What do you think?
Rate this book
In Their Own Words: Untold Stories of The First World War
The First World War was the defining event of the last century. It claimed the lives of over 16 million people across the globe and had an enormous impact on all who experienced it. No nation in Europe was left untouched, and even neutral states felt its devastating impact. Yet it was the ordinary men and women who were affected the most. This gripping, revealing and poignant collection of stories tells the First World War from the perspective of those who were there, using letters, diaries and memoirs from Imperial War Miuseum's unparalled archives.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2016
8 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 4, 2017
ll historians have to start somewhere – and the Department of Documents at the Imperial War Museum is one of the first ports of call for the study of the Great War. Tony Richards has been Head of the Department for several years, succeeding in that position to the much respected Rod Suddaby. Between them they have built up a brilliant resource that opens a door to the past. We can read the diaries, the letters and the unpublished accounts of the people who actually experienced the Great War. For this we owe them both a great debt of gratitude. Richards has now produced a book that allows us to sample some of the very best from that collection. Of course a slim volume can barely scratch the surface of the archive, yet Richards’ depth of knowledge is such that he not only demonstrates the treasures available, but produces a brilliantly entertaining book in its own right.
Richards has selected just eleven individuals to carry the story of the war from a British perspective. Each is introduced and a succinct background provided to allow us to understand what is going on in the selected extracts from their writings. He also gives us an idea of what happened to them after the war. This works brilliantly: allowing us to cut to the most exciting or interesting parts of their memoirs, but without losing context. A young girl marooned with a theatre troop in Germany as the war looms in 1914, who managed to escape disguised as neutral Americans. Soldiers serving at Gallipoli, or during the Battle of Loos in 1915. A pilot captured over the Western Front in 1915, enduring captivity in Germany before escaping in 1916. An absolutist conscientious objector who held out against everything the authorities could throw at him after the introduction of conscription. A young sub-lieutenant aboard the superdreadnought HMS Malaya at the battle of Jutland in 1916. A couple of months later, a doctor witnesses the horrors that war inflicts on the human body during the Battle of the Somme. A change of pace with a young woman who worked as a canteen worker and policewoman on the home front. Then the big finish – a machine gunner who survived the torments of The Third Battle of Third Ypres in 1917, an officer recalls the fantastic stresses of the great German Spring Offensives in 1918, and there is a final poignant account of the lead up to the Armistice on 11 November 1918.
There could have been more pictures – I would have liked to see more of the images that we get to know so intimately, but I suspect they were simply not available.
All told an excellent book – Richards is to be congratulated for producing a great introduction to the experiences of people who lived through what we can now only read about. The quality of the writing within the accounts is the stand-out point for me. These are well-educated people expressing themselves fluently and collectively they represent a glowing testament to the Edwardian education system. Highly recommended.
Richards has selected just eleven individuals to carry the story of the war from a British perspective. Each is introduced and a succinct background provided to allow us to understand what is going on in the selected extracts from their writings. He also gives us an idea of what happened to them after the war. This works brilliantly: allowing us to cut to the most exciting or interesting parts of their memoirs, but without losing context. A young girl marooned with a theatre troop in Germany as the war looms in 1914, who managed to escape disguised as neutral Americans. Soldiers serving at Gallipoli, or during the Battle of Loos in 1915. A pilot captured over the Western Front in 1915, enduring captivity in Germany before escaping in 1916. An absolutist conscientious objector who held out against everything the authorities could throw at him after the introduction of conscription. A young sub-lieutenant aboard the superdreadnought HMS Malaya at the battle of Jutland in 1916. A couple of months later, a doctor witnesses the horrors that war inflicts on the human body during the Battle of the Somme. A change of pace with a young woman who worked as a canteen worker and policewoman on the home front. Then the big finish – a machine gunner who survived the torments of The Third Battle of Third Ypres in 1917, an officer recalls the fantastic stresses of the great German Spring Offensives in 1918, and there is a final poignant account of the lead up to the Armistice on 11 November 1918.
There could have been more pictures – I would have liked to see more of the images that we get to know so intimately, but I suspect they were simply not available.
All told an excellent book – Richards is to be congratulated for producing a great introduction to the experiences of people who lived through what we can now only read about. The quality of the writing within the accounts is the stand-out point for me. These are well-educated people expressing themselves fluently and collectively they represent a glowing testament to the Edwardian education system. Highly recommended.
February 3, 2021
Excellent historical info on war; its costs and benefits. It remains (unsurprisingly) engrossing. For those interested in real wars, not the sci-go type, this is truly a worthy read. Compassionately and clearly read. It is war and there are a few expletives - undeleted. Several narrators, done as a cast endeavor — enjoyable and clear.
July 22, 2018
Le fin!
Wish I'd stuck at it more consistently but my lack of being good at reading got in the way of that.
Some really interesting stories of different aspects of the war, including bits I'd not really considered with regards to WWI before.
Worth reading if you have any WWI interest!
Wish I'd stuck at it more consistently but my lack of being good at reading got in the way of that.
Some really interesting stories of different aspects of the war, including bits I'd not really considered with regards to WWI before.
Worth reading if you have any WWI interest!
January 13, 2021
A very engaging book. It does a wonderful job of showing a wide variety of POVs. We get soldiers, nurses, circus performers, naval, Air Force, different continents and even a pacifist that was arrested for not serving. Male and female. If you want to get a true everyman flavor check it out.
March 4, 2018
Really interesting perspective on the First World War and the stories you haven’t heard before
March 8, 2018
Excellent. A really interesting and personal account of WW1.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews