Your Towns and Cities In The Great War Books

How the experience of war impacted on the town, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Carmathen were committed to.

How the experience of war impacted on the town, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Hove and Portslade were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. A record of the growing disillusion of the people, their tragedies and hardships and a determination to see it through. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.As featured on Radio Reverb.

Fascinating and much forgotten story of Billericay's contribution to the Great War.

When war was declared in 1914 the people of Bristol erupted in patriotic excitement - but what was it like when the cheering died down? This book tells the city's unique story during those grinding years, when women risked their lives filling shells with mustard gas, factories turned out chocolate and cigarettes for the troops, Shirehampton's fields were full of war horses, and Filton's nascent aeroplane industry took off. Also described are the lives of the women who waited at home for news of their men at the Front, the long shop queues and blackouts, the bone-shaking military vehicles that rumbled past their homes, and the kindness shown to the traumatized refugees from Belgium. Jacqueline Wadsworth's extensive research brings Bristol's story to life using contemporary accounts and high-quality photographs, many of which have never been published before.

This is not a book about the Great War; it is about life during the war. Changes in people's lives: their work, home, food, entertainment and news. I used original research material including newspapers, to paint a picture of life in the Black Country. Manufacturing was vital; we were well-equipped to supply the engines of war. The region had motor manufacturers who made aero engines, tanks, guns, munitions and much more. Towards the end of the war the Black Country became one huge munitions works! Some of the greatest changes were societal, women's role changed massively. Wider social change involved the first steps towards equality between the sexes. By 1918 women could vote and stand as MPs. At work, women became clerks, tram drivers, munitions workers and more. With so many men away, without women the war could not have been won. This was the first modern conflict, truly the First World War, where troops globally converged, mainly on France and Belgium, to fight a common enemy. It began in August 1914 amid much excitement and the initial months saw the British Army grow hugely. There were those who did not want to fight, their circumstances will be examined, as well as methods used to 'encourage' them to sign up. The war developed into trench warfare, with heavy casualties, vastly more than thought imaginable. Most Black Country families lost one or more of their loved ones; but there was little time to mourn; in many cases reports were not made public for some time; a well-oiled propaganda machine saw that news did not seriously damage morale. In 1916 war came to the Black Country through a Zeppelin raid. Its affect was devastating and impacted widely as restrictions were placed on lighting and other measures to minimise the effects of probable future raids. By 1917 the Black Country had to cope with more wounded from the front line. Hospitals were full and further measures were needed to accommodate our returning injured heroes. Treatment, feeding and enterta

How the experience of war impacted on the town, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Carlisle were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. A record of the growing disillusion of the people, their tragedies and hardships and a determination to see it through. Already an important railway junction, with local industrial and commercial interests reflecting its historical position on the border with Scotland, Carlisle became a key settlement in the Great War. The Carlisle story includes the arrival of Belgian Refugees; the care of wounded men passing through the city on hospital trains; recruiting the Lonsdale Battalion; dealing with the aftermath of the Gretna rail disaster; caring for the wounded brought to the local hospitals after major battles; the effect of the Gretna Munitions factory on the city and state ownership of public houses and breweries. Beneath these new activities normal life continued with children going to school, local government dealing with a growing population and daily work and commerce

Many Rotherham men had never fired a shot in their lives before they enlisted, to fight in what quickly became known as the Great War. Some of them had never traveled further than Sheffield or Doncaster and had only used lathes and ploughshares, prior to conscription. Now those same men were suddenly thrust into the mayhem of battlefields, trenches, violence and destruction. Whilst fathers, brother and sons were fighting abroad, Rotherham townspeople, found themselves in the midst of anti-German riots which took place on the weekend of Friday 14th May 1915. Violence and revenge was turned towards former neighbors and friends who were of German origin, even though they had lived peaceably in the town for many years. Reports of attacks by zeppelins resulted, not in local people taking shelter as was recommended, but rather taking to the fields and parks, often lifting children out of their beds to view these 'monsters' of the sky. The few lucky men and women who returned back to the town, found that life in Rotherham would never be the same again.

At the dawn of the twentieth century Liverpool had eight miles of docks thronged with cargo ships loading or discharging cargoes. The city prospered through its maritime trade, and this led to the Cunard Line and other illustrious transatlantic passenger carriers making Liverpool their home port. As the storm clouds of war gathered, few would perceive the conflagration would change the political and social make-up of Britain including the emancipation of women. When Britain declared war on Germany in the summer of 1914, Liverpool’s geographical position demanded it be one of the chief home bases of wartime operations. It was a challenge the city accepted with relish and went on to become one of the most significant home front contributors to the Allied victory. Justifiably, the city cenotaph proudly declares ‘out of the north parts came a great company and a mighty army,’ but there is a forgotten army of patriotic civilians whose endeavors played a key role in the Allied victory. Despite an acute shortage of skilled labor, Liverpool led the way in the construction of munition factories and developed the required skills to ‘feed the guns.’ Initially men who were too old for military service produced shells, a local factory became the first in the country to introduce women shell makers, this initiative was replicated throughout the nation. As the men made the transition from street to trench, Liverpool and district developed into a vast arsenal employing approximately 30,000 women and producing a million shells monthly. Civilians were also actively involved in tending the wounded, fund-raising for hospital equipment and ambulances and the provision of home comforts for those at the front. When the German submarine onslaught almost severed Britain’s maritime trade routes food rationing was introduced. Damaged ships limped into Liverpool where their precious cargoes were salvaged and large swathes of Liverpool were ploughed up as the nation ‘dug for victory.’ The city was also a portal through which thousands of American troops passed; they stayed briefly at Springfield Park Rest Camp before entraining south. Liverpool opened the first hospital in the United Kingdom for the treatment of American servicemen. Another first occurred on Independence Day 1918, when the first post-revolution march past of American troops took place on British soil. This is the fascinating but largely forgotten story of how Liverpool provided the sinews of war.

