First published 2012
Andrew Roberts opens the correspondence files of the Imperial War Museum to reveal the private words of fighting men. From the Somme's trenches to the Falklands' frozen battlefields to Afghanistan's dusty outposts, British and Commonwealth soldiers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa put pen to paper. They write to wives, mothers, sweethearts, and children waiting at home. Some letters carry declarations of love and longing. Others share battlefield humor or complaints about military rations. Many reveal the fear that grips men before battle and the relief of survival afterward. The collection spans conflicts from World War One through contemporary operations in Helmand Province. These soldiers speak across decades about experiences that remain constant in warfare. Roberts arranges their voices to show how the fighting man's core struggles endure regardless of the enemy, the weapons, or the century.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, military-fiction, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: epistolary, found-family
Setting: Afghanistan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Somme, Falklands
Period: World War One, World War Two, Contemporary
ebook · Osprey Publishing (UK)