1914-1918 Voices and Images of the Great War: First Edition

by Lyn Macdonald, Shirley Seaton

This book uses personal accounts and illustrations, mainly from the author's own archives, to cover all aspects of World War I-from departure of the Old Contemptibles to fight the Kaiser in 1914, young men eagerly enlisting, high hopes of 1915 that fizzled out at Gallipoli, to the bloody fields of Flanders. It runs through the battles of the Somme and Passchendaele to the coming of the Americans, fighting in the closing months of the war, joyous celebrations of Armistice Day and burial of the unknown warrior in the aftermath. The authors have drawn on the experiences of the men who fought, touching on subjects as diverse as propaganda, fear, morale, bravery, bawdiness, filth, and frivolity and the stark contrast between attitudes of civilians at home and the men at the front. Newspapers, magazines, letters, diaries, songs, poems, as well as a wealth of first-hand anecdotes and personal accounts by the soldiers themselves are included in this book.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War I, 20th Century, Military History, War

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Over the course of her career Lyn Macdonald established a popular reputation as an author and historian of the First World War. Her books are They Called It Passchendaele, an account of the Passchendaele campaign in 1917; The Roses of No Man's Land,, a chronicle of the war from the neglected viewpoint of the casualties and the medical teams who struggled to save them; ,Somme, a history of the legendary and horrifying battle that has haunted the minds of succeeding generations; 1914, a vivid account of the first months of the war and winner of the 1987 Yorkshire Post Book of the Year Award; 1914-1918: Voices and Images of the Great War, an illuminating account of the many different aspects of the war; and 1915: The Death of Innocence, a brilliant evocation of the year that saw the terrible losses of Aubers Ridge, Loos, Neuve Chapelle, Ypres and Gallipoli.

Her superb chronicles of popular history were notable for their extensive use of eyewitness and survivor accounts, and she drew on oceans of contemporary letters and diaries as well as capturing the memories of a dwindling supply of veterans. In doing so, she cast a unique light on the experiences of the ordinary ‘Tommy’ in the wider context of the First World War, documenting the innocence of a lost generation and bringing to life the disillusionment, the questioning and the heroism of the men of the British Army. “My intention,” she said, “has been to tune in to the heartbeat of the experience of the people who lived through it.”

Reviews

[Ann Otto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year-by-year account of the first World War using letters, news articles, and some literature, primarily from a British viewpoint. Some German documents are included, as are some American after April 1917. The book includes a few photographs, cartoons, and other illustrations. The accounts and other materials selected for inclusion are very well done. A must for anyone researching WWI, especially the early years prior to the U.S. entry.

[Bill38silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

We cannot get close to imagining what war was really like unless we read the oral and written testimony of participants. This book is a collection of memories of those who fought in the Great War, mostly from the British perspective but with some accounts from the German forces. Together with well chosen photos, illustrations, newspaper articles and adverts, poems and other pieces of memorabilia, this is a fascinating record.

There is much material here of the horror of war but also the humour in extreme adversity. Many of the entries are sad, such as the last letter from a soldier to his parents on the day he was killed and the account of the soldier who, after fighting for freedom for four years, was told on Armistice Day that his wife had died at home of TB.

For those interested in the personal narratives and accounts of military history, I recommend the "Voices" series promoted by the Imperial War Museum.

[Bill West · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we think of war it is heroic adventures and for some fun, but lyns books bring home that it is deadly dangerous and not fun for the dead but certainly not for the survivors RIP Lyn Macdonald

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent book that really gave me a feeling of what the war was like for those involved. It consisted almost entirely of letters/poems/recollections and photos/drawings. There were a few very brief comments by the author, giving some historical context but the bulk of the book was by the participants themselves. Some of the entries were matter-of-fact, some showed the horror of the experiences, some were humorous. There was rah-rah patriotism and bitter disillusionment. It made a fabulous introduction to the overall story of the war.