The story of Plymouth in the First World War has never been fully covered although the town played a key role in the deployment of troops to Northern Europe as well as supplying ships and vital munitions. By August 1914, the British War office had moved 120,000 men into the town. Plymouth became the principal base for military operations and was one of the most important of the southern shipping ports. The town also played a vital role caring for the many wounded soldiers who returned home from the front. The effect of the war on Plymouth was great. By the end of the conflict, there wasn't a family in Plymouth who hadn't lost a son, father, nephew, uncle or brother. There were tremendous celebrations in the streets as the end of the war was announced but the effects of the war lasted for years to come.

Many troops passed through Southampton on their way to the Western Front and it played a vital role as a staging post for departing troops and those returning badly injured. Many of men from Southampton also joined up and the enormity of human sacrifice that the families of Southampton were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years was immense. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

‘A fortified place’. This is not the way we usually think of Southend-on-Sea but it was the description used by the Germans during the Great War. Built beside the Thames Estuary and with the Shoebury Garrison to the east, Rochford Aerodrome to the north and the longest pleasure pier in the world to the south, it was regarded as a legitimate target. During the war the pier was used as an embarkation point for British soldiers about to be transported to France. Southend-on-Sea in the Great War looks at the lives of the ordinary people of the town who coped with the new and unexpected problems that arose. A number of large hotels became hospitals for wounded military. The imposing Palace Hotel became the Queen Mary Royal Naval Hospital and it even received a visit from the Queen herself. The role of women changed. Some worked in munitions factories or cleaned trains whilst others supported the local hospitals. They coped with the constant fear of the loss of loved ones and dealt with ever increasing food shortages. Bombs were dropped on the town, the worst raid being in August 1917 when thirty-two people were killed and forty-four injured. Learn more about this tragic event and other accounts of the impact of the Great War on Southed-on-Sea in the pages of this fascinating book. Southend was at the sharp end of activity during the First World War. Bombed by Zeppelin and Gotha, it also received some of the first German POWs and acted as a camp for soldiers departing to the trenches across the Channel. This book explores how the experience of war impacted on this Coastal Town, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Southend were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

Looks at how the Great War affected Wearsiders from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Sunderland were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years – including local Zeppelin attacks and experiences of those fighting for the DLI and other regiments. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

At the outbreak of the Great War, Chester was transformed from a county market town with some nice shops and lots of day-trippers, to a bustling, frantically busy military center with men and horses everywhere. As they left for the war zones, or to go to other parts of the country for training, the city settled down to the hard work of dealing with the absence of so many men from vital jobs – a challenge eventually tackled by many of the city’s women. Life was hard, money was short for some, though others earned good wages in the ammunition works. It soon became obvious that many men would never come back. But life in the city went on, everyone played their part, the cinemas and theaters stayed open, as did the pubs (though with reduced hours). Concerts kept the people entertained and helped to raise vital funds, and news films kept them up-to-date with the latest from the Front. But, eventually it was over and the city had a different set of problems to deal with…

How the experience of war impacted on the town, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Washington were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. A record of the growing disillusion of the people, their tragedies and hardships and a determination to see it through. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

In Dumfriesshire, the most striking change during the Great War was to occur around Gretna. Here the largest cordite factory in the UK was established, work commencing on the factory in 1915, with completion in 1916. Throughout the region the impact of the First World War was felt greatly by the local communities, which were decimated by the losses suffered during the conflict. The huge influx of workers to H.M. Factory Gretna disrupted areas of daily life and caused an increase in crime. The population of Dumfriesshire supported those who directly suffered as a result of the war, in a number of ways, including the production of wound dressings, the provision of auxiliary hospitals and fundraising efforts to provide support to refugees. There was no common experience of the conflict and the aspects explored help to illustrate experiences, shaped by the First World War, of the Dumfriesshire population.

