The Wounded will tell the story of the challenges faced by those injured during the conflict and the efforts of those who strived to help them.

The news comes in the run up to the fifth Disability History Month (22 November to 22 December), which this year focuses on the links between war and impairment.

Millions of soldiers and civilians were left with mental and physical scars following the First World War, many permanently affected. This unprecedented number of newly disabled people, and feelings about the way they were treated, helped to spark the beginning of a new framework of support for disabled people, which gathered greater momentum following the Second World War.

When it opens next summer for 18 months, The Wounded will concentrate on pivotal medical innovations and lessons learnt from the conflict which still have relevance for contemporary military conflicts. People will be able to see a German stretcher ‘captured’ on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and a giant magnet used to locate shrapnel in the body.

Sue Bowers, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund London, said: “Featuring items straight from the battlefield, The Wounded exhibition will offer an insight into the true human cost of the war as well as exploring the lasting impact of the conflict on the world of medicine.”

Do you have an idea for a project? Whether you’re restoring a historical memorial or recording a community’s memory of the conflict, HLF funds a diverse range projects across the UK that are marking the Centenary of the First World War.