‘Hidden gems’: British letters from first world war published online

Family history website makes cache of documents from National Archives available for public to view

On 19 April 1915, Ethel Andrews, a young woman from Sherborne in Dorset, wrote to the foreign secretary to ask about her brother. Pte Gordon Gray had been captured at the battle of Ypres on 2 November, was being held as a prisoner of war at a camp in northern Germany and I have not heard from him for so long," she wrote to Sir Edward Grey.

I send him a parcel every week which costs me 5s4d, & I do feel so broken hearted because I have not heard if he have received one. I should be more than grateful if you would kindly do something for me."