Looks at the Cardiff Pals and other local regiments who fought in the Great War and how the experience of war impacted on the area, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Cardiff were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. An important place for Coal export this book looks at how the balance between working and fighting was achieved by the Dockyard workers The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

The Great War left an indelible mark on almost every town and village in Britain and this extensively researched book looks in detail at how that war affected the town of Swansea and its people. Themes covered in the book include recruitment and the treatment of conscientious objectors, how Belgian refugees were cared for, and what happened to foreign nationals who were living in Swansea at the outbreak of war. How the war affected the trade of the town, especially the docks, is examined, as well as the fate of numerous Swansea ships that became targets for the German U-Boat campaign. The organization of medical aid for wounded servicemen and the effect of food shortages, and its subsequent rationing in Swansea, are covered. The new roles performed by women and the efforts made in the town to provide support for those left at home, or serving at the front, are also examined. Away from the Home Front, the actions of both of the Swansea Victoria Cross winners are recounted, as are the stories of some of those who served on land, on sea, or in the air. These include a Swansea airman who was downed by the famous Red Baron, another who flew again after losing a leg in combat, a Swansea sailor who was lost in an encounter with a German U-Boat, the Swansea officer who twice escaped from a POW camp, and several former Swansea men who returned with Canadian, Australian or South African units to fight the common foe, with often tragic results. There are also stories of a Swansea nurse captured by the Austrians in Serbia, and a Swansea doctor at Gallipoli. Swansea in the Great War is a welcome and long overdue look at how the Great War affected the town and its people. How did the experience of war affect Swansea and the surrounding area? - From the initial enthusiasm, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Swansea were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. A record of the growing disillusion of the people, their tragedies and hardships and a determination to see it through. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions, including the disastrous first day at the Somme for the Swansea Pals.

When war was declared in August 1914, it not only changed the lives of the soldiers who fought, but also the lives of their families, their neighborhood and, ultimately, the whole of society. Women came out of their homes to take up work in industry, to drive the trams, to police the streets as well as nurse the wounded. Government, local and national, imposed extensive controls on all aspects of social life - who could remain in work, who had to fight, what could be grown as crops, what clothes were appropriate and how to feed a family. This study looks at how these changes affected Huddersfield and its inhabitants, showing how employment changed, how the town contributed to financing the war and how the local tribunals dealt with those who did not want to fight. Local families, from the highest to the lowest walks of life, find their stories illustrated here.

Wars are not just about the people who fight. Those who wait at home suffer too. This book gives an insight into how the people of Shrewsbury lived through those years. Chapters describe the arrival in the town of Belgian refugees and, not long afterwards, of prisoners of war and the reaction of the local people to them all; the enlistment and later conscription of men and the tribunals held to consider the applications of those who wanted to avoid being called up; the establishment of hospitals in local houses for the treatment of the war wounded; and finally the raising of subscriptions for memorials to those who had been killed. Throughout this period most people tried to live as normal a life as possible, despite the absence of so many of their menfolk. They had to cope with food shortages and new laws that restricted so many aspects of their lives. Alongside this they lived with the constant dread of news from the front.

From Zeppelin raids to housing refugees and evacuees or from men volunteering to fight or women working in the local Gunpowder factory, Dorking in the Great War looks at how the experience of war impacted on the town, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Dorking were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

The ancient City of York had been a garrison town for over a hundred years before the outbreak of war in 1914 but although the citizens of York were used to a military presence, nothing could prepare them for the changes that would envelop their city over the coming years. As Belgian refugees flooded into York during the early months of the war, so enemy 'aliens' were rounded up and held in an internment camp and riots broke out as residents unlucky enough to have German heritage were attacked. As the men went to fight, so the women went to work all over the city, from Rowntree's Cocoa Works to the munitions factories and railways. When conscription was introduced in January 1916, the Quaker community of York looked to their consciences and decided whether to answer the call of their government, or face the consequences of objecting. The choices they made had a lasting impact on their own lives and those of their loved ones. Later in 1916, the city fell prey to a Zeppelin raid killing 9 people and injuring 27; with parts of the unprotected city in ruins, citizens were, for the first time, faced with the terrifying reality of war. When the Great War finally ended in November 1918, York was changed forever. As men began to return home, the city began the process of commemoration and remembrance of those who would not return. From the unveiling of a memorial board in the Rowntrees Cocoa Works to the mighty King's Book of York Heroes in the Minster, lasting records of all York men who lost their lives in battle. Looks at how war impacted on the City, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of York were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. A huge army camp was constructed on the Knavesmire to prepare for war. Enlistment went on throughout the city and there was a large army presence with men in uniforms everywhere. Those not in uniform were often considered to be conscientious objectors, and they were given the cold shoulder and a hostile reception.

‘We woke to the call of bugles, and slept to the sound of tired route-marchers coming home.’ As Rachael Poole recalled in December 1918, Oxford was transformed during the Great War. Soldiers and cadets occupied most men’s colleges which were left virtually empty as undergraduates and some younger dons enlisted. Lecture rooms were used for military training, practice trenches were dug in green spaces, and trainee pilots flew from a temporary Port Meadow airfield. The threat of invasion sparked the formation of a Dad’s Army, the Oxford Volunteer battalion, and City streets and shop windows were blacked-out as a precaution against air raids. University, college, and other public buildings became military hospitals, and thousands of war casualties were brought by train to be treated in Oxford. Belgian and Serbian refugees found a temporary home in a City which, through its University contacts, had a remarkably cosmopolitan outlook. Civilians, and especially women, were actively involved in fund-raising, welfare and relief work, providing social activities for wounded soldiers, and sending comforts to men at the front and prisoners of war. They also cultivated war allotments formed as food shortages led to the introduction of communal kitchens and, ultimately, to rationing. Oxford dons, both male and female, took on crucial war work at home and abroad, and academic life in the University depended largely upon the women’s colleges. Local industries converted to war production, and women and girls found work in munitions factories, and in other businesses as more men joined the forces. Soldiers home on leave saw an Oxford undamaged by war, but few residents were free from anxiety, and college heads and the poorest citizens were afflicted equally by the loss of loved ones. This book tells the fascinating, and largely forgotten, story of Oxford’s part in waging the Great War.

