Purely by chance, I acquired a 1915 photograph of ten young men at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. After discovering that five lived and five died, I decided to trace their lives before, during and (in the case of the survivors) after the war.There were two Welshmen, two Scots and an Irishman amongst the group, and several of them had strong links to the British Empire -- one was born in Sri Lanka and another in Singapore. We follow them through the battles of Gallipoli, Loos, the Somme, Arras and Cambrai, and also see their lives off the battlefield. We see the terrible anxiety felt by families whose sons were posted as missing, and follow them as they visit the battlefields after the war is over. The exceptional variety and excellent source material provide a vivid new light on this major conflict.
Views: 1659 | Enquiries: 3Dr Frances Hurd is a historical researcher living in Chichester. She has worked in publishing, academia and the heritage sector.
Her current research interests are centred around the social and personal impact of the First World War, with a secondary interest in the lives of ordinary people during the 19th century.
She is happy to use Zoom when required.
PLEASE NOTE that she cannot undertake evening talks except in the Portsmouth/Chichester area.
If you are interested in this talk and wish to contact the speaker, please complete the following form: