Looking at the experiences of children on both sides of the conflict (allies and enemies) – in the classroom and at the Front – this is a remarkable book that will add so much to our understanding of a child’s life during World War I. One of the striking aspects was the many first-hand accounts of the war, that Dr Newman has uncovered, which allow us to hear their voices and views in their own words – at times surprisingly perceptive, at others surprisingly gory, at all times poignant. Some of the children mentioned in the book really stuck in my mind. For instance, teenager Eric Bush – who served at Gallipoli – and on returning home the first thing he did was open his toy cupboard, and arrange his toy soldiers in proper military formation, as he’d learnt at Suvla Bay. From babies who perished with the sinking of the Lusitania, to Girl Guides who worked for MI5, teenage Russian girls who served in the Army, or lone French patriots who bravely helped others at great personal risk – the stories of the children are as diverse as they are astonishing.
Pen and Sword, paperback £14.99 ISBN 9781473821071
HT