Along with most of the United Kingdom the town of Crewe was affected in many ways during the four years of the Great War. This book examines many of the ways in which the hostile struggle between the European powers brokered conflict and cooperation in this industrial community planted in the rural acres of Cheshire by the London and North Western Railway Company. A military tradition dating back to the town’s earliest decades helps to explain the eager response by the young men of Crewe when war was declared in 1914. War across the Channel soon generated a rapid increase in the cost of living with its accusations of blatant profiteering; a situation only remedied by regular wage rises. This conflict between organized labor and capital was perhaps more marked in Crewe then elsewhere in south Cheshire, a consequence of the many trades unions that were present in the town. Obviously, the sacrifice of young men on land and sea was the major effect of war so biographical details of many the lads of Crewe who fell or were wounded in the minor or major battles in the different theaters of war are included. This loss of life is a continual somber background to all of the other issues raised by the Great War in Crewe such as the anti-German riots in October 1914 or the surprising fact, to many, that a woman could do a man’s job in the railway works. So, conscription, Zeppelin scares, food shortages, rationing, allotment gardens, blackout, welfare schemes, the Christmas truce of 1914, influenza epidemic, séances and the dead, and the division of opinion over a war memorial are just some of the issues which came before the people of Crewe during the troubled years of the Great War and which feature in this book.

Laindon in the Great War is a detailed account of how the war impacted on Laindon and the surrounding district, known today as Basildon, from the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, to the long-awaited peace of 1918. Throughout the country, initially, there was enthusiasm and excitement for the war, but this soon changed as vivid reports of the war effort began to reach the populous. Fears of invasion and spies around every corner increased, which resulted in a number of locals being reported, in some cases, for very trivial incidents. While local men fought heroically overseas, two nearby explosives factories provided employment for the town's women folk. The book charts the stories of these women, revealing the dangerous conditions of the factories and the accidents that entailed. As Laindon was a prominent farming area, despite being located only 20 miles away from London, a number of local women, and some from further afield, also joined the Women's Land Army and worked laboriously for long hours on the farms. Included throughout the book are stories of the heroic men who fought on our behalf. The authors present us with individual's memories, passed down through families, that bring to life what our men went through and what life was like for those on the home front. The book is a powerful eyewitness account that allows Laindon's wartime citizens, who lived through these momentous and catastrophic events, to tell their own stories in their own words.

The Isle of Wight went to war in August 1914 along with the rest of Britain. German waiters were arrested. The tourist trade slumped. Foreigners were denounced and lads from all walks of life flocked to the colors. Then came privations, losses, hospitals full of the sick and crippled. After conscription was brought in tribunals were set up to catch draft-dodgers. Thousands of pounds were raised for the war effort and lectures, rallies and the local press all did their bit to keep morale high. There are no official figures for the Island’s war dead, but 300 of the Isle of Wight Rifles fell on one day at Gallipoli in August 1915. The original plan to commemorate the dead was to erect a cross in Winchester but that changed so that every Island parish had a memorial of its own. Ex-Islanders from as far away as Australia and Canada volunteered to fight for king and country in this war to end all wars.

Almost 400 men from the Chelmsford were lost in the Great War. This book explores how the experience of war impacted on the Town, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Chelmsford were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. A record of the growing disillusion of the people, their tragedies and hardships and a determination to see it through. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

In 1914 Torquay was the crown jewel of the English Riviera, long the haunt of the rich and famous but this status was not to last. The Great War of 1914-1918 brought a shuddering end to this golden period in amongst the blood and mud of the Western Front as hundreds of Torquinians gave their lives in the fight against the Kaiser. This book documents the town’s experience, both militarily and socially through the extensive use of previously unpublished letters from those who served, by following the career of General Sir Herbert Plumer, commander of the British Second Army and native Torquinian and by featuring a detailed analysis of the home front throughout the war. In doing so it challenges many of the war’s myths including the idea of war enthusiasm in 1914, widespread opposition to the war and the old myth of lions led by donkeys. In doing so it reveals the extent to which even a small town such as Torquay contributed to the war effort and how much the war permanently changed Torquay.

Exeter played a vital role during the First World War supplying men for the Army and raising funds to help troops overseas. The Mayoress and her team played a key part collecting money to aid homeless Belgian refugees in the city while also supporting other worthy causes both home and overseas. Soldiers traveling through Exeter all received food, refreshments and cigarettes due to the money raised. The city had its own battalion, 'Exeter's Own' and thousands of servicemen passed through the city on their way to northern Europe. Players at Exeter City football club were amongst the first to join the colors and later the Footballers' Battalion (the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment). The effect of the war on Exeter was great. By the end of the conflict, there wasn't a family in Exeter who hadn't lost a son, father, nephew, uncle or brother. There were tremendous celebrations in the streets as the end of the war was announced but the effects of the conflict lasted for years to come.

