anywhere else. In the future The Somme Association shall be carrying out research into the Second World War and we hope this research will be as comprehensive as that which we have compiled on the First World War.

Liaison with Veterans: -

Regular visits are paid to the remaining veterans of the Great War. Interview conducted on audio and video tapes. Written transcripts of interviews available.