Brief history on the various parishes that make up the Borough of Castle Point and what life was like prior to 1915. It includes stories of suspected aliens, conscientious objectors (The peculiar People), those who claimed exemption for business reasons and British overseas internees.

The first book written about Britain’s premier army base in the First World War. The book contains and explores the following: • The first published record of the troops in Aldershot on 4 August 1914. • The first published list of officers and men from Aldershot killed in the war. • Lists the dead from WWI in Aldershot Cemetery. • Outlines the activities of crucial figures in the War such as Smith-Dorrien, Haig and French in Aldershot in the period before the War. • Traces the growth development of aircraft manufacture at Farnborough under the guidance of Mervyn O’Gorman from a balloon factory to major aircraft manufacture. • Highlights the changes in the social fabric of Aldershot during the war. • Records the experience of Aldershot as a premier training base through the eyes of Anthony Eden, Wilfred Owen and men of all ranks.

With the large number of troops stationed in and around the area and its position as a major industrial city, which focused on armaments production, shipbuilding and heavy engineering, the realities of the war were always prominently felt in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The city played a key role in the nation's war effort, as it was a key port and the nation's major exporter of coal – a vital link in keeping the war effort going. The proud tradition of military service in the region was reflected in the huge numbers of Newcastle men and women who came forward to serve in the military or in roles such as nursing. The city was the recruitment centre and driving force for the formation of numerous 'Pals' Battalions and the Northumberland Fusiliers, which raised more battalions than any other regiment during the war. For many of those left behind the war was a time of fear and hardship. This book documents the struggle that many suffering families faced in coping with rising wartime prices, longer working hours, endless worry, wartime policies and severe shortages. These issues are brought to light throughout, with a view to how they affected the people of Newcastle and how, with audacity and courage, Newcastle's citizens overcame them. By the end of the war so many Newcastle men had been killed, and others faced an uncertain future in a shattered post-war economy. Despite this, the workers of Newcastle continued to provide incredible charitable support until the end of the war in addition to their already momentous efforts. These efforts are considered greatly in this enlightening book, which is a testimony to the bravery, self-sacrifice and determination of the people of Newcastle-upon-Tyne during the Great War.

The years 1914-1918 cost many lives in the trenches of France and Belgium. Those trenches and the battles that were fought from them are well documented. But back home in towns and cities up and down the United Kingdom death and desperation were also apparent. Those left behind to carry on suffered from harsh winters, lack of food and fuel and flu epidemics. This is the story of the struggles of ordinary people with their everyday lives. It includes the opportunities presented to the criminal fraternity and the contribution that women made to the war effort by filling men’s jobs and providing a home for the men to return to. If they were lucky enough to come home from the war.

A new book on Glossop during World War I focuses on the economic and social conditions, problems and hardships of those left at home in England played out against a background of military action on the Western Front, in Turkey, Egypt and Palestine. It chronicles the difficulties, hardships and restrictions of daily life for civilians; the morale of the town year by year as the War dragged on; the growing lists of casualties and the stoical determination of the townsfolk to contribute as much as they could towards the defeat of the Kaiser. Part mill town, part farming community, Glossop’s real strength turned out to be its rural parochialism. When the call came to ‘dig for victory’ the townsfolk did so with enthusiasm and the women proved themselves just as capable as the men. 1914 and 1915 saw some optimism but this changed after the Battle of the Somme in 1916, which destroyed the glorification of war. 1917 was a bad depressive year but despair finally mellowed in 1918. 1919 saw the impact of the influenza epidemic, the erection of War memorials, and, to Glossop’s horror, the award of a tank in recognition of the town’s War efforts.

This book is about how Barrow's output of war materials was vital to the Great War effort, and it is about the Barrovians and men from the surrounding south Lakeland area - from all walks of life - who fought abroad, and the area's women war heroes. It includes background information on the history of the town, such as the Furness Railway, iron ore in the area and shipbuilding, and lists vessels built at Barrow pre- and during the war with information on what happened to them. These vessels include Mikasa and HMS Vanguard. At the outbreak of World War One, Vanguard fought in the battle of Jutland. The Mayfly (or the Won’t Fly as Churchill called it), built by Vickers at Barrow along similar lines to the very early Zeppelins, was launched in 1911. She was the first British rigid airship to be built. Today, Astute submarines for the Royal Navy keep Barrow busy and local people turn up when new submarines are launched. This book also acts as a reference guide to local war dead and war heroes, lost heroes, the area’s recipients of the Victoria Cross, memorials with details of those commemorated (including those whose names were unwelcome on memorials). Barrow's War Memorial in Barrow Park was unveiled in November, 1921 by Field Marshall Sir William "Wullie" Robertson and records close to 600 names of those who fought and died in the First World War.

A new book on Ashton-under-Lyne during World War I is being published as part of a series on Towns and Cities in the Great War to commemorate the centenary of the beginning of the War. It focuses on the economic and social conditions, problems and hardships of those left at home in England played out against a background of military action on the Western Front, in Turkey, Egypt and Palestine. Ashton was both a garrison town and a mill town. There were three Battalions based locally and over 1500 local men lost their lives. Sir Max Aitken, later Lord Beaverbrook, was Liberal Unionist MP for Ashton. In the summer of 1917 five tons of TNT exploded at an Ashton munitions factory destroying mills and houses, setting gasometers on fire and hurling acid drums into the river. Fifty people died and five hundred were injured. The book chronicles the difficulties, hardships, restrictions and morale of the town year by year as the War dragged on; the constant fear of Zeppelin raids; and the determined spirit of the folk of Ashton that the Kaiser would not beat them.

Grays (Thurrock) in the Great War tells the story of Grays and the wider Thurrock area from the outbreak of the Great War until the peace of 1918. The Docks at nearby Tilbury were the source of much employment in the area for both fathers and sons alike. They also played their part in the war, but not as a hub of military deployments. In May 1915 the German spy Augusto Alfredo Roggen, a Uruguayan born in Montevideo, arrived at Tilbury on board the SS Batavia, which had sailed from Rotterdam in Holland. On his arrival in England he made his way to Scotland to carry out his spying activities at the Loch Long torpedo range. He was captured, found guilty and executed by firing squad at the Tower of London on 17 November 1915. In July 1915 the German Naval officer and pilot, Gunther Plüschow, made good his escape from Donington Hall POW camp in Leicestershire and made his way safely back to Germany by hiding himself on board one of the many ships that sailed from Tilbury. He became the only German POW to escape from Britain and make it back to Germany during the First World War. The Kynochs munitions factory was situated near Fobbing on the site of what had previously been Borleys Farm. The site, which made shell cases, detonators, cordite and acetone for the British war effort, was so vast that it included its own housing estate for its workers, a hospital and a railway line. It became so big that it actually became known as Kynochtown and was a major source of employment in the area, particularly for women. There were Prisoner of War camps at Horndon House Farm, Puddledock Farm and Woodhams Quarry in West Thurrock which housed over 150 German prisoners. The Thurrock area also played an important part of protecting London from seaborne invasion up the River Thames with the help of Tilbury Fort and Coalhouse Fort at East Tilbury.

When news of the war broke out in 1914, nothing could prepare the citizens of Bath for the changes that would envelop their city over the next four years. The story of Bath in the Great War is both an interesting and intriguing one. This book covers this historic city’s involvement from the commencement of the Great War in July 1914, to the Armistice in November 1918, describing in great detail what happened to the city and its people, including their everyday lives, entertainment, spies and the internment of aliens living within the city. Bath played a key role in the deployment of troops to Northern Europe as well as supplying vital munitions. Local men responded keenly to recruitment drives and thousands of soldiers were billeted in the city before being sent off to fight the enemy overseas. The city also played a vital role caring for the many wounded soldiers who returned home from the front. As the end of the war was announced there were tremendous celebrations in the streets, but the effects of war lasted for years to come. By the end of the conflict, there wasn't a family in Bath who hadn't lost a son, father, nephew, uncle or brother. Bath features many forgotten news stories of the day and includes a considerable collection of rare photographs last seen in newspapers nearly 70 years ago.

This book highlights the importance of Watford as a regional center within South West Herts during the years of the Great War as well as the cohesion of the local area and the impact events and initiatives had on the entire region. The organization and presence of the Army are discussed before focusing on different aspects of civilian life such as the contribution of civilians to the war effort, the Police and Fire Service, the role of Churches, Schools and the Press and changes in employment and local businesses. As the War wore on and the magnitude of the sacrifice sunk in, hospitals and charities became more prominent. The latter part of the book presents these as well as the many public and private ways of commemorating the War Dead in the aftermath of the conflict. The distinctiveness of such Memorials reflects the legacy of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the artistic communities resident in Bushey and Watford.

When war was declared in 1914, the people of South Dorset were taken by surprise. Initially, there was excitement as the garrison town of Dorchester sprang to life, and Britain’s Grand Fleet steamed from Portland Harbour to its war stations in the North Sea. But when the fervor subsided, what was it like for ordinary people? This book describes how they settled down with purpose to a life at war. Traders made the most of new markets, and women learned to cope not only with food shortages and blackouts, but the constant fear that their loved ones wouldn’t return. Many threw themselves into the war effort. An enormous prisoner of war camp was established on the edge of Dorchester; wounded Australian soldiers were sent to recover in Weymouth, where they became firm favourites with the ladies; and soldiers billeted in Portland homes didn’t always treat their hosts with the respect they deserved. Included in the book are the stories of a German spy who slipped through the net at Wyke; a teenage soldier shot dead by his friend; a scandal at a local military hospital; the touching friendship that developed between a nurse and a wounded Belgian; and what everyday life was like at Weymouth Torpedo Works. This warm account of life in Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland during the Great War ensures that the people at home, who lived through those five dreadful years of conflict, are remembered, too.

Whitehaven in the Great War covers Whitehaven’s immense contribution to the Great War effort; it is thought that 625 Whitehaven men – from a town that, in 1901, had a population of around 21,000 – lost their lives fighting in the war. Meanwhile, on the home front, military service deprived many businesses of their established male workers, and women went to work in what had previously been exclusively male areas of employment. Notable people written about include recipient of the Victoria Cross Abraham Acton, an Orangeman in Whitehaven; local hero Robert Curwen Richmond Blair DSO, EM; and close friend to Kaiser Wilhelm II, Lord Lonsdale, the famous Yellow Earl who formed his own Pals battalion, the Lonsdales (11th Battalion, Border Regiment), to fight the Germans. It was often said, ‘No bombing Zeppelin or Gothe ever attacked our peaceful backwater during hostilities.’ However, on 16 August 1915 a U-boat, U-24, shelled the Harrington Coke works at nearby Lowca. This unexpected attack caught the community off-guard, and during the hour-long bombardment fifty-five shells rained down on the factory and the surrounding area – not one single shot was fired in return. War memorials to those killed in the Great War have been moved following church closures, however this book acts an practical reference guide to where these memorials stand today. Interesting stories come to light, like that of Baden Powell Thornthwaite, whose name was inscribed on a local grammar school war memorial, who had not died after all, but most likely deserted.

This book is out of the ordinary. As well as describing the many changes in Sheffield between 1914 and 1918, it tells about the troubling events in following years as poverty and riots took hold. It is also special in identifying hundreds of small as well as large Sheffield companies that worked to provide the necessities of war. With many previously hidden facts, the book describes the city’s ‘national factories’, the new Ministry of Munitions, the government’s control of companies, arguments about the employment of women, an increased emphasis on workers’ welfare, the impact of the Sheffield Committee on Munitions of War, and the special contributions of the Cutlers’ Company. Compulsory call-up, conscientious objectors and the work of the Sheffield Military Tribunal are also brought to life, as are problems caused by a shortage of food and the eventual imposition of rationing. The city’s German prisoners of war are introduced, as are the ravages of influenza and the terrible poverty and conflict that soon afflicted the city. These local changes are presented against a background of important national events and with more than 100 original photographs. Upwards of 50,000 men went from Sheffield to the various ‘Fronts’ during the Great War. There were 8 local regiments including the Sheffield Pals who fought at Serre on the Somme. Sheffield was also an important producer of arms for the war effort. Sheffield in the Great War looks at how the experience of war impacted on the City, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Sheffield were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

Halifax was surprised by the outbreak of war in August 1914 but within days the public mood had turned into a staggering display of unified support. Voluntary fund raising organizations sprang up and bore witness to an incredible self-help ethic that supported the troops at the front, their dependent families at home and the returning wounded. People came to fear the Zeppelins, were forced to retrieve their children from German naval guns in Scarborough and read with horror the stories of local lads gassed at the front. Residents of German descent found themselves in difficult situations, and Belgian refugees were offered sanctuary. Struggling local industry was revitalized by government orders for Khaki cloth, machine tools and munitions. Halifax can claim to have contributed many interesting technological items such as bomb release mechanisms, flame projectors and Tommy’s iconic bowl shaped steel helmet. Women were increasingly employed in traditional male occupations. In 1917 the food crisis fermented tensions, but at the end of 1918 there was triumph – of a sort.

Wars affect everyone. Whether it is fought on the battlefields or on the Home Front, by the armed forces or civilians, sacrifices have to be made and everyone suffers one way or another. This book gives a flavour of what it was like living in Kidderminster through the Great War years. Kidderminster was proud to send many of its brothers, husbands, uncles and fathers to fight for King and Country, many of whom had never ventured far from home before, some who came from decorated service backgrounds, for whom the armed services was in their blood. Rich or poor, farm worker, office manager or son of a carpet manufacturer, they all united to defend against the enemy and protect British values and way of life. Life continued as usual for many of those on the Home Front, despite, amongst other things, the introduction of DORA, rationing and the loss of the labour force from the many carpet factories. Kidderminster was already generous in its giving to the poor, but this was taken to a whole new level with the introduction of many national and local war charities. They knitted, sewed, auctioned and sung their way through the war.This show of remarkable patriotism and stoicism was made against the backdrop of a bloody and heinous war that went on far longer than was anticipated. The constant threat of receiving the dreaded telegram, indicating their loved ones fate, was never far from their minds, yet the people of Kidderminster kept the home fires burning brightly.

Town and gown were both greatly depleted in 1914 as volunteers left for the front. This account of the war years in Cambridge describes how the community coped with the changes and took on additional war work.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Leatherhead was alive with celebration. The Boer War had ended in May 1902, King Edward VIIs Coronation followed in August and the had town blossomed into one of prosperous development.Things quickly changed when the war broke out in 1914, leaving the town papered with recruiting posters and swarming with soldiers. The upheaval was especially felt by the local families as they initially waved off over 400 Leatherhead men into the forces. Those left behind attempted to live a normal life in extraordinary circumstances, with Zeppelin raids in nearby Guildford and Croydon, which encouraged Leatherheads newspapers to offer insurance against the destruction of homes, the banning of lights after dark and fines for those who ignored the dictates. Added to the locals distress was the news of the high casualty rate of local soldiers and those previously billeted in the town, wiped out at the Battle of Delville Wood.The spring of 1918 felt especially bleak with shortages of food, labour, fuel and little prospect of an end to the conflict. However, later that year the end of war was finally declared. Of the 983 Leatherhead men who served, 163 were dead.On 19 July 1919, Leatherhead joined with the nation to celebrate peace. A lunch for returning servicemen was laid out and a procession of over 2,000 Leatherhead residents proceeded to Randalls Park. As the Silver Band played the town rejoiced with fireworks, dancing and the customary bonfire. Though warmed by the flames of celebration, Leatherhead was irrevocably altered.

Berwick-upon-Tweed was an important garrison town and regional center, which, as befit its history, had a strong sense of duty, reflected in its proud martial traditions. During the catastrophic years of 1914-18 many Berwick families found themselves greatly affected by the war. Large numbers of Berwick men volunteered to serve in the forces and many were killed. During the first months of war the local barracks were overwhelmed by the number of men volunteering for the King's Own Scottish Borderers, while a great many Berwick lads served with the Northumberland Fusiliers. Others were less keen to serve and this book considers some of these cases, ranging from hairdressers to farm workers, who were brought before the military tribunal at Berwick. For many of those left behind the war was a time of worry and hardship. Others saw the business opportunities, and this book includes the telling accounts of the Berwick women who were imprisoned for running brothels, which were used by the many soldiers in the town, along with accounts of petty theft and profiteering. Berwick also suffered from wartime policies and severe shortages and these issues are meticulously analyzed throughout with a view to how they affected the people of Berwick. As a port, Berwick witnessed the aftermath of the sinking of merchant vessels and the people of the town were keenly aware of the sacrifices being made. They went to great efforts to provide support for those fighting the war, despite the shortages they themselves were suffering from. These efforts are explained in the book, which is a testimony to the bravery, self-sacrifice and determination of the people of Berwick during the Great War.

Although the impact of the Great War on Brighton was profound, the seaside town was spared any direct attack by the enemy. The fear of spies and sabotage, however, was widespread at first and aliens were an issue which had to be swiftly resolved under new legislation. Allies, of course, were warmly welcomed, and accommodation was soon provided for those fleeing the catastrophic events in Belgium. Between 1914 and 1918, Brighton made major contributions to the war effort in many ways: by responding readily to the call to arms, by caring for great numbers of wounded (the story of the exotic Royal Pavilion being used as a hospital for Indian casualties is widely known locally) and by simply being itself an oPen & welcoming resort that offered sanctuary, respite and entertainment to besieged Londoners and to other visitors, from every stratum of society.

The outbreak of war in 1914 aroused an enthusiasm in Hull and within the first six months 20,000 local men had enrolled. Hull was also attacked by Zeppelins and it raised its own Pals Battalions. This book looks at how the experience of war impacted on the City, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Hull were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.

Dartford was a hive of activity during the Great War years, with most in the community doing their bit for the war effort in what ever way that they could. For men that meant enlisting in the armed forces, and for women that they were to take up roles that previously belonged to men. They worked in industry, delivered post, drove buses and taxis, and became carpenters and plumbers. They were also heavily relied on by volunteer organizations, such as Voluntary Aid Detachments, the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps and later in the war, the Women's Land Army. Nearby, there was a large munitions factory in the town, which maintained a large yet productive, mostly female, workforce to ensure it met the ever-increasing demand for shells and bullets and, throughout the town, hospitals to cared for the wounded servicemen of Britain, Australia, America and even Germany, whose captured military personnel were held at one of many local prisoner of war camps. Joyce Green Aerodrome was home to units of the Royal Flying Corps and latterly the Royal Air Force, who protected both Dartford and London from air raids. This book cover how Dartford endured thirty-seven German air raids. Miraculously, not one local resident was killed. At the end of the war, the people of Dartford returned to the normality of life as best as they could, but the world had changed forever. For those who had lost loved ones, and over 300 local families had, the changes would always be a painful reminder of the terrible price of the war. Dartford in the Great War is a meticulous and compelling account of this town and its dedicated people, who sacrificed so much in their effort to thrive in one history's most difficult periods.

Grimsby in the Great War is a detailed account of how the experience of war impacted on the seaside town of Grimsby from the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, to the long-awaited peace of 1918. Grimsby and Cleethorpes were among the most vulnerable and exposed British towns in August 1914 when the Great War broke out. Situated on the North Sea, and facing the German Baltic fleet, their vessels were to face the mines and the U-boat torpedoes as the war progressed. But this is merely one of the incredibly dramatic and testing developments in the wartime saga of 1914-18, which impacted on the the town of Grimsby. Written into the greater story are the achievements of the Grimsby Chums and the other regiments containing Grimsby men, and the amazing story of the Home Front experience, from the local shell factory staffed largely by women, to the War Hospital Supply Depot and the Women’s Emergency Corps. Throughout this compelling book, Stephen Wade documents the town's remarkable stories of heroism, determination and resolution in the face of the immensity of the war and its seemingly endless tests and trials of Grimsby's mettle.